IG P. Basie contrasts: will, going to, present continuous Future continuous: Future perfect Future time Explanations = Will is normally known as the predictive future, and describes known facts, or what we supposes true T'llbe late home this evening. The company will make a profit next year. ‘This can also take the form of an assumption. That'll be Jim at the door. (This means that I suppose itis Jim.) ‘= Will is also used to express an immediate decision, NU take this one. = Be going to describes intentions or plans. At the moment of speaking the plans have already been made. I'm going to wait here until Carol gets back. Going to is also used to deseribe an event whose cause is present or evident. Look at that tree! It's going to fall. Compare the following with the examples in the first bullet point: I'm going to be late this evening. I've got lots of paperwork to finish off. The figures are good. I can see the company is going to make a profit this year. Decisions expressed with going to refer to a more distant point in the future, = Present continuous describes fixed arrangements, especially social and travel arrangements. A time reference is usually included. Note the strong similarity to the going 10 future. / am having a party next week and / am going to have a party next week are communicating the same message. = This describes an event which will be happening at a future point. Come round in the morning. I'l be painting in the kitchen ‘= It can also describe events which are going to happen anyway, rather than events which we choose to make happen. J won't bother to fix a time to see you, because I'll be calling into the ofice anyway several times next week. ‘= In some contexts future continuous also sounds more polite than will. Will you be going to the shops later? Ifyou go, could you get me some milk? = It can also be used to refer to fixed arrangements and plans. The band will be performing live in Paris this summer. = This has both simple and continuous forms, and refers to time which we look back at from a future point. In two year's time FU have finished the book By the end ofthe month, I'l have been working for this firm for a year.ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Other ways of referring to the future Other future references It can also be used to express an assumption on the part of the speaker. You won't have heard the news, ofcourse. (This means that I assume you have not heard the news.) Islare 10 be This is used to describe formal arrangements. All students are to assemble in the hall at 9.00. See also Grammar 11 and 12 for uses expressing obligation, Be about to, be on the point of, be due to, justijust about 10 Be about to and be on the point ofboth refer to the next moment, J think the play is about to start now. Mary is on the point ofresigning. Be due to refers to scheduled times. The play is due to start in five minutes. Ann's flight is due at 6.20. Just can be used to describe something on the point of happening Hurry up! The train is just leavingljust about to leave. Present simple and present perfect Present simple is used to refer to future time in future time clauses. When we get there, we'll have dinner. Present perfect can also be used instead of present simple when the completion of the event is emphasised, When we've had a rest, we'll go oul. Present simple is also used to describe fixed events which are not simply the wishes of the speaker, Tom retires in three years Similarly, calendar references use the present simple. Christmas is on a Tuesday next year Hope ‘This can be followed by either present or future verb forms. Thope it doesn't rain. hope it won't rain. Other verbs followed by will Most verbs of thinking can be followed by will if there is future reference ‘These include: think, believe, expect, doubt. Texpect the train will be late. I doubt whether United will win. Shall ‘The use of shall for first person in future reference is generally considered to be restricted to British English and possibly declining in use. See Grammar 11 and 12 for other uses of shall and will. For some speakers, shall is used in formal speech and in written languageGRAMMAR 2 FUTURE TIME This section also includes time phrases used in expressing future time. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form. a) In twenty-four hours’ time TL Be. reUARUNB. cox, (Utelax) on my yacht. b) There's someone at the door! That (be) the postman.’ ©) By the time you get back Harry. leave). 4) It’s only a short trip. (be) back in an hour. ©) What (you/do) this Saturday evening? Would you like to go out? 4) By the end of the week we (decide) what to do. 2) It (not/be) long before Doctor Smith is here. hh) We'll go to the park when you (finish) your tea i) It’s very hot in here, I think 1 (fain), i). What (you/give) Ann for her birthday? Have you decided yet? 2 In most lines of this text there is an extra word. Write the extra word, or put a tick ifthe line is correct. In August Gordon will then have been athis company for 25years, 1 and he's getting for a bonus of three weeks paid holiday. Sowe've 2 decided to hire a car and drive around astern Europe. We'll be 3 leaving towards the end of August, and our aim there isto visitas 4 ‘many countries as we can. We're flying out to Budapest - soon we're 5 due to catch a plane on the 28th day - and then we'll be stopping over 6 1 8 ata friend's house, before starting our grand tour. Well most probably spend the best part of a week in Hungary. When we've just finished there, well probably be go to Romania, but beyond that we haven't 9 planned too much arrangements, We know abitmorebytheend 10 ofthis week, when we're getting a whole load of brochures fromthe 11 tourist board. Weld like to get to as far as Russia, but realistically 12 doubt whether we'll have time. I hope it won't be too expensive - 13 from till now on we'll really have to tighten our belts! I can't wait! 14 In just over two months’ of time we'll be having the time of ourlives! 153 Choose the most appropriate continuation for each sentence. a) According to the latest forecast, the tunnel ./..... A will be finished next year. B will have been finished next year Cis finishing next year. ) Paula's flight is bound to be late although Ait arrives at 600. B it's due at 6.00. C its arriving at six. ©) Its no use phoning Bob at the office, he Awill be leaving. Bis leaving. C will have left. 4) Everyone says that this year City Aare going to win the Cup. B are winning the Cup. C win the Cup. ©) I don't feel like visiting my relatives this year so. Al won't go. BI'mnot going. CI don't go. 1) You can borrow this calculator, I A.am not going to need it. B won't have been needing it. C am not needing it. g) Tm sorry dinner isn't ready yet, but it A is going to be ready ina minute, B will have been ready in a minute, C will be ready in a minute, h) Can you send me the results as soon as you A hear anything? B are hearing anything? C will have heard anything? i). You can try asking Martin for help but A it won't do you any good. _B it's not doing you any good. C it won't be doing you any good, 4) Don't worry about the mistake you made, nobody. Ais noticing. B will notice. _C will be noticing 10GRAMMAR 2 FUTURE TIME ‘Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. a) I don’t suppose you have heard the news. won't You want. have. heard. the news 'b) The Prime Minister expects an easy victory for his party in the election. believes ‘The Prime ter. ‘the election easily. c) I've been in this company for almost three years. will By the end of the month. in this company for three years, d) This book will take me two years to write. have In two years’ this book. ©) Scientists are on the point of making a vital breakthrough. about Scientists are, a vital breakthrough. 1) Maria is pregnant again. have Maria is baby, g) Tl be home late until L late. hh) No one knows what the result of the match is going to be, who No one knows. the match, i) Don't worry; David won't be late. here Don't worry; David. time. i) Mary and Alan's wedding is next weekend. getting Mary and Alan next weekend. "ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE 5 Look at the three options A, B and C for each question. Decide which two are correct. a) We've run out of fuel. &..€.. A What will we do now? B What do we do now? C What are we going to do now? b) You can't leave early, A we're having a meeting. B we're going to have a meeting. C we will have a meeting. ¢) Oh dear, I've broken the vase. A What will your mother say? B What is your mother going to say? C What is your mother saying? d) According to the weather forecast, Aitll rain tomorrow. —_B it's raining tomorrow C it’s going to rain tomorrow e) I'd like to call round and see you A What will you have done by the morning? B Whatll you be doing in the morning? C What are you doing in the morning? 4. I've got nothing to do tomorrow so ATI getup late, BT amto get up late, C T'm going to get up late. 8) It's my eighteenth birthday next month so AT'm on the point of having a party. B I'm having a party C Til be having a pany h) Why don't you come with us? Atl be a great trip. B It’s going to be a great trip. C It's a great trip, i) When you get to the airport A someone is going to be waiting for you. B someone is due to wait for you. C someone will be waiting for you. ) Shut up, will you! A I'm getting really angry. B I'm going to get really angry in a minute. C I'm getting really angry in a minute.Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentenc a) Tl be back after a few minutestin a few minutes. 'b) T'm sure that everything will be all right at the endlin the end. ©) Please call me the moment/exactly when you hear any news. 4) I should be back by the timelat the time the film begins. ©) I'm sure Fiona will be hete before longlafter a while. 1} Lcant leave on Tuesday. I won't be ready until then/by then. 8) By twenty four hoursithis time tomorrow Ube in Bangkok, h) Diana will be retiring soon/already. i) There will be no official announcements forthwithifrom now on. 4). Bye for now. I'l see you in two weeks’ timeltwo weeks later. Complete the common expressions using the words from the box. _ let give “be go see come have go. be a) MM tee what I can do, rm .a look and get back to you. 9m ‘it some thought. om you know by tomorrow. ©) Ti just. and get it, 5m halves with you. gr 4 it. ») TL back in a minute. mm about five minutes. pri and show you. Which expression means one of the following? 1) Iwill try and do this for you. 2) I'l share it with you, 3) Il fix ivarrange it. B