Future Tenses in English! (Will, Going To, Be + ing & More) | The EASY Way!

Thank you, thank you for coming

Today I'd like to introduce you to a truly magical new product

It's going to change the future

Many years ago we launched "Will"

an extraordinary product so easy to use

A modal verb which has an infinitive verb afterwards. All the time

Even with he/she/it it doesn't matter, always an infinitive verb

So amazing and easy to use that everyone understands it's a future tense

And it's just awesome

but we found it has problems

ESL students can use it too much

and in some cases where it sounds unnatural

So how do we fix this?

Well first we need to understand when we can use will and when it's most appropriate

Here are some situations where will works fantastically

It still sounds natural and it's great

Showing that you're happy and willing to do something

Ok I'll pay for dinner ...again!

To make an offer

Don't worry I'll carry your bags for you

With possibilities and suppositions

Maybe I'll go out tonight

I suppose he'll join us

It's possible that it will change

To make promises: I will love you forever

To express beliefs

Do you think you'll pass your exam?

I think you'll be fine

and use it to show your determination to do something

I will get married before next year

so that was "Will"

and it just works

but more commonly now we use this thing called "be going to"

and it's simply unbelievable

it's simple

its elegant

and its natural

it's more natural in almost every situation

It's more commonly used than any other future tense

and it comes in a variety of three beautiful verb forms for you to choose from

depending on the subject

I am going to

You / We / They are going to

He / She / It is going to

it's simple

its elegant

and its natural

and this was how we solve the problem of "Will"

For your plans we don't use "Will" anymore

We use "be going to" for future plans and past plans

"I AM going to eat pizza" that's a future plan

"I WAS going to eat pizza" that's a past plan but it changed

So for example:

"Yesterday I WAS going to eat pizza, but then I remembered I'm on a diet!"

You make your decision, you have a plan

Use "be going to"

it's simple

it's elegant

and its natural

But what else?

We have "Be" + "ing" the present continuous

You now have the ability to add more certainty to your plans

You've made your decision, you have a plan

It's 100% definite it's not going to change

well maybe it will change

but in your head for the moment it's 100%

For example you're walking to the supermarket and you're thinking

"I'm going to eat pizza tonight" That's a good plan

You go into the supermarket, and you buy a pizza

Now it's a definite plan

This is very exciting I want you to see what happens to this sentence

"I'm going to eat pizza tonight" It's a great plan, and that's fine

"I'm eating pizza tonight" "Be" + "ing" That's 100% certainty to your plan

"Are you coming out tonight?" "No, I'm staying home I'm eating pizza..

...and I'm watching Netflix and chilling"

He's chilling!

But again we can always simply use "be going to"

In almost every case

it's simple

it's elegant

and it's natural

These are not three separate times, they're all future tenses

and now we've added all of these functions into our new product

we're super proud of it we're super excited

and we're calling it "Future Assistant"

and now I'm so excited to show you how future assistant can

...and WILL...

help with your future

Future Assistant, what am I going to do next?

*Bloop bloop* You're going to show a presentation of my abilities

Future Assistant works perfectly in the home

It connects all of your lights, your heating, your electricity, your water, your fridge,

your windows and doors

and it can plan your future using the most appropriate future tense

Let's take a look at Future Assistant in action

Future Assistant can make offers

"Future Assistant I'm cold" *Bloop bloop* I'll turn up the heat

Thank You Future Assistant

You are welcome

You smell good

Show suppositions:

*Bloop bloop* I guess you'll be staying in tonight because you don't have any friends

A willingness to help you:

Future Assistant can you send my mum an "I love you" message

*Bloop bloop* Sure I'll do that right now

Your mum's hot

You want to make plans? Future Assistant is there to help

It's so easy, you make a plan, you tell Future Assistant

Future Assistant, I'm meeting Johnny at 5:00 tomorrow

*Bloop bloop* Got it beautiful

Remember how "be" + "ing" the Present Continuous

Can imply a more definite plan

Watch this!

Future Assistant, what am I wearing tonight?

*Bloop bloop* Don't worry you wearing that black dress that you love

Your butt looks great in that

Thank You Future Assistant!

This next function got our so excited in the office

Future Assistant now ships with a "Shall" function!

"Shall" An offer in the question form

and not in modern English for giving commands

Like "You shall open the window" That doesn't work

and it sounds too formal and to historical for declarations

For example

"You shall not pass!"

Gandalf!

Yeah no okay okay. We're not Gandalf

so for us regular humans

"Shall" as a command sounds very strange

and the question is usually inclusive of the speaker

"Shall I...?"

"Shall we...?

An offer or suggestion perhaps

Let's have a look!

*bloop bloop

bloop bloop bloop

bloop*

Future Assistant I'm a bit warm

shall I turn the heat off and open a window?

Yes please

*Bloop bloop* Shall we watch a movie?

yeah sure!

Put me closer to you

*Bloop bloop* Yeah that's it

Oh and there's one last thing

The present simple

We know the present simple from everyday actions

But when you're talking about schedules, timetables, your flights, your trips

We can use present simple

And now with Future Assistant

all of your future schedules your trips your flights your bookings

they're given to you in the present simple

Let's have a look at that in action!

Future Assistant what am i doing today?

*Bloop bloop* You're flying to Paris today, your flight leaves at 7

and it's your sister's birthday tomorrow

Don't forget it, babe!

*Bloop bloop* your sister's hot!

now for marriage proposals we still couldn't get "be going to" to sound natural

So we still use "Will" in that question "Will you marry me?"

But for almost every other situation, "be going to"

It's the way to the future

it's simple

it's elegant

and it's natural!

Thank you!