Grammar Study:

Future Forms

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I.Will for prediction

We use will when there is no prior plan or decision to do something before we speak. We make the decision at the time of speaking. Look at these examples:

•Hold on. I'll get a pen.•We will see what we can do to help you.•Maybe we'll stay in and watch television tonight.

We often use will with the verb think:I think I'll go to the gym tomorrow.I think I'll have a holiday next year.I don't think I'll buy that car.

PredictionWe often use will to make a prediction about the future. Again, there is no firm

plan. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples:It will rain tomorrow.People won't go to Jupiter before the 22nd century.Who do you think will get the job?

II. Going to for prediction

Going toIntentionWe use the special going to construction when we have the intention to do

something before we speak. We have already made a decision before speaking. Look at these examples:

•I have won $1,000. I am going to buy a new TV.•We're not going to see my mother tomorrow.•When are you going to go on holiday?In these examples, we had an intention or plan before speaking. The decision

was made before we spoke.

PredictionWe often use going to to make a prediction about the future. Our prediction is

based on evidence. We are saying what seems sure to happen. Here are some examples:•The sky is very black. It is going to snow.•It's 8.30! You're going to miss the train!•I crashed the company car. My boss isn't going to be very happy!

•We use will for prediction when we have no real evidence: "It will rain tomorrow." (It's my feeling but I can't be sure.)

•We use going to for prediction when there is some real evidence: "It's going to rain." (There's a big, black cloud in the sky and if it doesn't rain I'll be very surprised.)

III. Shall versus Will

People may sometimes tell you that there is no difference between shall and will, or even that today nobody uses shall (except in offers such as "Shall I call a taxi?"). This is not really true. The difference between shall and will is often hidden by the fact that we usually contract them in speaking with 'll. But the difference does exist.The truth is that there are two conjugations for the verb will:

1st Conjugation (objective, simple statement of fact)

  Person Verb Example Contraction

Singular

I shallI shall be in London tomorrow.

I'll

you willYou will see a large building on the left.

You'll

he, she, it willHe will be wearing blue.

He'll

Plural

we shallWe shall not be there when you arrive.

We shan't

you willYou will find his office on the 7th floor.

You'll

they willThey will arrive late.

They'll

2nd Conjugation (subjective, strong assertion, promise or command)

  Person Verb Example Contraction

Singular

I willI will do everything possible to help.

I'll

you shallYou shall be sorry for this.

You'll

he, she, it shall It shall be done. It'll

Plural

we willWe will not interfere.

We won't

you shallYou shall do as you're told.

You'll

they shallThey shall give one month's notice.

They'll

Note:

Sometimes there is little difference between the Present Continuous and Going to to refer the future.

We’re seeing Hamlet at the theatre tonight.We’re going to seeWhen there is a difference, the Present Continuous emphasizes an arrangement

with some reality in the present; going to expresses a person’s intentions. I’m seeing my girlfriend tonight.I’m going to ask her to marry me. I’m asking…What are you doing this weekend?What are you going to do about the broken toilet? (=What have you decided to

do?)

V. Present Simple for timetables

1, The Present Simple refers to a future event that is seen as unalterable because it is based on a timetable or calendar.My girlfriend leaves at 10:00.Term starts on 4th April.What time does the film start?It’s my birthday tomorrow. 2, It is used in subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions such as if, when, before, as soon as, unless, etc.We’ll have a picnic if the weather stays fine.When I get home, I’ll cook the dinner.I’ll leave as soon as it stops raining.

I will be singing

subject +auxiliary

verb WILL+

auxiliary verb BE

+ main verb

invariable invariablepresent

participle

will be base + ing

VI. Future Continuous Tense

How do we make the Future Continuous Tense?

The structure of the future continuous tense is:

  subjectauxiliary verb

auxiliary verb

main verb  

+ I will   be working at 10am.

+ You will   be lyingon a beach tomorrow.

- She will not be using the car.

- We will not be havingdinner at home.

? Will you   be playing football?

? Will they   be watching TV?

For negative sentences in the future continuous tense, we insert not between will and be. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will. Look at these example sentences with the future continuous tense:

I will I'll

you will you'll

he willshe willit will

he'llshe'llit'll

we will we'll

they will they'll

When we use the future continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and will:

I will not I won't

you will not you won't

he will notshe will notit will not

he won'tshe won'tit won't

we will not we won't

they will not they won't

For spoken negative sentences in the future continuous tense, we contract with won't, like this:  We sometimes use shall instead of will, especially for I and we.

At 4pm tomorrow, I will be working.

past present future

4pm

   At 4pm, I will be in the

middle of working.

How do we use the Future Continuous Tense?

The future continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the future. The action will start before that moment but it will not have finished at that moment. For example, tomorrow I will start work at 2pm and stop work at 6pm:

When we use the future continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are talking about. Look at these examples:•I will be playing tennis at 10am tomorrow.•They won't be watching TV at 9pm tonight.•What will you be doing at 10pm tonight?•What will you be doing when I arrive?•She will not be sleeping when you telephone her.•We 'll be having dinner when the film starts.•Take your umbrella. It will be raining when you return.

I will have sung

subject +auxiliary

verb WILL+

auxiliary verb HAVE

+ main verb

invariable invariablepast

participle

will have V3

VII. Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense is quite an easy tense to understand and use. The future perfect tense talks about the past in the future.

How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?The structure of the future perfect tense is:

  subjectauxiliary verb

auxiliary verb

main verb  

+ I will   have finished by 10am.

+ You will   have forgotten me by then.

- She will not have gone to school.

- We will not have left.  

? Will you   have arrived?  

? Will they   have received it?

Look at these example sentences in the future perfect tense:

I will have I'll have I'll've

you will have you'll have you'll've

he will haveshe will haveit will have

he'll haveshe'll haveit'll have

he'll'veshe'll'veit'll've

we will have we'll have we'll've

they will have they'll have they'll've

In speaking with the future perfect tense, we often contract the subject and will. Sometimes, we contract the subject, will and have all together: 

We sometimes use shall instead of will, especially for I and we.

The train will have left when you arrive.

past present future

    Train leaves in future at 9am.

  9 - 9.15 

   You arrive in future at

9.15am.

How do we use the Future Perfect Tense?The future perfect tense expresses action in the future before another action in the future. This is the past in the future. For example:•The train will leave the station at 9am. You will arrive at the station at 9.15am. When you arrive, the train will have left.

Look at some more examples:

•You can call me at work at 8am. I will have arrived at the office by 8.•They will be tired when they arrive. They will not have slept for a long time.•"Mary won't be at home when you arrive.""Really? Where will she have gone?"

present perfect tense   future perfect tense

|have |done |

> |

will |have |done |

> |

You can sometimes think of the future perfect tense like the present perfect tense, but instead of your viewpoint being in the present, it is in the future:

Thank for your attention