Future

• Rules That Are Clear

1. Only Use “Will” When

A. You make a promise.

- I will never leave you.

- I will pay you back the money.

B. You decide to do something at the moment of speaking.

- The phone is ringing…Ok, I’ll answer it.

- Let’s hurry up. I’ll wash the dishes and you dry.

C. You offer to give someone something or to help them.

- I’ll help you move on Saturday.

- I’ll give you my answers from the homework assignment.

D. You refuse something.

- I won’t pay you for this terrible work you did.

- I won’t accept this behavior.

E. You order someone (your employee or your child) to do something.

- You will be there at 5 pm!

- You will leave this house now!

2. ONLY USE “GOING TO” WHEN

A. You make a prediction because you Can See The Evidence Now.

- Look at the dark clouds. It’s going to rain.

- He is standing on that table. He’s going to fall!

- I see the currency is falling, the economy is going to crash.

For The Purposes of The Test, Use The Following Rules As Well (Even
Though In Speaking You Might Hear Different Things).

1. Use The Simple Present When

Something is on a definite timetable/schedule, or there is a normal time that is

repeated for something

- The train leaves at eight tomorrow.

- Class begins next week.

- I brush my teeth every morning when I get up.

2. Use “Be Going To” Or “Am, Is, Are + Verb +Ing” When

You have made a plan to do something before the moment of speaking.

- I’m going to help my mother with her laundry on Saturday.

- I’m helping my mother with her laundry on Saturday.

 - I’m going to meet a friend.

- I’m meeting a friend.

- I’m going to be staying in the Hilton.

- I’m staying in the Hilton.

3. Use Either “Will” Or “Be Going To” When

You make a general prediction about something that is going to happen in the
future.
- I think it will be cloudy tomorrow.

- I think it’s going to be cloudy tomorrow.

- Cars will fly in the future.

- Cars are going to fly in the future.

***When you use hope as the first verb, then use WILL as the second verb.
Ex: I hope I will see you tomorrow.

***When you have TIME WORDS then you must use the simple present for the
verb that come RIGHT AFTER the time word (but NOT for any other verbs in the
sentence.
- If

- When

- After

- Before

- Until
 - As soon as

- By the time

***When you have a sentence like the above any OTHER verb in the sentence is
in the “will” form

- If you COME to Dubai, I WILL TAKE you to my mother’s house.

• STUDENTS BE CAREFUL PLEASE NOTE

A. If you have a choice between something that is being PLANNED, and

something that HAPPENS REGULARLY or ON A TIME SCHEDULE, then pick
the rule for PLANNING.

***On Friday at 8 o’clock I am going to meet /am meeting my

friend. because…if he is planning to meet his friend, it’s not really a
formallyscheduled event or something that happens on a regular
basis (see #5 and #9 in the exercises below).

B. ***If you hear something from the WEATHERMAN (or weatherwoman), then
you can use going to. This is because if the prediction about the weather
(tomorrow) is basedon what you feel in the air or see in the sky (clouds for
example), then you should use GOING TO (see Number #3)

C. Be careful of #20 in the exercises below. Notice that it is more of his

SCHEDULED TIME, so…weuse the SIMPLE PRESENT
• Future Tenses Exercise

1. The train (to arrive) at 12:30.

2. We (to have) dinner at a seaside restaurant on Sunday.

3. It (to snow) in Brighton tomorrow evening according to the

weatherwoman.

4. On Friday at 8 o’clock I (to meet) my friend.

5. Paul (to fly) to London on Monday morning.

6. Wait! I (to drive) you to the station.

7. The English lesson (to start) at 8:45.

8. Are you still writing your essay? If you (to finish) by 4pm, we can go
for a walk.

9. I (to see) my mother in April.

10. Look at the clouds – it (to rain) in a few minutes.

11. You’re carrying too much. I (to open) the door for you.

12. Do you think the teacher (to mark) our homework by Monday
morning?

13. When I (to see) you tomorrow, I (show) you my new

book.
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 14. After you (to take) a nap, you (to feel) a lot better

15. I’m sorry but you need to stay in the office until you (to finish) your
work.

16. I (to buy) the cigarettes from the corner shop when it (to
open).

17. I (to let) you know when the builders (to finish)
decorating.

18. Before we (to start) our lesson, we (to have) a review.

19. We (to wait) in the shelter until the bus (to come).

20. I’m very sorry Dr. Jones (not be) back in the clinic until 2pm.

21. I (to stop) at the supermarket on the way home. Do you want
anything?

22. I don’t think you (have) any problems when you land in Boston.

23. In three years I (live) in a different country.

24. (take) your children with you to Cairo?

• Answers

1. Arrives

2. Are Having / are going to have

3. Is going to snow

4. Am meeting/ am going to meet

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 5. Is going to fly/ is flying

6. Will

7. Starts

8. Finish

9. Am going to see/ am seeing

10. Is going to rain

11. will open the door

12. is going to mark

13. see you – will show

14. take - will feel

15. finish

16. will buy

17. will let you know – finish

18. start – will have

19. will wait – comes

20. isn’t / isn’t going to be

21. will stop

22. will have

23. am going to live

24. are you taking / are you going to take

Additional Exercise

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Fill in the correct future tense - will future, going to or present progressive.

1. They __________(drive) to New York tomorrow morning.

2. I hope the weather __________ (be) nice.

3. I offered him this job. I think he __________ (take) it.

4. I promise I __________ (not tell) your secret to anyone.

5. Take your umbrella with you. It __________ (rain).

6. They __________ (play) cards this evening.

7. I __________ (go) to the cinema tomorrow.

8. They __________ (fly) to Seattle next summer holidays.

9. I __________ (invite) 50 people to the party, and I hope everyone __________

(come).

10. That exercise looks difficult. I __________ (help) you.

11. __________he __________ (go) to the football match?

12. Are you sure they __________ (win) the match?

13. She __________ probably __________ (stay) till Thursday.

14. He __________ (not leave) tomorrow.

15. We think he __________ (come) home late in the night

• Answers

1. Are going to drive/are driving

2. Will be

3. Will not/won’t take OR is not going to take

4. Will not tell/won’t tell

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5. Is going to rain

6. Are going to play/are playing

7. Am going /am going to go

8. Are going to fly/are flying

9. Am going to invite/am inviting……will come

10. Will help (I’ll help)

11. Is he going to go/is he going

12. Will win/are going to win

13. If it is a PLAN then--Is probably staying/is probably going to stay, BUT if it is

a PREDICTION then—will stay, is going to stay.

14. If it is a PLAN the--Isn’t going to leave/is not leaving, BUT if it is a

PREDICTION then—isn’t going to leave/will not (won’t) leave AND if he is
REFUSING (like we are fighting with him/her) then--won’t leave

15. This is more of a PREDICTION--Is going to come/will come, BUT IF WE

THINK OF IT AS A PLAN THEN---is going to come/is coming