Future Verbs

One common way to talk about the future is to use a verb.

I want to watch 'Hulk' tonight.

I 'm planning to go to Spain next year.
I 've decided to learn Japanese one day.
Obviously, the verb (want, plan, decide) uses a present form. But the 'to watch' or 'to
go' or 'to learn' part means in the future.

Here is a list of common verbs for the future:

would love
would like
am hoping
am planning
have arranged
I have decided to have a bath tonight.
have agreed
expect
intend
want
promise

Another way to talk about the future is to use an expression with 'be ... + to + verb'
I 'm due to visit the dentist next month.
I 'm likely to be late tonight.
Here are some more future "be + _ + to + verb" structures:
Structure Meaning
I am going to mark your homework. a plan/intention
I am likely to mark your homework. probably
I am bound to mark your homework. almost definitely
I am expected to mark your homework. people expect it
I am about to mark your homework. I'll do it next
I am to mark your homework. formal

There are more examples of these in the other 'future' pages.

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 Future Plans
 
If you have already decided to do something, it is a plan.
I 've decided to watch a film tonight.
We can have general plans (things we have thought about before, but don't know when it
will happen) or arrangements (when we have decided when, where, who with and all
the other details).
For general plans, we use 'am/is/are + going to + verb'
I 'm going to get married one day.
+ He 's going to have dinner with you.
- He isn't going to have dinner with you.
? Is he going to have dinner with you?

For arrangements, we use 'going to' or the present continuous.

I 'm going to get married next month.
I 'm getting married next month.
If you don't know if it's a general plan or an intention, use 'going to' - it's always correct!

Remember - we can also use expressions like "I've decided to", "I've arranged to", "I'm
planning to" to talk about our plans. For more information, look at the previous
lesson, future verbs.

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 Future Predictions
 

If you think something is possible in the future, you are making a prediction.
I think England will win the next World Cup.
These are the most common expressions for making predictions. The percentages (%)
are very approximate - just to show you the order of the expressions.

It'll definitely rain. 100% chance of rain

It'll almost certainly rain. 

90%-99%
It's bound to rain.

It'll probably rain. 

80%-95%
It's likely to rain.

It'll possibly rain. 

50%-80%
It might rain.

It might not rain. 20%-50%

It probably won't rain. 

5%-20%
It isn't likely to rain.

It almost certainly won't

1%-5%
rain.

It definitely won't rain. 0% chance of rain

Notice the position of words like "definitely" - before "won't", but after "will".
We often use 'be going to' instead of 'will' for predictions. There usually isn't a
difference, but 'be going to' can mean that we have a reason for making the prediction.
I think it'll snow next Christmas.
(but that's in 12 months - I can't know this)
I think it 's going to snow again tomorrow.
(there are a lot of clouds and the weather is very, very cold)

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 Future "Simple" and "Continuous"
 
Futures with "will"
Will can be simple, continuous or perfect. It depends on whether the action has started
or finished at a time in the future.

At six o'clock, ...

... I'll do my homework.
(simple = starts at 6 o'clock)
... I'll be doing my homework.
(continuous = started before 6, not finished)
... I'll have done my homework.
(perfect simple = finished before 6 o'clock)
... I'll have been doing my homework for 2 hours.
(perfect continuous = started before, not finished, "how long" emphasised)

Don't forget: "will" doesn't just mean "future". It is used for predictions, which can also
be in the present:
I think my brother will be sleeping at the moment.

"Future Simple"

Simple means "the whole action". When we use it with a time, it means the action starts
at this time. This example means that the aeroplane leaves at midnight.
At midnight tomorrow, I'll fly to Greece.

"Future Continuous"

Continuous means "in progress". This example means that the flight starts before
midnight, and finishes after midnight. At midnight, it is in progress. We use it with a
point of time, and we don't say "how long".
At midnight tomorrow I'll be flying to Greece.

We make the future continuous with will + be + verb-ing

+ He 'll be working at 11 o'clock tomorrow.
- He won't be working at 11 o'clock tomorrow.
? Will he be working at 11 o'clock tomorrow?

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 Future Perfect Simple and Continuous
 

Future Perfect Simple

Perfect means "before". For example, finished before a time in the future. This

example means that you will retire before 2050. We usually use this with 'by' or 'by the
time'.
By 2050, I'll have retired.
Or it can mean started before a time in the future, and not finished. In this example, I
got married in 2005, and in 2020 I'll still be married. You must say for how long!!!
By 2020, I'll have been married for 15 years.

Future Perfect Simple = will + have + past participle

+ He 'll have finished work by 6pm.

- He won't have finished work by 6pm.

? Will he have finished work by 6pm?

Future Perfect Continuous

In the examples above, we are talking about a finished action or a continuing state, so

we use the Perfect Simple. But, if we are talking about actions which are not finished,
we can use the Perfect Continuous. In the examples below, the verb "be" is a state, but
"teach" is an action.
By 2020, I'll have been a teacher for 20 years.
By 2020, I'll have been teaching English for 20 years.

Future Perfect Continuous = will + have + been + verb-ing

+ By 6pm he'll have been playing football for 5 hours.

By 6pm he won't have been playing football for

-
long.

? How long will he have been playing football?

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