Class 03 – Time Tenses (Continuation)

Future Tenses

There are no future tense endings for English verbs as there are in other
languages, but English has several widely used ways of referring to future
time.

Be Going To and the Present Progressive

“Be going to” format: Be going to + infinitive

“Be going to” and the Present Progressive are commonly used for
referring to future plans, decisions and arrangements.

“Be going to” is more frequent in spoken and informal contexts.

Main differences:

 “Be going to” usually indicates that a decision has been made and
that the event will take place soon, but that all the necessary plans
have not yet been made. → “Be going to” stresses the subjective
view of the speaker:

We are going to buy a new TV when we get some extra cash.

I am going to ask her to marry me.

Obs: Since “be going to” stresses a subjective view of the speaker, it is
usually not accompanied by adjuncts!

 The present progressive usually indicates that a decision has been

made and that the arrangements are probably in place or have been
made:

I am starting a new job next week.

He is travelling to Rio de Janeiro on Friday.

Obs: Notice all the adjuncts indicating arrangements have been made! →
Adjuncts and context are very important!
Attention! The present progressive is not used when a prediction is made
based on present evidence:

The clouds are heavy. It is going to rain any minute.

(It is raining any minute)

You’re going to lose that money if you don’t put it your pocket.
(You’re losing that money…)

Obs: “Will” may be used in such cases.

Be Going To and Will

“Will” format: will + infinitive

Obs: “will” is a modal verb!

“Be going to” and “will” can both be used to make predictions based on
present evidence or the present situation:

Hurry up or we’re going to be late! or Hurry up or we will be late!

Generally, “will” is more formal than “be going to”.

[TV weather forecast]

Temperatures will be below freezing during the night.

[To a friend]
It is going to be very cold tonight.

Main differences between “be going to” and “will”:

 Normally, “be going to” is used when there is some outside evidence
for what is said or when the statement can be clearly interpreted:

Carol is going to have a new baby.

(Outside evidence)

He is going to burn the toast.

(It can be seen)
  “Will” is preferred when evidence is not so obvious or is less
immediately relevant and when judgments or opinions have to be
relied on:

The baby will have black hair.

(Statement based on the speaker’s judgment/knowledge)

Don’t let him cook. He’ll burn the meat.

(Evidence is less obvious, but the speaker knows that the person
mentioned cannot cook)

I’m sure that we will have a good discussion.

(Based on the speaker’s judgment)

 “Will” is often used to talk about absolute certainties:

My birthday will fall on a Tuesday in 2010.

Obs: The “going to” part of “be going to” can be shortened to “gonna” in
informal contexts:

-What are you up to tonight?

-We’re gonna go to a bar.

Will and Shall

“Shall” format: shall + infinitive

Obs: “shall” is also a modal verb!
ATTENTION: “shall” is, today, only used in legal or specialized language. Do
not used it in the CACD.

“Will” may be used for all persons, but “shall” often occurs only with the
first persons I and we.

I shall finish the assigned task.

(He shall finish the assigned task.)
While “will” is commonly used in many different contexts, “shall” is very
formal.

For example, “shall” is commonly seen in specialized legal usage for

stating rules, laws, legal provisions, etc. In such cases, it occurs with third
person subjects:

The insured shall remain the sole owner of the vehicle.

The treaty shall ensure respect towards human rights.

Obs: To Ensure = assegurar

To Insure = segurar alguém/algo contra algo
(Ex: Seguro de carros = car insurance)

Attention: When “shall” is used in questions, its meaning becomes related

to the modal verb “should” instead of the modal verb “will”. In other
words, it is used to make suggestions:

Shall I close the door? → is a more formal way of saying “Should I close
the door?”

Shall we go out for a meal with them for their anniversary? → is a more
formal way of saying “Should we go out for a meal with them for their
anniversary?”

The Present Simple

The present simple is often used for references to fixed events in the
future such as schedules, timetables, firm arrangements, etc.

[All the travel arrangements have been made]

My flight leaves on Thursday at 3pm. I stay in Chicago for five days, and
then I come back on Monday evening.
[About a meeting at work]
The meeting starts at 10am on Wednesday.

The Future Perfect Simple

Format: will/shall + have + ed participle

The future perfect simple is used to refer to something that will be
completed before a certain time in the future.

------- Event ------→

Present----------------------→Future

Future time adjuncts are essential to complete the meaning in this verb
tense!

Examples:
In January, I will have worked at the company for twenty years.

I hope the documents will have gotten here by tomorrow night.

We hope they will have found a cure for cancer by 2030.

The Future Progressive

Format: will/shall + be + ing form

The future progressive is used to refer to something that will be in

progress at some specified or understood time in the future.

Examples:
Next week, I’ll be swimming in the Caribbean.

We will be starting school soon.

When you get here, I will be waiting for you at the airport.

Attention to the adjuncts!

The future progressive can also be used to soften questions about the
future and make them more polite:

Examples:
Will you be coming back on Friday night or Saturday morning?

Will they be staying at a hotel or at a friend’s house?

 The Future Perfect Progressive

Format: will/shall + have + been + ing form

The future perfect progressive is used to indicate that an event will be in

progress at a particular time in the future and it additionally highlights the
duration of the event.

Future time adjuncts are, one more time, essential to complete the
meaning in this verb tense!

Examples:
In December, they will have been living in Rio de Janeiro for five years.

By March, we will have been studying for the Itamaraty exam for one year.

By six o’clock, they will have been meeting for almost ten hours.

Future in the Past

The future in the past makes references to events in the past which were
still in the future at the point in time referred to. This verb tense normally
goes together with past tense verb forms.

(Em relação ao português, esse tempo verbal pode ser cautelosamente

comparado ao Futuro do Pretérito)

Examples:
He was coming until this afternoon and then he changed his mind.

Last time we met, his wife was going to learn Japanese.

Would/Should is used instead of will/shall:

Examples:
Joseph looked at the building where he would work for the next six
months.

I knew then that I should never see him again.

Be To

The Be To future tense may be used for future reference in the context of
obligation, requirements, formal decisions, etc. It is very commonly used
for:

Giving instructions

Examples
You are to do your homework right now!

You are to organize these documents.

Conditional clauses

Examples
If we are to get there by five, we should move quickly.

If the government is to introduce a new law, it should study the case

thoroughly.

Be To is common in specific styles such as newspaper headlines and news

reports. In these cases, it might occur in ellipted form:

Examples:
Pupils to take new national exams.
(Pupils are to take new national exams)

Protests to occur in London this Thursday.

(Protests are to occur in London this Thursday)

The government is to introduce legislation to restrict immigration.

 Be About To and other forms

The following forms enable reference to future events treated as

occurring immediately or in the near future. These forms are normally
used in more formal contexts:

He’s about to resign. (Ele está prestes a demitir-se)

They are on the point of issuing a statement.

People are on the verge of despair.

It is sure to rain.

The results are due tomorrow.

We’re certain to run out of time.

Brazil is likely to win the 2014 World Cup.

They are supposed to meet us at the station.

He is obliged to be there.

The subjunctive

Present references may be in the subjunctive after verbs such as demand,

insist, recommend, require, stipulate. Subjunctive uses base form for all
persons (no s on third person singular)

I insist that she do these things herself.

It is recommended that they repay what they owe.

The Subjunctive is used to emphasize urgency or importance. It is used

after certain expressions (see below).

Examples:
 I suggest that he study.
 Is it essential that we be there?
 Don recommended that you join the committee.

NOTICE
The Subjunctive is only noticeable in certain forms and tenses. In the
examples below, the Subjunctive is not noticeable in the you-form of the
verb, but it is noticeable in the he-form of the verb.

Examples:
 You try to study often. YOU-FORM OF "TRY"
 It is important that you try to study often. SUBJUNCTIVE FORM OF "TRY"
LOOKS THE SAME.
 He tries to study often. HE-FORM OF "TRY"
 It is important that he try to study often. SUBJUNCTIVE FORM OF "TRY" IS
NOTICEABLE HERE.

Verbs Followed by the Subjunctive

The Subjunctive is used after the following verbs:
to advise (that)
to ask (that)
to command (that)
to demand (that)
to desire (that)
to insist (that)
to propose (that)
to recommend (that)
to request (that)
to suggest (that)
to urge (that)

Examples:
 Dr. Smith asked that Mark submit his research paper before the
end of the month.
 Donna requested Frank come to the party.
 The teacher insists that her students be on time.

Expressions Followed by the Subjunctive

The Subjunctive is used after the following expressions:
It is best (that)
It is crucial (that)
It is desirable (that)
It is essential (that)
It is imperative (that)
It is important (that)
It is recommended (that)
It is urgent (that)
It is vital (that)
It is a good idea (that)
It is a bad idea (that)
Examples:
 It is crucial that you be there before Tom arrives.
 It is important she attend the meeting.
 It is recommended that he take a gallon of water with him if he
wants to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Negative, Continuous and Passive Forms of Subjunctive

The Subjunctive can be used in negative, continuous and passive forms.

Negative Examples:
 The boss insisted that Sam not be at the meeting.
 The company asked that employees not accept personal phone
calls during business hours.
 I suggest that you not take the job without renegotiating the salary.
Passive Examples:
 Jake recommended that Susan be hired immediately.
 Christine demanded that I be allowed to take part in the
negotiations.
 We suggested that you be admitted to the organization.
Continuous Examples:
 It is important that you be standing there when he gets off the
plane.
 It is crucial that a car be waiting for the boss when the meeting is
over.
 I propose that we all be waiting in Tim's apartment when he gets
home.

Should as Subjunctive
After many of the above expressions, the word "should" is sometimes
used to express the idea of subjunctiveness. This form is used more
frequently in British English and is most common after the verbs
"suggest," "recommend" and "insist."
Examples:
 The doctor recommended that she should see a specialist about
the problem.
 Professor William suggested that Wilma should study harder for
the final exam.

Mock exam
Read the text and answer the following questions
Henry Ford, the founder of the carmaker that still bears his name,
declared in 1916 that “History is more or less bunk.” When asked to open
a museum more than a decade later, he sought to clarify his comments. It
is not politicians and generals who change the future, he said, but the lives
of ordinary people such as farmers or engineers. Two new papers,
presented at Britain’s Economic History Society's annual conference last
month, suggest that the legacy of individuals’ personal struggles in
America is more enduring than even Ford could have imagined.

The first, by Cornelius Christian of Oxford University, looks at the

consequences of the lynching of black Americans between 1882 and 1930.
Mr Christian found that this history of racial violence still echoes down the
decades. He also found that the higher an area’s lynching rate before
1930, the wider the income gap between blacks and whites remained in
2008-12, even when adjusted for factors such as the education and
employment levels of a local area. A high rate of lynching widens this gap
by as much as 15% in some cases.

Another paper presented at the conference, by Vellore Arthi, also of

Oxford University, looked at the long-run impact of the Dust Bowl—a long
period of drought in America’s central plains in the 1930s that involved a
series of severe dust storms. Using census data Ms Arthi found that those
who were born or were children during the disaster had a lower fertility
rate than their peers from elsewhere in the country, were less likely to
attend college and were more likely to suffer disability and poverty when
they became older. As other research has shown, some of these
disadvantages, in turn, are likely to have affected the life chances of their
children. In short, crimes that occurred a century ago and a drought that
ended 75 years ago are still blighting lives today.
Economic history: the past’s long shadow – the Economist
1 – Choose right or wrong for each item below.

1 – According to the text, individuals are more important in shaping the

future than generals and politicians.

2 – The social context into which individuals are born matters less than
their own actions throughout their lives.

3 – Researchers use quantitative methods to analyze the past, and they

combine this information to the social aspects of a given region, producing
fully-fledged studies of economic history.

4 – Both the advantages and disadvantages individuals face during their

lives are, in certain ways, transmitted to their offspring.

2- Choose right or wrong for each item below.

1 – Henry Ford believed that generals and politicians have no impact on

history.

2 – Even though the topics of the studies all involved the United States,
American academics are not studying their own country’s economic
history.

3 – Past challenges faced by a person’s forebears may impact his or her

physical health.

4 – Henry Ford’s 1916 statement was polemical.

3 – Choose right or wrong for each item below.

1 – It is possible to infer that slavery still has an overbearing effect on
many societies.
2 – Jim-Crow-era American states are still home to racially-biased
societies.
3 – The sentence “Mr Christian found that this history of racial violence
still echoes down the decades” (2nd paragraph) can be re-written as “Mr
Christian found that this history of racial violence still ebbs down the
decades”.
4 – The sentence “In short, crimes that occurred a century ago and
a drought that ended 75 years ago are still blighting lives today” (last
paragraph) can be re-written as “In other words, crimes that took place a
century ago and a drought that ended 75 years ago are still plaguing lives
today”.
The Second Phase Composition

Composition 2017
Many commentators are of the opinion that this grouping of five large and
populous emerging nations has the potential to influence the international
system, as regards for instance the reform of the International Monetary
Fund and the implementation of the Paris Convention. Others, however,
point out that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have their own
separate diplomatic agendas, and that their differences will always make it
impossible for the group to become a real force in world affairs.
Nevertheless, the impact of the Trump presidency and the weakening of
the post-Brexit European Union may open new perspectives for the BRICS.
In the light of the different opinions presented above, discuss if the
BRICS can contribute to create a new world order.

See Study Guide

Composition 2016
You’ll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the
human race - George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright (1856-1950).
Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in
the right and always successful, right or wrong - Stephen Decatur Jr., U.S.
Commodore (1779-1820).
From the point of view of a diplomat, compare and discuss the views of
patriotism expressed in the two quotes above. (Length: 400 to 450
words) [value: 50 marks]
Rodrigo’s answer, scores – Grammar – 15/20 – Quality of language –
10/10 – Idea development – 20/20. Total: 45/50.
Patriotism has been a feature of people’s relationship with their
countries since the emergence of modern nation-states. While some, such
as Bernard Shaw, argue it is a disruptive force, others, such as Stephen
Decatur, value it as a means for people to work for their countries’
interest. Neither opinion is completely true. Patriotism, if exacerbated, can
indeed lead to radical nationalism. Nonetheless, patriotism can also be a
source of inspiration for people to work for noble goals. Therefore, there
needs to be a balance between the opinions of Shaw and Decatur.
Patriotism is a problem if it is synonymous with radical nationalism.
Bernard Shaw lived between 1856 and 1950, which means he witnessed
the nefarious consequences of imperialism and of the World Wars.
Patriotism provided the ideology for European Empires to colonize Africa
and Asia, and it led to conflicts that killed millions. Currently, political and
economic crises have allowed the reemergence of this kind of patriotism,
as the rise of Donald Trump and Brexit evidence. Therefore, international
society must be cautious of this sentiment, as Shaw warned.
Notwithstanding, today’s international system is comprised of
nation-states, and, as Kenneth Waltz stated in a Foreign Affairs Magazine
article, that is not going to change in the foreseeable future.
Consequently, patriotism will remain an important feature of international
relations. In this anarchic international order, state agents, such as
diplomats, are especially prone to think of this sentiment as a form of
motivation. As Stephen Decatur’s words demonstrate, when he hopes his
country be successful whether it is “right or wrong”, those agents must be
careful not to overstep (exceed) the limits of patriotism.
There needs to be a balance between Shaw’s rejection of patriotism
and Decatur’s exacerbated feeling. Joaquim Nabuco, who was a Brazilian
diplomat and abolition activist, provides (is) the example of such balanced
patriotism. While working for the abolition of slavery, Nabuco was often
criticized for attacking his country’s interests. He replied by saying that
patriotism must not ignore matters of high morals nor harm the well-being
of other peoples. Brazil’s true interest was the end of slavery and the
overcoming of its consequences. Thus, patriotism can a source of good, if it
is well-conceived.
Patriotism is a polemic issue. While many accuse it of stirring
divisions and even hatred between peoples, others consider it an
obligation of those who want to honor their country. Bernard Shaw`s and
Stephen Decatur`s quotes represent that difference. However, as the
example of Joaquim Nabuco shows, patriotism can be moderate and
balanced. At a time of increasing international challenges, this is the kind
of patriotism that should prevail.
Composition 2015
History consists of a corpus of ascertained facts. The facts are available to
the historian in documents, inscriptions and so on, like fish on the fish
monge’s slab. The historian collects them, takes them home, and cooks
and serves them in whatever style appeals to him. Acton, whose culinary
tastes were austere, wanted them served plain. In his letter of instructions
to contributors to the first Cambridge Modern History, he announced the
requirement “that our Waterloo must be one that satisfies French and
English, German and Dutch alike”.
E. H. Carr. What is history? 2nd Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1987, p. 9 (adapted).

When history is mobilised for specific political projects and sectarian

conflicts; when political and community sentiments of the present begin
to define how the past has to be represented; when history is fabricated
to constitute a communal sensibility, and a politics of hatred and violence,
we [historians] need to sit up and protest. If we do not, then the long
night will never end. History will reappear again and again, not just as
nightmare but as relived experience, re-enacted in endless cycles of
retribution and revenge, in gory spectacles of blood and death.
Neeladri Bhattacharya, quoted in Willaim Dalrymple. Trapped in the ruins. The Guardian. March 20th 2004.

Compare and discuss the views of history expressed in the two quotes
above, illustrating your discussion with appropriate examples.
Model answer, scores – Grammar – 16.5/20 – Quality of language – 6.5/10
– Idea development – 15/20. Total: 38/50.
Recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu caused uproar
in the international community by suggesting Palestinians were
responsible for the Holocaust. Historians protested, and the German
government itself issued a statement that reaffirmed Germany’s
responsibility for the tragedy. The episode highlighted the role history
plays in politics. Indeed, E.H. Carr’s quote is emblematic of how historians
can shape perceptions. Nonetheless, history is also a science, and, as
Neeladri Bhattacharya argued, it must preserve the truth. Historians must
strive to fulfill this role.
History is an inherently political matter. Unsurprisingly, history came
to be considered a science in the 19th century, by means of Romanticism.
German and Italian leaders, who sought to unify their countries, assigned
historians the task of creating a coherent national past, so as to
strengthen their nationalistic projects. As Carr describes, these historians
picked and chose among facts, in order to satisfy those who paid them. In
the 20th century, historians tried to overcome this limitation. The Annales
School, in France, defended objectivity and attention to documents.
Fernand Braudel’s work on the history of capitalism is a masterpiece, given
that it is able to connect ephemeral events to the long-term tendencies of
history. Notwithstanding, the work was still considered political, inasmuch
as it became a symbol of heterodox thought.
In spite of this limitation, historians must always seek to preserve
and promote the truth. By debating among themselves and with the rest of
society, historians are capable of gradually making history as apolitical as
it can be. Eric Hobsbawm’s work is an important example in this sense.
Albeit a Marxist, Hobsbawm does not shy away from condemning the
violence and repression that characterized the Soviet Union. In Brazil,
Daniel Aarão Reis’s research on the history of the military dictatorship has
become especially important due to the country’s intense political debate,
with the rise of groups that ask for military intervention. Therefore, history
should promote the truth, and historians should use their knowledge to
contribute to political dialogue.
History is a challenging enterprise. The degree to which it is subject
to emotions and subjectivity is unlike that of any other science. Thus,
historians should be aware of their political role, but should also constantly
strive for objectivity. That is what Bhattacharya argues for. Should
historians fulfill this task, man will avoid repeating mistakes from the past.
At a time of increasing political radicalism, from the Middle East to South
America, history’s lessons become ever more important.

Composition 2014
COMPOSITION
The most intense conflicts, if overcome, leave behind a sense of security
and calm that is not easily disturbed. It is just these intense conflicts and
their conflagration which are needed to produce valuable and lasting
results.
Carl Gustav Jung. The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche.
The Collected Works. V. 8. Routledge: London, 1960. p. 26.
(Length: 400 to 450 words) [value: 50 marks]

In light of the quote above, comment on the possible positive effects, if

any, of different conflicts throughout the twentieth century.
Answer from a candidate who scored 40 points for this exercise:
Wars have been responsible for some of the most intense human
suffering in history. The conflicts of the 20th century alone claimed
hundreds of millions of lives and traumatized even more people. However,
these wars had some positive effects, despite their many negative
repercussions. The losses provoked by the most destructive conflicts of the
previous century have prevented the eruption of new global wars, in
addition to strengthening international institutions and emphasizing the
importance of human rights.
The economic and social damage of previous wars discourages
modern powers from repeating them. Some nations experience so much
destruction that they downsize their military capabilities in order to reduce
their involvement in interventions overseas. Such is the case of Japan,
which maintains self-defense forces and keeps them away from distant
conflicts. Moreover, Japan has renounced any intent to develop atomic
weapons, after becoming the only victim of a nuclear attack in history.
Thus, the financial and humanitarian consequences of Japan’s
participation in World War II prevent it from engaging in similar ventures.
Another positive development has been the creation and expansion
of international institutions that diffuse conflicts. The adverse effects of
wars encourage the strengthening of multilateral mechanisms to promote
dialogue and reduce the likelihood of renewed hostilities, as exemplified by
the establishment of the United Nations after World War II. The current
significance of the UN to the evolution of international politics
demonstrates its success as a global forum, as does the role of the UN
Security Council in regulating the use of force in foreign affairs. Thus,
international reliance on the UN would not be the same without the
collective memory of World War II.
The current emphasis on the internal protection of human rights also
represents a positive result of previous wars. The suffering experienced by
the victims of local or global conflicts has permanently included the notion
of human dignity in world affairs, and has expanded the size and scope of
international law on human rights. This tendency has resulted in the
proliferation of special courts that judge crimes against humanity, as
shown by the trial and conviction of Slobodan Milosevic for his actions
during the wars in Yugoslavia. Therefore, the positive evolution of
international law is linked to the lessons learned from conflicts of the past.
Although their negative consequences cannot be ignored, the wars
of the 20th century have caused significant advancements in conflict
management and have contributed to the well-being of humanity.
Through the extent of their destructive effects and the fear they inspire,
these large wars encourage every form of cooperation necessary to avoid
new global conflicts. Therefore, the adversities and the suffering people
endured during the previous century were not in vain.