FUTURE TENSES

Read the following short stories

• This weekend, Erica is going to compete in a tennis tournament. She will practice hard all
week because she wants to win the tournament. The winner will receive $1,000. Erica hopes
she will get first place! 

• Tomorrow afternoon, the ship will be sailing to Antarctica. The sailors are going to be working
very hard when the ship sails. Some sailors will be pulling ropes on the sails. Others are going
to be watching for icebergs. The captain is going to be navigating the ship while it is sailing.

• Mr. Jones is a farmer. He owns a big farm. He plants crops in his fields in the spring. By the
time he finishes planting this spring, he will have planted 10 acres of crops. He is going to have
planted many crops.
 FUTURE SIMPLE “WILL”
Subject+ will (‘ll) + base form + Complements
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
I’ll have a cup of coffee, I will not have a cup of coffee. Will you have a cup of coffee?
please.
She’ll be my friend. She won’t be my friend. Will she be my friend?
You will marry me. You won’t marry me. Will you marry me?

1) PREDITIONS about the future with NO EVIDENCE

(something you think it will happen: think, believe, expect, hope…)
I think I will pass the exam
2) You decide to do something AT THE TIME OF SPEAKING It is raining. I’ll take an umbrela.
3) OFFERS, PROMISES and REQUESTS I’ll help you.
4) Facts about the future: Christmas day will fall on Tuesday this year.

IN A YEAR, NEXT.., ONE DAY (1ST CONDITIONAL)

 BE GOING TO
Subject + am/is/are + GOING TO+ base form + complements

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE QUESTIONS

I’m going to go there. I’m not going to go there. Am I going to go there?
She’s going to play tennis. She isn’t going to play tennis. Is she going to play tennis?
We’re going to visit her next week. We aren’t going to visit her next Are we going to visit her next week?
week.

For future PLANS and DECISIONS.

You decide to do something in the future.

Predictions WITH EVIDENCE. Something is going to happen.

There are 2 black clouds. IT’S GOING TO RAIN.

Next week, next year, next month, in one year…

 FUTURE CONTINUOUS
Subjet + will (‘ll) + be+ verb-ing + Complements

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE

I will be flying across India this time next I won’t be flying across India this time Will I be flying across India this time next
year next year. year?
He will be waiting for you tomorrow He won’t be waiting for you tomorrow Will he be waiting for you tomorrow.
We’ll be driving our new car. We won’t be driving our new car. Will we be driving our new car?

AN ACTION WILL BE IN PROGRESS AT A CERTAIN TIME IN THE FUTURE.

THIS ACTION HAS BEGUN BEFORE THE CERTAIN TIME.

IN ONE YEAR, IN 2 YEARS TIME, THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, TOMORROW…

 FUTURE PERFECT
Subjet + will (‘ll) + have+ past participle + Complements
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
I will have finished the composition by I won’t have finished the composition by Will I have finished the composition by
tomorrow. tomorrow. tomorrow?
Are you ready to check your
knowledge?
 Composition: A Gap Year!

Many students decide to take a gap year before they begin university. This can be a productive
way to spend a year and is seen as a positive experience by universities.

In this assignment, you are going to plan a gap year!

•Where will you go and why? Justify your choice.
•How will you get there? (bus, train, plane…).
•Talk about your plans and intentions while you are there (places to visit, when to travel,
where to stay…), predictions about how you will feel and the money you will spend.
•Include the information below and linking words to organise your ideas.
•Use future tenses
USEFUL LINKING WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
• To list points:
Firstly, First of all, In the first place, To begin/start with, Secondly, Thirdly, Finally
• To add more points to the same topic:
In addition (to this), furthermore, moreover, besides, what is more, as well as, not
to mention (the fact) that, also, not only … but also/as well
• To make contrasting points:
On the other hand, however, still, yet, but, nonetheless, nevertheless, even so,
although, though, even though, while, whilst, whereas, despite/in spite of (the
fact that), regardless of the fact that
• To introduce examples:
For example, for instance, such as, like, in particular, particularly, especially,
One/A clear/striking/ typical example of (this)… The fact that….
shows/illustrates that…
• To emphasise a point:
Clearly, obviously, it is obvious, naturally, of course, indeed
• To express reality:
In fact, the fact (of the matter) is, actually, it is a fact that
• To make general statements:
As a (general) rule, generally, in general, on the whole, by and large, in
most cases.
• To explain/clarify a point: in other words, that is to say, this/which
means that
• To express cause: due to (the fact that), given that, because, as, since
• To express effect: therefore, thus, as a result/consequence,
consequently, so, for this reason.
• To express intention: to, so as to, in order to, so that, with the intention
of (+ing)