Expressing the Future

Rule 1:

The most common way to express the future is with be going to + base form.

Im going to go to the supermarket. Do you need anything?

Rule 2:

You can also express future time using present continuous form, but you must use a future time expression in the sentence (or in the previous sentence). If you dont use a time expression, the time will be present tense.
Shes doing the laundry this afternoon. (present continuous form but future time) Shes doing the laundry. (present form and present time: right now)

Rule 3: HAPPENING VERY SOON be going to + base form.

When something is going to happen very soon, use

Someone stop him! Hes going to get hit by a car! (A boy is chasing a ball into the street.) Look at those black clouds! Its going to rain any minute. Lets go inside.
Rule 4: WEATHER

To predict (

, pronosticar, ) the weather, we usually use

be going to + base form. (Yes, we sometimes use will + base form, but in this class, use be going to + base form.)

Its going to rain tomorrow. Wrong: Its raining tomorrow.

You cannot use present continuous to predict the weather.

Rule 5: QUICK DECISIONS

Use will when you have just made a quick decision ( , , ) or youve just thought of an idea, for example, after I think, I have an idea, or I know.

a. What are you going to order? (in a restaurant) b. Wait a second. I havent looked at the menu yet. (pause) I think Ill order the hamburger combo. Oh, no! The copy machine is jammed*, and the boss wants this right away. (pause) I know, Ill go downstairs and ask if I can use their machine. * , hay atasco, , has stopped working because a piece of paper is stuck in it

How am I going to contact all these people before tomorrow? (pause) I have an idea! Ill call Mark and Bob and see if they can help me.

Rule 6: SCHEDULES

When talking about schedules for planes, buses, and trains, departure and arrival times, etc., we often use simple present , habitual, because we are referring to habitual ( acostumbrado, ) events.

Rule 7: PLANS

To talk about plans and intentions (,,, , ) and things weve already scheduled or planned, we normally use be going to + base form, not will.

Flight 742 arrives in San Francisco at 10:30 a.m. (every day) When does the next bus for Stockton leave? (The bus leaves at the same time every day.)

Next week theyre going to visit Yosemite. (They made their plans to visit there two weeks ago.) a. Whats all that paint for? (=Why do you have all that paint?) b. Didnt I tell you? Im going to repaint the bedroom this weekend.

Rule 8: IF

When one clause begins with if, the other clause often uses will. (not always!) If you tell anyone, Ill never speak to you again. 1 2
56Int020102 Roland Trego 02/01/02 rev. 9/29/2013 3:20 PM