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Talking about the future


English doesn't have a future tense, but there are many ways we can talk about the future - here are some examples: 1. Look at those clouds, it's going to rain. 2. I'm meeting Yoko for a drink this evening. 3. I'm going to emigrate to Australia next year. 4. You'll need a visa if you want to work in Japan. 5. This time next week I'll be flying to Japan. 6. Stay there, I'll answer the phone. 7. The train arrives at 1608. 8. By Christmas I'll have been working here for ten years. 9. England will beat Italy 1-0. 10. I'll have driven 350 miles by this evening. These sentences use the following grammatical forms: future simple (will ....) going to present continuous simple present future continuous future perfect future perfect continuous Please try to match the sentences with the grammatical forms.

Now try to work out the rules - the first one is done for you: To talk about ........... We use ..... . Future personal arrangements / fixed plans present continuous . Something that will be completed by some future time . Predictions based on opinion (no evidence) . Prediction based on present evidemce . Plans, decisions, firm intentions (informal) . Timetabled / scheduled events . Spontaneous decisions . How long something will have continued for at a future time . General information about the future . Something in progress at a certain future time

Finally, please complete these sentences (the verb you need is in brackets, you just have to put it in the correct form):

2 1. Germany ..... the 2025 World Cup. (win) 2. By the time we get to Scotland I ..... for six hours. (drive) 3. I ..... your money by Friday if you want to come on the trip. (need) 4. They are ..... their own business. (start) 5. Look Out! We ..... (crash) 6. Good luck with the exam. I ..... of you. (think) 7. I .... 50 pages by this evening. (write) 8. The sun ..... at 5:07am (rise) 9. I ..... my hair this evening. (wash) 10. What shall I do tonight? Ah! I know, I ..... to the cinema. (go)

ANSWER KEY
1. Look at those clouds, it's going to rain. going to 2. I'm meeting Yoko for a drink this evening. present continuous 3. I'm going to emigrate to Australia next year. going to 4. You'll need a visa if you want to work in Japan. future simple (will ....) 5. This time next week I'll be flying to Japan. future continuous 6. Stay there, I'll answer the phone. future simple (will ....) 7. The train arrives at 1608. simple present 8. By Christmas I'll have been working here for ten years. future perfect continuous 9. England will beat Italy 1-0. future simple (will ....) 10. I'll have driven 350 miles by this evening. future perfect

To talk about ........... . Future personal arrangements / fixed plans . Something that will be completed by some future time . Predictions based on opinion (no evidence) . Prediction based on present evidemce . Plans, decisions, firm intentions (informal) . Timetabled / scheduled events . Spontaneous decisions . How long something will have continued for at a future time . General information about the future . Something in progress at a certain future time

We use ..... present continuous future perfect future simple (will ....) going to going to simple present future simple (will ....) future perfect continuous future simple (will ....) future continuous

THE FUTURE
Change the verbs in brackets into the correct form of the present continuous, to be going to, future simple, future continuous or future perfect. Make any other changes if necessary. 1. Give me a ring on Thursday. I (hear) the results by then. 2. This wind is so strong that it (probably/cause) some damage before long. 3. I cant believe it! This time next week I (swim) in the Indian Ocean. 4. Dont try to move that table all by yourself. Wait and I (give) you a hand. 5. On 1st March we (be) married for a whole year! 6. What do you think (happen) to their dog if they go abroad? 7. Dont phone them now. Its only 7 oclock in New York and they (just/get) up. 8. Im sorry to hear that youve lost your job. What (you/do) now? 9. The builders (finish) work on the house by the weekend? 10. I doubt if you (get) home before midnight.

(First Certificate pg. 83 , exercise 4)

Choose the most appropriate words underlined. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Jack is/is going to be sixty-five next month so he retires/will be retiring. Dont be so impatient! Ill just come/Im just coming. I have to be back at 3.30 so Im leaving/I leave before lunch. What do you think youll be doing/youll do in five years time? Come on, get a move on, or well miss/well have missed the plane! Will you be working/Will you work the week after Christmas? I was thinking of visiting you. 7. By the time Jean gets back, itll be/it will have been too late. 8. Dont phone after 11.00. Ill be /Ill have been asleep.

(Advanced Language Practice, pg. 9, exerc.1)

Put the verb in brackets into a suitable tense. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. In twenty four hours time I .................................. (relax) on my yacht. Theres someone at the door That ................................ (be) the postman By the time you get back Harry ........................... (leave). Its only a short trip. I ......................................... (be) back in an hour. What ......................................... (you do) this Saturday evening? Would you like to go out? By the end of the week we ...................................... (decide) what to do. It ....................................... (not be) long before Doctor Smith is here. Its very hot in here. I think I ................................... (faint). What ......................................... (you give) Ann for her birthday? Have you decided yet?

Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase referring to future time. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. By this time next year, the government ...................................... resigned. Wait for me here until ............................................................ back. No one can predict what Carol is .................................................... next. This time next week I ............................................................ on the beach. Are ......................................... on Wednesday evening? Ive got tickets for the match. Ive lost the key! How .................................................. get in now? I wont be long. I ............................... just......................................... my hair. We only posted the invitations yesterday so you .................................................. received yours yet. Goodbye for now. I .......................................... in touch with you later in the week.

(Advanced Language Practice, pg. 9-10, exerc.2,4)

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