Expressing Future

Future Tense Simple To Be Going to Present Present Future Tense Future Perfect Future Perfect
Simple Continuous Continuous Simple Continuous
Affirmative: Affirmative: Affirmative: Affirmative:
Negative: Negative: Negative: Negative:
Interrogative: Interrogative: Interrogative: Interrogative:
Uses: Uses: Uses: Uses: Uses: Uses: Uses:

1. Future facts 1. Predictions based on 1. Official 1. Personal 1. Action in 1. Future action 1. Future
present evidence programme/ plan progress at a anterior to action going on
Jenny will turn 21 next Monday. schedules certain time in the another future for a period
Look at that wall! It’s going future (this time action (By…, before another
2. General predictions or opinions to fall! next week, at 3 Bythe time …, future action
about the future (with verbs and o’clock nexr when…) (for, since, how
adverbs such as: think, believe, 2. Intentions/Plans Sunday…) long)
guess, know, suppose, to be By next Friday
sure/certain …, perhaps, I’m going to invite my 2. Planned future we’ll have written At the end of
definitely, probably…) colleagues to the party. actions (formal) up the reports. this year I’ll
have been
If he keeps lying, John will The inspector will learning Spanish
definitely lose his job. be visiting our for 10 months.
school next week
I’m sure she’ll make the right
choice. 3. Actions
expected to start
3. Decisions made on the spot shortly:
Look at these lovely flowers! I’ll The film will be
pick up some! starting in a
moment.
4. Offers, promises, requests,
refusals…

Phrases with future meaning: 1. To be about to (for the near future); 2. to be due to (formal arrangements or near future); 3. To be on the
point of +vb-ing/ To be on the verge of +vb-ing/ To be on the brink of +vb-ing (for the very near future)