THE FUTURE

TENSE
Grammar 1 Semester 1
Dr Benamar
There are different ways to express the future : you can use
the present simple, the present continuous, the will/ shall
future, be going to future, future perfect, and future perfect
continuous and few other forms.
 I. SIMPLE PRESENT

• We use the simple present for the future for scheduled events
like timetables and programmes.
- The plane leaves in 10 miutes
- You have an exam next Thursday at 10.
 II. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
• We use the present continuous for personal future arrangements (we
often mention the time of the arrangement)
- We are meeting tomorrow afternoon in the cafeteria, will you join us?
- I’m leaving tomorrow for Cairo.
 III. WILL- FUTURE
• Form : Will+ base form of the verb
• 3. 1. Will is used to express prediction based on opinion with a) verbs
like believe, think, guess, suppose, assume, expect…b) with adverbs
like probably, definitely, perhaps, possibly, certainly… maybe… c)
with expressions like I’m afraid, I’m sure, it’s important, whatever…
- She will probably win the elections
- She is strong ; I believe she will get over her divorce quickly.
- I’m afraid I won’t be able to help.
 III. WILL- FUTURE
• 3.2. Actions or facts which we cannot control but which will
definitely happen.
- I will be 19 next month.
- The temperature will reach 40 degrees celsius tomorrow.
-This website will become paid for next week.
 III. WILL- FUTURE
• 3.3. Instant decision, i.e. decision made at the moment of speaking
- A : Is that the phone ? B : Don’t worry. I’ll get it.
- A : Tomorrow is Jack’s birthday. B : Oh really ? I will give him a
video game as a present.
 III. WILL- FUTURE

• 3.4. Offers, requests, promises

- I will give you a lift if you like.
- All right, I will water the plants
- Will you give me some novels?
 III. WILL- FUTURE
• 3.5. Determination
- I will go whatever it takes!
• 3.6. orders
- You will do exactly as I say!
• 3.7. Invitations and marriage proposals
- Will you come to the party with me?
- Will you marry me?
 IV- SHALL FUTURE
• Form : Shall+ base form of the verb
• 4.1. Shall is used with « I » and « we » to make a suggestion (in question form)
- It’s getting hot. Shall I turn on the air- conditioner?
- Shall we go to the beach tomorrow ?
• 4.2. to ask for advice
- How shall I break the news to him ?
- What shall I do about this problem ?
• 4.3. to express determination
- I shall go whatever it takes.
 V- BE GOING TO FUTURE
• Form : be going to + base form of the verb
• USE
• 5.1. We use be going to future to express prediction based on present evidence
-Look at those clouds. It’s going to rain.
-My nose is running and my eyes are watery. I’m going to have a cold.
-The sky is getting dark and I just heard some thunder - it's going to rain.
-I'm not feeling well. I feel like I'm going to throw up.
-Gina's not going to win the race - the other runners are far ahead of her.
-We're not going to have enough paint to finish this wall.
 V- BE GOING TO FUTURE
• 5.2. For planned future action (intention and decision to do
something)
- When I retire, I’m going to tour the world.
- I’m going to stay in the library until I finish my report.
• 5.3. For imminent events (events that will happen very soon)
- Be careful ! That chair is going to fall.
- Oh my God. That child is going to fall off the balcony !
 FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE
• Form : will+ have + past participle verb
• 1. We use the future perfect simple for an action to say that an action will be
finished by particular time in the future.
-If the train leaves at 9, and you arrive at the 9 :30, we can say:
- When you arrive, the train will have left.
- By the year 2024, I will have graduated from university.
- I will have finished my project by the end of the month.
- By eight o’clock tomorrow, I will have taken off to Paris.
 FUTURE CONTINUOUS
• Form: will be + verb/ ing
• 1. We use the future continuous to talk about an action that will be in
progress at a specific time in the future.
- I will be sleeping if you come after eleven, so please use your own
key.
- Tomorrow at this time, I will be flying over the Atlantic, and you’ll
be taking an English test.
 FUTURE CONTINUOUS
• 2. Action that will definitely happen in the future as a result of a routine or
a natural course of events.
- I will be going to the supermarket later. Do you want me to buy something
for you?
- You don’t need to call Sally. I’ll be seeing her later, so I’ll pass the message
on to her.
 FUTURE CONTINUOUS
• 3. Interrupted action in the future. The longer action is interrupted by the
shorter one.
- I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.
- She will be typing the reports when her boss arrives.
• 4. Parallel actions in the future (two actions will be happening at the same
time).
- While they are having fun, I will be doing my research.
- She will be watching TV while he is making dinner.
 FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
• Form : will+ have been+ verb/ ing
• 1. We use the future perfect continuous to talk about the duration of an
activity at a specific time in the future.
- By next September, I will have been working here for 7 years.
- By next month, I will have been living in this house for 10 years.
- By the end of this year, you will have been learning English for at least 5 years.
 Future time clauses
When a sentence about future time has two clauses, the verb in the main clause is often in the future, the verb in the
time clause is often in the the present tense.

What are time clauses ?

Time clauses are clauses beginning with WHEN/ WHILE/ BEFORE/ AFTER/ BY THE TIME/ AS SOON AS/
UNTIL/ TILL/ THE MOMENT, THE MINUTE….
In conditional sentences, after IF/ PROVIDED THAT/ UNLESS/ AS LONG AS… we use the present tense, NOT
the future tense.
Examples :

WHILE Maria IS at school, she will work part time.

WHEN you ARRIVE tonight, we will go out for dinner.
AFTER Tom LEAVES school, he will look for a job immediately.
BY THE TIME I GET my degree, I will be 22 years old.
THE MOMENT/ THE MINUTE I SEE him, I will break the news to him.
IF he wins, he will organise a party to his friends.
UNLESS she PAYS her debts, she will have serious legal problems.
Exercise:

Will - be going to
1- Have you got any plans for tomorrow? - Yes, I (visit) ………… my
grandparents.
2- Why is she learning Spanish? - She (travel) ……………… to Spain.
3- We are thirsty. - Wait here. I (get) ……………… some water.
4- Meat or fish? - I (have) ……………… some fish, please.
5- What do you want the keys for ? - I (close) ……………… the door.
6- If you don't take a taxi, -you (arrive/not) ……………… on time.
7- Why do you want so many oranges? - I (make) …………… an orange juice.
8- Oh! I haven't got enough money to pay! - Don't worry. I (lend) ………………
you some.
9- We need one more player. - (you / play) ……………… with us tomorrow?
10- Why are you switching on the TV? - I (watch) ……………… a football
match.
Exercise:

Will - be going to

1- Have you got any plans for tomorrow? - Yes, I (visit) am going to visit my grandparents.
2- Why is she learning Spanish? - She (travel) is going to travel to Spain.
3- We are thirsty. - Wait here. I (get) will get some water.
4- Meat or fish? - I (have) will have some fish, please.
5- What do you want the keys for ? - I (close) am going to the door.
6- If you don't take a taxi, -you (arrive/not) will not arrive on time.
7- Why do you want so many oranges? - I (make) am going to make an orange juice.
8- Oh! I haven't got enough money to pay! - Don't worry. I (lend) will lend you some.
9- We need one more player. - (you / play) will you play with us tomorrow?
10- Why are you switching on the TV? - I (watch) am going to watch a football match.
II- Future Simple or Future Continuous
1. Isn’t technology marvelous! While you are shopping tomorrow, I ________ (fly) to Australia.
2. Okay! I promise I ________ (not/use) your computer while you are out!
3. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We ______ (take off) in five minutes,
so please fasten your seatbelts.
4. Excuse me, sir _______________ (you/ eat) lunch in the hotel today or are you going to the Science
Exhibition?
5. I think I ___________ (give) my parents a ring on my mobile phone. I’m sure they are worried about me.
6. I hear you ______________ (go) to London with your family as usual this summer______ (you/ buy)
me a computer game while you’re there if I give you the money?
7. I’m afraid I can’t go on the biology trip with you on Wednesday afternoon. I ____________ (take)
my music exam at that time.
8. ______________ (you still study) in two years’ time, or will you have left school?
I- Use Will/shall, be going to, present continuous or
simple present in the sentences below :
1. A: What ____________ (you do) when you grow up? B: I _______ (be) an acrobat in a circus.
2. I haven’t seen him for a long time, but I think I ___________ (recognize) him.
3. A: I need some tokens to telephone my friend. B: I _____________ (give) you some.
4. I got the plane tickets. I ______________ (fly) on Sunday.
5. A: Have you got any plans for the summer? B: Yes, we _____________ (go) to Italy in June.
6. Don’t play with those matches; you ______________ burn yourself.
7. A: Whose is that night dress? B: It’s mine. I _____________ (wear) it at John’s graduation party.
8. A: Why did you call your grandma? B: To tell her that I __________________ (visit) her at the weekend.
9. If your passport isn’t valid any more, you ___________ (not / be able to) go abroad.
10. A: What are you doing with that brush? B: I _______________ (paint) my room.
I- Use Will/shall, be going to, present continuous or simple present in the
sentences below :
11. A: Why are you wearing your coat? B: I ________________ (go) out.
12. I don’t know the meaning of this word so, I ______________ (look) it up in the dictionary.
13. Look out! You ______________ (hurt) yourself with that knife.
14. A: I’ve got a terrible headache. B: Wait there, and I ___________ (get) you an aspirin.
15. Mother: Your face is dirty. Child: All right. I ________________ (wash) it.
16. A: What time __________________ (the next bus, arrive)? B: in13 minutes.
17. __________________ (you open) the door for me, please?
18. We’re early. The film ___________ (start) at 2:30. Why don’t we go and have something to drink?
19. He ______________ (call) the police as soon as he gets home.
20. A: What ____________ (you do) with that dress? B: I _______________ (shorten) it.
21. A:___________ (I, do) the shopping? B: Yes please. I have to stay home and look after the children.
- Use the future perfect simple or the future perfect continuous.
1. I came to live in Spain in 2007. Next year I (live) ___________________ here for 15 years.
2. Where on earth is Tony? I'm tired of waiting for him. Soon I (wait)______________ here for
an hour.
3. Well, Mary, in six months we (be)______________married for twenty-five years. How about a
party to celebrate?
4. I'm going to be a very rich man. I'm sure that by the time I'm forty I (make) ____________ my
first million.
5. Alex: Well, Rosie will be in Madrid by now.
Jim: No, she won't. Her plane (not/land)__________________________ yet.
6. Once this room is finished, we (paint)_____________ six of the seven rooms in the house.
Not bad for two days' work.
7. Do you think you (finish)___________________writing that report by the time I get back?
8. Alex: Where's Julia? Is she coming or not?
Jim: She was here but she (left)___________________ by now. She said she was going at
three o'clock. It's half past three now.