Future Forms Complete

THE EXPRESSION OF FUTURE TIME: verb tenses and
other linguistic elements:
The simple present tense, to be going to, present

continuous, will/shall future simple and continuous,
future perfect simple and continuous, phrases referring
to the future and the future in the past.
1. THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
1. When we refer to future events which are seen as absolutely certain or fixed
events:
 Tomorrow is Friday.
 The term starts at the beginning of October.
 He retires next month.
2. Used in subordinate time clauses and ‘if’ clauses:

 When / Before / If he arrives late again, his boss will be very upset.
Other conjunctions: after, as, once, until, as soon as, even if, unless, as long as.
3. That-clauses with hope, assume, suppose, etc.

 I hope the train isn’t late.
2. TO BE GOING TO + inf.
1. Plans + intentions: something you have already decided to do generally as a

result of a present situation:
 I’m going to start an English course.
 My sister is going to adopt a child, she can’t have her own.
 I’m not going (to go) to NY next year, I’ve been denied my grant.
2. Predictions:
 I think it’s going to rain.
 They are going to win, I’m sure.
3. If something is about to happen (causative factors):
 He’s going to crash (I can see him going towards a tree)
 I’m feeling sick, I think I’m going to faint.
3. PRESENT CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE
1. Future plans, programmes, arrangements: when a time / place has been

agreed
 They’re meeting at 9.
 She’s leaving on Friday.
 I’m coming back soon.
(here going to is also possible, however, with the verbs go, come, leave,
meet, have dinner, etc. we then to use the present continuous).
You can use ‘going to’ for future arrangements too. The difference between the two
forms is that ‘going to’ shows that you have made a decision and the present cont.
emphasizes that you have already made the arrangements.
 We are going to get married in the summer.
 We are getting married on July.
4. SIMPLE FUTURE: WILL / SHALL + bare infinitive (inf. without ‘to’)
Will and Shall are auxiliary verbs used to form the future simple and continuous.
‘Shall’ is used with the first person singular and plural and ‘will’ with the rest. This
difference disappears when we use their contraction “ ’ll ”. In modern English,
specially in spoken English, the use of ‘will’ is spreading to the first person singular
and plural, as well. However, If not contracted, I recommend the use of ‘shall’ with
the first person singular and plural.
Its meaning about the future is neutral, that is, we do not know when the action will
happen, what we care of is that it will happen in the future. However, we may
specify when something will happen by adding adverbials (tomorrow, next week, as
soon as possible, when my sister comes, etc.).
We may use the simple future form in the following cases:
1. Instant decisions at the moment of speaking:

 I’ll have the steak.
 I’ll get a taxi, don’t worry.
2. Offers and request (polite):
 Shall I help you carry your case?
 I’ll open the door for you, madam.
3. Suggestions:
 Shall we go to the cinema this evening? I’ll pick you up at 6.
4. Promises:
 I won’t let you down.
 I won’t tell anybody where you are.
5. Predictions and personal opinions:
 I think it’ll rain.
 You’ll love the film. (also going to)
6. If clauses and Time clauses
 If you press the button, the machine will work.
 When you call me, I’ll come immediately.
5. FUTURE CONTINUOUS: WILL / SHALL + be + ing (or present participle)
1- Planned or expected future events: We can use the future continuous to say that
something will be happening at a particular time in the future. There is an intention
or expectation implied.
 How will you be getting to the airport?
 What time will you be having breakfast?
 I’ll be sunbathing on the beach this time next week.
 I hope everything goes well at the exam. I’ll be thinking of you.
 The train will be arriving soon (here also ‘is arriving soon’)
 I’ll be coming back to visit at some point, I expect.
2- Polite questions about plans and arrangements.
 Will you be staying here long? Will she be joining us for dinner?
3- It can also be used in connection with a present situation to express possibility

and probability:
 Don’t call her now, she will be sleeping.
6. THE FUTURE PERFECT: WILL / SHALL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
This tense is often referred to as the past in the future. It is used for an action which
at a given future time will be in the past or will just have finished. It is generally
used with a time expression beginning with ‘by’:
 By the end of next week he will have been here for 10 years.
7. THE FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS OR PROGRESSIVE: WILL / SHALL +

HAVE BEEN + ING (PRESENT PARTICIPLE)
Like the future perfect, it is used with a time expression beginning with ‘by’:
 By the end of this year he will have been acting for 30 years.
8. PHRASES REFERRING TO THE FUTURE
BE (UN)LIKELY TO
BE SET TO
BE CERTAIN TO
BE BOUND TO
BE DUE TO
BE ABOUT TO
BE ON THE VERGE / POINT/ BRINK OF
 He’s likely to receive an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

 She’s on the verge of leaving her husband.
 Their new album is due to come out in March.
9. THE FUTURE IN THE PAST
We can express the future seen from a viewpoint in the past. We use the past
tenses of the verb forms we would usually use to talk about the future.
 They were going to punish him, when he escaped. (They are going to
punish him for that)
 The priceless tapestry was about to catch fire, but the firemen saved it.
(The tapestry is going to catch fire!)
Observe how its meaning usually carries the knowledge that the anticipated
happening did not take place.
We also find these forms when we are reporting:

 She said she was going to come, but she never turned up
Be careful with time expressions! Notice that they change when we use the future
in the past:
 There was going to be a meeting the following day. (There is going to be

a meeting tomorrow)

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THE EXPRESSION OF FUTURE TIME: verb tenses and

other linguistic elements:

The simple present tense, to be going to, present

1. THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

2. Used in subordinate time clauses and ‘if’ clauses:

3. That-clauses with hope, assume, suppose, etc.

1. Plans + intentions: something you have already decided to do generally as a

1. Future plans, programmes, arrangements: when a time / place has been

4. SIMPLE FUTURE: WILL / SHALL + bare infinitive (inf. without ‘to’)

We may use the simple future form in the following cases:

1. Instant decisions at the moment of speaking:

5. FUTURE CONTINUOUS: WILL / SHALL + be + ing (or present participle)

3- It can also be used in connection with a present situation to express possibility

6. THE FUTURE PERFECT: WILL / SHALL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE

7. THE FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS OR PROGRESSIVE: WILL / SHALL +

8. PHRASES REFERRING TO THE FUTURE

 He’s likely to receive an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

9. THE FUTURE IN THE PAST

We also find these forms when we are reporting:

 There was going to be a meeting the following day. (There is going to be

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