Learn English Grammar - Using Future Tense - with easy examples - Lesson 7

lesson 7 part 1 the future with going to future forms in English are formed using

auxiliary verbs one of the most commonly used constructions is going to plus the

base form of the main verb how to form the future with going to you have the

subject he you have the occurrence of B is you have going to you have the base

form of the verb by and you have the rest of the sentence a new car he is

going to buy a new car going to for future plans going to is used to talk

about future events that have been planned in advance rather than decided

upon at the time of speaking I am going to buy a new car we are going to cook

dinner tonight in the first sentence by is the base form of the verb in the

second sentence going to doesn't change with the subject in the first sentence I

am in the second sentence we are the form of B matches the subject of the

sentence one person I am more than one person we are further examples I'm going

to start reading this book soon I'm not going to eat any chocolate this month

not is added after the verb be to make the negative I'm not going to Sam's

going to get fit before his next birthday we're going to cycle from

Boston to Cape Cod next weekend going to for predictions going to is also used to

make predictions when there is evidence in the present moment

look at those clouds it's going to rain soon at shows evidence in the present

moment it means that you can make a prediction going to gives the prediction

look at those clouds it's going to rain soon further examples

oh no she's going to slip and fall over that hill is too steep John is going to

crash they're going to break a window if they're not careful look the waiter is

going to drop those plates he's wearing a raincoat so he's not going to get wet

oh dear I think she's going to fall off that ladder

questions with going to questions with going to are formed by swapping the

subject and to be Michelle is going to be at the meeting is Michelle going to

be at the meeting further examples is Ryan going to come to work tomorrow is

Tim going to be at the party what are you going to wear at the party what

question words can be added to the start of the question when is he going to get

here part two the future with will will is

used to form some future tenses in English it can be used in several

different ways which are all different from the future with going to how to

form the future with will you have the subject she you have will the word will

doesn't change with the subject you have the base form of the verb love and then

the rest of the sentence the new movie she will love the new movie

the future using will English uses will when talking about the future in four

main ways first to make a prediction about what you think will happen wait a

few minutes I think it will stop raining soon this prediction is not based on

evidence secondly to offer to do something for

someone you look frozen I'll make you some hot soup in this sentence I will is

in the form of a contraction third to make a promise

we'll be there by 8:00 don't worry forth to describe a decision you've just made

I know I'll buy Aaron a surfboard for his birthday this decision was not

planned in advance

will for predictions will is used to talk about predictions about the future

when there is no firm evidence for that prediction this movie is great you will

love it there is no firm evidence that the person will like the movie further

examples the mail will be so busy this afternoon they'll enjoy their trip to

Venice Jane will probably like the new house

it's really nice probably means something is likely but not definite

she'll be really angry when she finds out

will for quick decisions will is used to describe quick decisions that someone

has made at the time of speaking they are often a solution to an unexpected

problem oh it's raining I'll take my umbrella

the contraction of will shows you have just made the decision further examples

it's midnight I won't walk home through the park will not or won't is the

negative form of will this Apple is delicious

I'll have another one there's no juice so I'll have some water instead so is

often used to join a situation to a quick decision the car has broken down

so I'll have to walk to work will for making offers will is also used

to offer to do something for someone you've seen busy I'll pick up the kids

from school today further examples I'll go to the post office for you if you

want you must be starving I'll make you a sandwich sit down and relax I'll make

you a cup of tea since you cooked I'll do the dishes

will for making promises will can be used when making a promise don't worry

I'll be careful in this sentence we are using the contraction of I will further

examples we will let you know as soon as your cars ready I'll feed the cat when I

get home if you bring the food we'll take care of the drinks I'll take care

of everything while you're away Ben said he'll call us as soon as he gets home

don't worry I'll lock the front door when I leave

think with will think can be used with will to show that a projection is just

an opinion or a decision is not final I think that we'll have enough food for

the party you can also use that after think but it can be left out the word

have is an uncertain prediction I think that we'll have enough food for the

party I'm tired I think I'll go to bed this decision is still being considered

further examples it's cold outside but we don't think it'll snow today think is

made negative rather than will we don't think if we hurry I think we'll get to

the airport on time I think I'll take the children ice-skating tomorrow

future with shall shall is used instead of will when asking for a decision or

making offers or suggestions in these cases it is only used with I or we it is

rarely used in US English shall I pick you up or shall we meet to the

restaurant the first shall is being used to make an offer

the second shall is being used to make a suggestion further examples shall I cook

chicken or beef tonight it's so hot in here

shall I open a window I'm bored shall we go out for a walk shall we try to finish

the gardening today

part three the present for future events the present simple and Present

continuous can be used to talk about future events that are already planned

they are usually used with a future time word or time phrase the present simple

for future events the train arrives at 10 p.m. tonight the present simple can

be used to talk about events that are scheduled to take place in the future

the train arrives at 10 p.m. tonight arrives is the present simple tonight

refers to a point in the future how to form this sentence you have the subject

the Train you have the present simple arrives you have future time phrase at

10 p.m. tonight the train arrives at 10 p.m. tonight further examples don't

forget we have an early meeting tomorrow morning the next flight to New York

departs at 6 this evening the concert is next Wednesday I hope

we're ready by then the bank opens late tomorrow because it's the weekend

the present continuous for future events the present continuous can be used to

talk about pre-arranged future events time markers usually show whether the

event is in the present or future at the moment

dave is working but tomorrow he is playing golf at the moment shows the

action refers to the present the present continuous refers to Dave's present

activity working the time clause tomorrow

shows the action refers to the future the present continuous refers to a

future event that is planned at the moment Dave is working but tomorrow he

is playing golf how to form this sentence you have the subject Dave you

have the present continuous is playing golf you have the future time phrase

tomorrow further examples Jack's playing soccer tomorrow sue is studying this

evening I'm having dinner with Mike next weekend Tom and Samantha are getting

married tomorrow I am seeing a movie later Lisa is playing golf tomorrow Jay

is meeting some friends tomorrow evening I'm running a race for charity this

weekend

for the future continuous the future continuous can be formed using will or

going to it describes an event or situation that will be in progress at

some point in the future the future continuous with will the future

continuous describes an event that will be in progress

at a given time in the future which is often stated the event will start before

the stated time and may continue after it right now I'm working in a cafe in

ten years time I hope I will be running a bistro I am working is the present

continuous will be running is future continuous how to form this sentence you

have the subject I you have the form of will you have B you have the present

participle running and the object a Bistro I will be running a Bistro

further examples this time next week we will be walking in the Andes Emma will

be starting school in September future continuous with anyway the future

continuous can also be used to talk about events that are going to happen as

a matter of course or any way oh no I've run out of milk I can get some for you

later no please don't worry it's okay I'll be

driving past the store anyway further examples you can send the parcel here

I'll be waiting in the house anyway I can give that to Frida for you I'll be

seeing her for lunch in this sentence anyway is implied at

the end of the sentence to imply something is to suggest without saying

it directly neutral questions the future continuous

is also used to ask neutral questions questions asked for information not to

make a request will you be coming in to work tomorrow yes I will okay let's talk

about the report then this is a neutral question request will you come into work

tomorrow please sure no problem further examples will you be driving

press the post office later will you be attending the meeting this afternoon the

future continuous to talk about the present you can also use the future

continuous to speculate about what is happening at the present moment have you

noticed that Andrew isn't at work today he'll be working on his presentation at

home it's more likely that he'll be watching the golf on TV further examples

why isn't Xavier here today he'll be finishing off his report for the annual

meeting why is Nev late he'll be taking his children to school where is Sarah

she'll be studying in the library probably his Phoebe at home no she's not

here she'll be playing with Claire at the park

probably have you seen Roberta no but she's going

out later so I think she'll be getting ready

the future continuous with going to the future continuous can sometimes be

formed with going to instead of will but this is less common it can be used in

most future continuous constructions except to speculate about the present I

can't come out this evening I'm going to be studying all night how to form this

sentence you have the subject I you have the form of B am you have going to be

you have the present participle studying and the rest of the sentence all night I

am going to be studying all night further examples I want to go away on

Saturday but I'm going to be working all weekend I'd love to go out on Thursday

but I'm going to be finishing this essay shall we have lunch next week

I'm going to be visiting your city I'm going to be staying with my husband's

family for the holidays this year do you want to go to a concert tonight my wife

is going to be performing

five the future perfect the future perfect is used to talk about an event

that will overlap with or finish before another event in the future it can be

used in simple or continuous form the future perfect is used to describe an

action or event that will be finished before a certain future time they will

have built the skyscraper by January they is in the present moment will have

built is in the future by January it will be done before

January it will be done by January how to form this sentence you have a subject

they you have the form of will you have the form of have you have the past

participle built you have the object the skyscraper you have the time phrase by

January further examples CAI will have read all his course books by next week

Sam will have finished the laundry by this afternoon the next time you see me

I will have had a haircut we're so late the play will have started by the time

we get there the future perfect continuous the future perfect continuous

can be used to predict the length of an activity this tense looks back from the

imagined finishing time in the future by July I will have been working here

for a year you are looking back to the past and also the future how to form

this sentence you have a time phrase by July you have the subject I you have the

form of will you have the form of have you have been you have the present

participle working and the rest of the sentence here for a year by July I will

have been working here for a year further examples by the time this is

already Andy will have been cooking all day by the time I arrived home I will

have been driving for six hours by this time next month I will have been

studying English for a year he will have been waiting for two hours by the time

she arrives this case will have been going on for over a year before it is

settled finally the future in the past there are

a number of constructions in English that can be used to describe thoughts

about the future that someone had at some point in the past the future in the

past using was going to the future in the past is used to look back on an

earlier prediction we're going to is used to talk about the future from the

present was were going to is used to talk about a past view of it this

traffic is awful I think I'm going to be late for work I thought I was going to

be late but I'm right on time the first sentence is earlier the second sentence

is now how to form this sentence you have the subject you have the form of

was or were you have going to you have the base form B and the rest of the

sentence late I was going to be late further examples I was going to start a

new book today but I didn't have time Mike was going to have a party but

nobody could come they were going to go home but they went dancing instead Delia

was going to buy a new dress but she couldn't find one we were going to buy a

new dog but we decided to wait sorry I interrupted were you going to say

something the future in the past using wood where you would use will to talk

about a future event from the present use wood to talk about your past view of

it I think I will finish the gardening today it shouldn't take too long I

thought I would finish today but there is still a lot left to do the first

sentence is earlier the second sentence is now further examples I always knew

she would be successful I was told my car would be fixed by now

did you ever think you would become a doctor I don't know where Hill there is

I thought she'd be here by 8 the future in the past using the past

continuous the past continuous is used to talk about an arranged future event

from a time in the past jenny was extremely nervous on Monday morning she

was taking her driving test that afternoon further examples they were

planning to go to the beach tomorrow but the weather's terrible Michelle had been

cleaning all day her sister was arriving that evening Hugo had to go to bed early

because he was flying early the following morning that is all for me for

today join me next time when once again I will be asking how's your grammar

you