FUTURE FORMS THEORY AND EXERCISES

FUTURE FORMS:
When we talk about the future, we can use different verb tenses depending on which is
the situation and the action we’re referring too:

Present Continuous Referring to Future:

- For future arrangements and fixed plans
o Ex: I’m meeting my friend this evening because we’re going to the cinema.

Present Simple:
- For fixed events or schedules or a calendar
o Ex: Our train leaves tomorrow at 12 o’clock.
- In clauses beginning with:
o As soon as: As soon as we arrive, I’ll visit you.
o By the time: By the time I get there, the shop will be probably closed.
o After: After my mum pay me, I’ll give you the money I owe you.
o Until: I won’t study maths until the English exam is done.
o When: It’s going to be raining when you are ready to go.

Be going to:
- For a personal plan or intention
o Ex: I’m thinking that I’m going to visit my grandma this evening.
- For a prediction based on present evidence:
o Ex: Look at how grey the sky is. It’s going to rain.

Will:
- For a prediction based on opinion rather than evidence.
o Ex: I think he’ll arrive by 12 o’clock but he hasn’t confirmed me anything yet.
- For spontaneous decisions.
o Ex: *The phone rings* I’ll pick the phone call, mum!
- For fixed timetables.
o Ex: We will visit France this summer holidays, my mum has already reserved
the plane tickets.

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 FUTURE FORMS THEORY AND EXERCISES

Future continuous:

X X X
PRESENT FUTURE

- For something in progress at certain time in the future.

o Ex: By this time next year, I’ll be doing my master degree!
- For something that will happen in the normal course of events, not because you’ve
planned it.
o Ex: My birthday is the seventh of June, so I’ll be turning 22 in less than 4
months!!

Future perfect simple:

X X
PRESENT FUTURE

- For something that will be completed by certain time in the future

o Ex: By next year, I’ll have finished my degree.

Future perfect continuous:

X X
PRESENT FUTURE

- Adds emphasis to the previous tense, giving a sense of higher time duration:
o Ex: My goodness, have you realised that we will have been finished our
degrees in June?? I cannot believe it.

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A. Choose the appropriate tenses for the verbs in brackets.

1. The train ………………………… at 11:45. (To leave)

2. We ……………….. dinner at a nice restaurant on Saturday, but we haven’t booked a

table yet. (to have)

3. My ski instructor believes it ………………….. in the mountains tomorrow evening. (to

snow).

4. On Sunday at 8 o’clock I …………………. my friend. (to meet)

5. They ………………….. to London on Friday evening at 8:15. (to fly)

6. Wait! I …………….. you to the station. (to drive)

7. The English lesson ………….. at 8:45. (to start)

8. I ……………… my sister in April. (to see)

9. Look at the clouds – it ……………………… in a few minutes. (to rain)

10. Listen! There’s someone at the door. I ……………………. the door for you. (to open)

11. Lisa has sold her car. She ………………………. a bike. (to buy)

12. The museum ………………… at 10 am daily. (to open)

13. How old ………………………………. in 2050? (Harry/ to be)

14. What time ……………………………………… ? (the show/ to begin)

15. What ……………………………… tomorrow evening? (to do)

16. What time ……………………… Gerry? (he/ to meet)

17. This lesson ………………………………….. at 11:30 but 11:40. (to end)

18. This time tomorrow we ………………………………. to York. (to drive)

19. The students …………………………………… their essays by the end of next week. (to

write)

20. Do you think that it ………………………….. tomorrow? (to rain)