Future tenses part 2

5.

           

Future Continuous

We use the future continuous for a period of time in the future when we refer to the middle of an action

Structure:

Will + be + present participle (verb + ing)

Examples:

At 11am tomorrow I’ll be playing golf

At 11am tomorrow I’ll be at the golf course (state verbs can’t use  ‘ing form)

Will you be working 2morrow in the afternoon – need to talk 2 you about something…

 Exercise:

What will you be doing at the following times and dates? Use the future continuous in your answers.

a)        3pm tomorrow          b)        next January, c)         in 2016,

d)        next Friday,    e) 5 am tomorrow,    f) next summer,        g) this time next year,          h) in five minutes.

a)             At 3pm tomorrow, I’ll be ____________________________________________________

b)            _________________________________________________________________________________

c)             ________________________________________________________________________________

d)            _______________________________________________________________________________

e)             _________________________________________________________________________________

f)              _________________________________________________________________________________

g)             ________________________________________________________________________________

h)            _________________________________________________________________________________

6.

Future Perfect:

The future perfect can be used for an event that will be completed at a given future time.

Structure:

Will + have + past participle

Examples:

I will have found a new job by September

Will you have this report completed by Friday

7.

Future Perfect Continuous

The future perfect continuous is used to focus on the continuous nture of an event up to a moment in the future

Structure

Will + have + been + present participle

Examples:

By September, I will have been studying English for 5 years

By December, I will have been living in Dublin for 6 months

Future Tenses

Future Tense

There are  many ways to describe the future and I list them all below:

1.

Present Simple

 We use the present simple to talk about a timetable or a programme

Examples:

The train leaves at 8am tomorrow morning

What time does your flight leave tomorrow?

My flight doesn’t leave till noon tomorrow

Programme:

The meeting starts at 9am 2morrow

Your class starts at 10pm on Friday

The movie starts at 8pm tonight

2.

Present Continuous

We use the present continuous to talk about a fixed arrangement in the future.

Examples:

I am meeting my friend tonight at 9pm

I am going to the cinema with a friend on Friday

I am seeing the doctor on Friday at 3pm

Exercise:

Days of the week	Fixed arrangements
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

3.

Going to + bare infinitive

We use going to + infinitive to talk about what we intend to do (intention) or have already decided to do.

Examples:

I am going to study Chinese next year

Are you going to apply for that new job advertised recently by Google?

Are you going to study at Trinity College next year?

We are going to lower our prices next month

It’s Pat’s birthday tomorrow; I’m going to buy her a new camera

b)        We also use the going to + infinitive for future predictions when we have evidence

Examples:

There are big black clouds in the sky – It’s going to rain

She’s going to have a baby (evidence – fat tummy)

He’s going to fall off his bike (looks like he’s going to fall)

4.

Will + Infinitive

a.

We use will + infinitive to talk about something we have decided at the moment of speaking (quick / spontaneous decisions)

Examples:

Speaker 1. ‘ I’m hungry’

Speaker 3 ‘ I’ll make you a sandwich’

b.

We use will + infinitive to say something we think or believe will happen in the future (prediction with no evidence)

Examples:

I think Brazil will win the world cup in 2014

I don’t think it will snow tomorrow

c.

We use will + infinitive when we promise or offer to do something for someone.

Examples:

I promise I’ll write to you when you return home

I’ll pick you up at the airport (if you like)