WAYS OF EXPRESSING FUTURITY

I. Present Simple is used to express future actions:

a) an officially planned programme or schedule:

The train leaves at 6 a.m.
b) in conditional clauses (type I):
If the rain stops, I’ll go out with my friends.
c) in time clauses:
I’ll visit you after I finish my homework.
d) calendar references:
Christmas is on a Sunday next year.

II. Present Continuous is used to express:

a) a planned action/a personal arrangement:

I am spending my week-end with my grandmother.
b) a future action with verbs of movement: to go, to arrive, to leave, to come.
We are leaving for Vienna in our honeymoon.

III. Present Perfect is used to express a future action in a time clause that will take place before
another future action.
Susan will pack everything for the trip after she has got the train tickets.

IV. Past Tense is used to express a future action in a time clause simultaneous with another action
expressed by a Future-in-the-Past.
Betty promised she would call Tom when she knew the truth.

V. Past Perfect is used to express a future action in a time clause that will take place before another
action expressed by Future-in-the-Past.
Richard told me that he would take a job after he had finished his final exams.

VI. BE TO (=urmeazã sã) is used to express:

a) an official plan/ arrangement:
There is to be an investigation about this crime.
The president is to arrive in our city tonight.
b) duty/command/order:
What are we to do?
You are to read this book by tomorrow!
c) something that is destined to happen:
He is to be fired for inappropriate behaviour.

VII. BE ABOUT TO is used to express something that will happen in the immediate future-
imminent fulfilment of an action.
He is about to leave.
I’m about to read the book you gave me.
VIII. TO BE GOING TO (“near future”) is used to express:
a) Intention:
She is going to throw a party tonight.
b) prediction based on firm evidence:
He is going to graduate in June.
c) something that is about to happen:
It is going to rain in a few minutes.

IX. TO BE DUE TO is used to refer to scheduled times:

The game is due to start in a half an hour.
The plane is due to land at 4.50 a.m.

X. TO BE ON THE POINT OF is used to express something that will happen in the near future.
I’m on the point of resigning.