The passive Conditionals

In an active sentence, the subject is the Sentences with if are used to express

Conditionals
person or thing that performs the action: possibilities:
j Masked thieves stole a valuable painting
from the museum last night. First conditional
When you make this into a passive sentence, if clause present tense;
the object of the verb becomes the subject: main clause future tense

The passive
j A valuable painting was stolen from the
museum last night. used to talk about the consequence of a
possible action:
The passive is formed with the auxiliary j If I write my essay this afternoon, I will have
verb be and the past participle of the verb: time to go out tonight. (it is still morning,
j The painting is valued at 2 million dollars. and it is quite possible that I will do this.)
j The lock had been broken and the cameras
had been switched off.
j Other museums have been warned to take
Second conditional
extra care. if clause past simple;
j Staff at the museum will be questioned main clause conditional tense
by police tomorrow.
used to talk about the consequences of a
j Museum security is to be improved.
hypothetical action:
Use the passive: j If I wrote my essay this afternoon,
I would have time to go out tonight.
m when you do not know who performed
(it is still morning, but I think it is less likely
the action, or when this information is not
that I will do this.)
important. It is common in formal writing,
for example scientific writing:
j The liquid is heated to 60 and then filtered. Third conditional
N If you want to mention who performed if clause past perfect;
the action, you use by at the end of the main clause conditional perfect tense
sentence: used to talk about the possible consequence of
j The theft is being investigated by the police. an action that did not happen:
m when you want to save new or important j If I had written my essay this afternoon,

information until the end of the sentence I would have had time to go out tonight.
for emphasis: (it is now evening, and I haven’t written my
j The picture was painted by Constable. essay: it is now impossible for me to go out.)

It is possible to put a verb that has two

objects into the passive:
Zero conditional
j (active) The director told the staff the Sometimes sentences with if express certainty
news this morning. rather than possibility. The zero conditional
j (passive) The staff were told the news is used to talk about something that is always
this morning by the director. true, or that was always true in the past:
j If you mix blue and red, you get purple.
Some verbs cannot be used in the passive,
(present simple in both parts of the sentence)
and this is shown at the entries.
j If I asked her to come with us, she always said
no. (past simple in both parts of the sentence)
 Modal verbs
Ability No necessity
Modal verbs

can could be able to

l l
don’t have to shouldn’t have
l l

j Can he swim? didn’t need to needn’t have l

j My brother could swim when he was two. j You don’t have to pick us up – we can
j I couldn’t find my keys this morning. take a taxi.
j I could have run faster, but I didn’t j They didn’t have to go through customs.
want the others to get tired. j You shouldn’t have bothered making lunch –
j She has not been able to walk since we could have bought a sandwich.
the accident. j He didn’t need to have any fillings at the
j He was able to speak to Ann before she left. dentist’s.
j Will people be able to live on the moon j They needn’t have waited.
one day, do you think?
Advice and criticism
Possibility ought to should
l

could may might can

l l l

j Ought we to / Should we write and thank him?

j Could / Might you have lost it on the j She ought to / should go out more often.
way home? j You ought to have / should have gone to
j She may / might / could be ill. I’ll phone her. bed earlier.
j I may have / might have left my purse j You shouldn’t borrow the car without asking.
in the shop. j I ought to / should go on a diet.
j Amy might / may know the answer. j I ought to have / should have asked her first.
j I might / may not go if I’m tired.
j He might have enjoyed the party if he’d gone. Assumptions and deductions
j It can get very cold in here at night. will should must can’t
l l l

Permission j That will be James – he’s often early.

can could may
l l
j The book should be interesting.
j There must be a leak.
j Can we come in? j You must have dialled the wrong number.
j Could we possibly stay at your flat? j You can’t have finished already!
j Staff may take their break between
12 and 2. (written) Requests
j May I sit here? (formal) can could will would
l l l

Prohibition j Can you pass me the dictionary?

must not may not cannot
l l
j Could you help me with my translation?
j Will you buy me an ice cream, Mum?
j You mustn’t tell her anything. j Would you type this letter for me, please?
j You can’t get up until you’re better.
j Crockery may not be taken out of the N Could and would are more formal than
canteen. (written) can and will.
j You must not begin until I tell you. (formal)
Offers and suggestions
Obligation shall willl

have (got) to must l

j Shall I do the washing-up?
j All visitors must report to reception on arrival. j Shall we go now?
(written) j I’ll take you to the airport.
j I must get that report finished today.
j Do you have to write your name on the form? [ For more information about modal verbs,
look at the notes at the entries for CAN , MODAL ,
j She had to throw the burnt cake away.
MUST , NEED and SHOULD .
j You will have to wait, I’m afraid.
Reported speech
Reporting statements The modal verbs should, would, might, could,

Reported speech
must and ought to are not usually changed:
reported speech (also called indirect
j ‘We might go to the cinema.’
speech) is the term used for the words that
j They said they might go to the cinema.
are used to report what someone has said or
thought. N It may also be necessary to change other
words in the sentence to show that the point of
If the reporting verb (say, ask, etc.) is in the
view has changed:
present or present perfect, then the tense of the
sentence does not change: j ‘I’ll do it myself.’

j ‘I’m going home.’ He said that he would do it himself.

j He says he’s going home. j ‘We’re going home tomorrow.’
j He’s just told me he’s going home. He said that they were going home the next day.
j ‘I don’t like these pears.’

Reporting statements in the past She said that she didn’t like those pears.
j ‘We love living here.’
When you report somebody’s words using
They said that they loved living there.
said, asked, etc., you usually change the
tense to one further back in the past: j ‘You can come whenever you like.’
She told me I could go whenever I liked.
(present simple) ‘I don’t know whether
Jane wants to come.’
(past simple) He said he didn’t know
Reporting questions
whether Jane wanted The word order in reported questions is the
to come. same as that in a normal statement, not as in
a question, and there is no question mark.
(present progressive) ‘She is thinking of staying
at home tomorrow.’ You use if or whether to report yes/no
(past progressive) He said she was thinking of questions:
staying at home the j ‘Are you ready?’
following day. j She asked if/whether I was ready.

(present perfect) ‘Have you booked your With wh- questions, the wh- word stays in the
ticket?’ sentence:
(past perfect) She asked whether he had j ‘When are you leaving?’
booked his ticket. j She asked me when I was leaving.

(past simple) ‘I finished my exams [ For more information about reported questions,
yesterday.’ look at the entry for IF .
(past perfect) He said he had finished
his exams the day before. Reporting requests and commands
(will) ‘I’ll ring from the station.’ When you report a request or an order,
(would) He promised he would ring you usually use a to-infinitive:
from the station. j ‘Will you open the window please?’

(can) ‘I can’t speak Portuguese.’ j She asked me to open the window.

(could) She admitted she couldn’t j ‘Don’t eat all the chocolate!’
speak Portuguese. j She told the children not to eat all the chocolate.
 Articles
Use the definite article, the: Use no article:
Articles

䡵 with singular or plural nouns, when you 䡵 with uncountable nouns or with countable
expect the person who is listening to know nouns in the plural, when you are talking in
which person or thing you are talking about: general:
j Thank you for the flowers j I love flowers. (all flowers )
(= the ones that you brought me). j Honey is sweet. (all honey )
j This is the CD I told you about. j Are nurses well paid here? (nurses in general)

䡵 with the names of oceans, rivers, 䡵 with most names of countries,

groups of islands or mountains, deserts: counties, states, streets, towns or lakes:
j The Thames goes through j I’m going to Turkey.
Oxford and London. j She’s from Yorkshire.
j Where are the Seychelles? j They live in Iowa.
j He was the first person to row j Toronto is on Lake Ontario.
across the Atlantic. j We’ve bought a house in Harpes Road.

䡵 when talking about playing musical 䡵 with the names of religions:

instruments: j Christianity has its roots in Judaism.
j I’ve been learning the piano for four years.
䡵 with a person’s title when the name is
N The is not usually used when you are mentioned:
talking about modern music such as jazz, j President Kennedy
rock, etc.: but the President of the United States
j He plays bass in a band.
j Doctor Jones

Use the indefinite article a/an: 䡵 with the words for meals, months and
days of the week:
䡵 when the other person does not know j Why don’t you come for dinner?
which person or thing you are talking about j See you on Tuesday.
or when you are not referring to a particular j She was born in December.
person or thing:
j He’s got a new bike. N Articles are used when you are
( I haven’t mentioned it before. ) describing a particular meal, month or day:
j Could you bring me a knife? j The lunch they provided was excellent.

( Any knife will be okay.) j We set off on a sunny Tuesday in August.

䡵 when talking about a type or class 䡵 when a school, prison, jail or court
of people or things, such as when you is being referred to as an institution:
mention a person’s job: j When do the children finish school?
j She’s an accountant. j He was sent to prison for two years.
j He works as a waiter.
N The is used when you are talking
䡵 in prices, speeds, etc.: about a particular building:
j The top speed is 70 kilometres an hour. j I’ll meet you outside the school.
j I go to the gym three times a week.

䡵 sometimes with hundred, thousand, Use a possessive (not an article):

million, etc.: 䡵 when talking about possessions or parts
j He won a thousand pounds on the lottery. of the body:
N A/an is used only with singular j She sprained her ankle and broke her arm.
countable nouns. j I’ve left my phone on the bus.
j Where did I leave my car?
A is used before a consonant sound,
j He’s had his hair cut.
an before a vowel sound:
j a shirt, a house, a euro, a URL [ For more information about the use of articles, look at
j an eagle, an hour, an MP the notes at the entries for HOSPITAL and COLLEGE .
Pronouns
Personal pronouns Possessive adjectives

Pronouns
subject object
and possessive pronouns
I me possessive possessive
you you adjectives pronouns
he him my mine
she her your yours
it it his his
we us her hers
you you its ——
they them our ours
personal pronouns replace nouns: your yours
j Silvia is from Argentina. She’s a student. their theirs
I met her in Madrid. possessive adjectives agree with the owner,
not the possession:
Subject pronouns
j She went with her husband.
subject pronouns are used mainly j He was playing with his children.
as subjects before verbs:
Possessive pronouns are used without a follow-
j I live in Valencia.
ing noun. No article is used with them:
j They are leaving tomorrow.
j This is my mobile. Where’s yours?

Object pronouns N We do not say a my friend but

object pronouns are used in most other cases: a friend of mine:
j My mother told me that my new French teacher
䡵 after the verb to be:
is a friend of hers.
j Who’s there? It’s me.

䡵 in comparisons:

j She’s taller than him. Demonstrative adjectives

䡵 after prepositions: and pronouns
j They got there before us.
This and these are used with or without
䡵 when they stand alone:
nouns to talk about things that are close to the
j ‘Who came first?’ ‘Me!’
speaker. They are usually used with nouns
when talking about people:
Reflexive pronouns j This boy is looking for his parents.
j This tastes delicious.
myself ourselves j These shoes are too tight.
yourself yourselves j What do you think of these?
himself themselves
herself That and those are used with or without nouns
itself to talk about things that are further away from
the speaker. They are usually used with nouns
reflexive pronouns are used: when talking about people:
䡵 when you do something to yourself: j Who’s that man?
j He hurt himself when he fell over. j That smells terrible.
j Look at yourself in the mirror. j I love those shoes you’re wearing.
j I’d rather have those than these.
N Many reflexive verbs do not have
the idea of doing something to yourself: They can also be used without nouns
j Did you enjoy yourself? when you are identifying people:
j Behave yourself! j These are my children, Tom and Jenny.

䡵 for emphasis: j ‘Hello, is that Sam?’ ‘This is Alex.’

j I made it myself.
j She told me the news herself.
Pronouns
Personal pronouns Possessive adjectives

Pronouns
subject object
and possessive pronouns
I me possessive possessive
you you adjectives pronouns
he him my mine
she her your yours
it it his his
we us her hers
you you its ——
they them our ours
personal pronouns replace nouns: your yours
j Silvia is from Argentina. She’s a student. their theirs
I met her in Madrid. possessive adjectives agree with the owner,
not the possession:
Subject pronouns
j She went with her husband.
subject pronouns are used mainly j He was playing with his children.
as subjects before verbs:
Possessive pronouns are used without a follow-
j I live in Valencia.
ing noun. No article is used with them:
j They are leaving tomorrow.
j This is my mobile. Where’s yours?

Object pronouns N We do not say a my friend but

object pronouns are used in most other cases: a friend of mine:
j My mother told me that my new French teacher
m after the verb to be:
is a friend of hers.
j Who’s there? It’s me.

m in comparisons:

j She’s taller than him. Demonstrative adjectives

m after prepositions: and pronouns
j They got there before us.
This and these are used with or without
m when they stand alone:
nouns to talk about things that are close to the
j ‘Who came first?’ ‘Me!’
speaker. They are usually used with nouns
when talking about people:
Reflexive pronouns j This boy is looking for his parents.
j This tastes delicious.
myself ourselves j These shoes are too tight.
yourself yourselves j What do you think of these?
himself themselves
herself That and those are used with or without nouns
itself to talk about things that are further away from
the speaker. They are usually used with nouns
reflexive pronouns are used: when talking about people:
m when you do something to yourself: j Who’s that man?
j He hurt himself when he fell over. j That smells terrible.
j Look at yourself in the mirror. j I love those shoes you’re wearing.
j I’d rather have those than these.
N Many reflexive verbs do not have
the idea of doing something to yourself: They can also be used without nouns
j Did you enjoy yourself? when you are identifying people:
j Behave yourself! j These are my children, Tom and Jenny.

m for emphasis: j ‘Hello, is that Sam?’ ‘This is Alex.’

j I made it myself.
j She told me the news herself.
 Relative clauses
Defining relative clauses Non-defining relative clauses
Relative clauses

defining relative clauses define or identify non-defining relative clauses add extra
which person or thing you are talking about: information about somebody or something which
j The man who came in late is the boss. could be left out and the sentence would still
make sense. This extra information is separated
There is no comma before a defining relative
from the main clause by commas:
clause. The pronouns that you use in these
j The film, which was shot in Mexico,
clauses are who, whom, that and which.
has won an Oscar.
They are called relative pronouns.
The pronouns that can be used in non-defining
Use who or that: clauses are who, whom, which and whose.
when the subject is a person:
Use who:
j The man who came in late is the boss.
or The man that came in late is the boss. when the subject is a person:
j My sister, who is a vegetarian, ordered a salad.
Use that or which:
Use which:
when the subject is a thing:
j I sit at the desk that faces the window. when the subject is a thing:
or I sit at the desk which faces the window. j The tickets, which can be bought at the station,
(formal) are valid for a month.

Use who, that, whom, Use who or whom:

or no relative pronoun:
when the object is a person:
when the object is a person: j Peter, who nobody had met before, arrived late.
j She’s the girl who/that I met last night. or Peter, whom nobody had met before,
or She’s the girl I met last night. arrived late. (formal)
or She’s the girl whom I met last night.
(formal) Use which:
when the object is a thing:
Use that, which, or no relative pronoun:
jThe tickets, which I've paid for, are still valid.
when the object is a thing:
j I’ve finished the book that you lent me. Use whose:
or I’ve finished the book you lent me. when something belongs to somebody:
or I’ve finished the book which you lent me. j Lucy, whose car had broken down, didn’t go.
(formal)
N That, who and which can be left Relative clauses and prepositions
out when the thing or person is the object
of the verb. In spoken English a preposition in a relative
clause is usually placed at the end of the
Use whose: clause, and the relative pronoun may be omitted.
to show that something belongs to somebody: A more formal alternative is to put the
j He helped a woman whose car had preposition before the relative pronoun:
broken down. when the object is a person:
j They’re the people whose house was burgled. j The man I spoke to was very friendly.

Whose is not usually used to refer to a thing. or The man who / that I spoke to was very
Of which is usually used instead: friendly.
j He's reading the book, the name of which I can or The man to whom I spoke was very friendly.
never remember. (formal)

but it is more natural to say: when the object is a thing:

j He’s reading that book – I can never remember jThe house I was born in is gone.
its name... or The house that I was born in is gone.
or The house in which I was born is gone. (formal)
Regular verbs
The simple tenses

Regular verbs
䡵 The verb forms for I, you, we and they are the same.
䡵 The verb forms for he, she and it are the same.

The present simple

I look do I look? I do not look (don’t look)
he looks does he look? he does not look (doesn’t look)
䡵 When the verb ends in a consonant + -y, the 䡵 When the verb ends in -ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z

third person singular (he/she/it) is formed by or -o, the third person singular is formed
removing the -y and adding -ies (study – studies). by adding -es (watch – watches).

The past simple

I looked did I look? I did not look (didn’t look)
he looked did he look? he did not look (didn’t look)
䡵 When the verb ends in -e, the past simple consonant and adding -ed (refer – referred).
is formed by adding -d (care – cared). When the verb ends in -l it is doubled in
䡵 When the verb ends in a consonant + -y, British English even if the vowel is not
the past simple is formed by removing the -y stressed (travel – travelled (BrE) / traveled
and adding -ied (study – studied). (NAmE). (Exceptions to these rules are shown
䡵 When the verb ends in one stressed vowel at the verb entries.)
and one consonant (except w or y), the past 䡵 When the verb ends in -c, the past simple is
simple is usually formed by doubling the formed by adding -ked (picnic – picnicked).

The present perfect have / has + past participle

I have looked (I’ve looked) have I looked? I have not looked (haven’t looked)
he has looked (he’s looked) has he looked? he has not looked (hasn’t looked)

The past perfect (pluperfect) had + past participle

I had looked (I’d looked) had I looked? I had not looked (hadn’t looked)
he had looked (he’d looked) had he looked? he had not looked (hadn’t looked)

The future simple will + infinitive

I will look (I’ll look) will I look? I will not look (won’t look)
he will look (he’ll look) will he look? he will not look (won’t look)

The future perfect will have + past participle

I will have looked will I have looked? I will not have looked (won’t have looked)
(I’ll have looked)
he will have looked will he have looked? he will not have looked (won’t have looked)
(he’ll have looked)

The conditional would + infinitive

I would look (I’d look) would I look? I would not look (wouldn’t look)
he would look (he’d look) would he look? he would not look (wouldn’t look)

The conditional perfect would have + past participle

I would have looked would I have looked? I would not have looked (wouldn’t have looked)
he would have looked would he have looked? he would not have looked (wouldn’t have looked)
 The progressive tenses
䡵 The progressive tenses are sometimes 䡵 When the verb ends in -e, the -ing form is
called the continuous tenses. usually formed by removing the -e and
䡵 The verb forms for I, you, we and they are the adding -ing (care – caring). Exceptions are
same except for the present progressive and shown at the relevant verb entries.
Regular verbs

past progressive, where a different form for 䡵 When the verb ends in one stressed vowel
you is shown with an asterisk (*). and one consonant (except w or y), the -ing
䡵 The verb forms for he, she and it are the same. form is formed by doubling the consonant
and adding -ing (run – running).

The present progressive am / is / are + -ing form

I am looking (I’m looking) am I looking? I am not looking (I’m not looking)
* you are looking are you looking? you are not looking (aren’t looking)
(you’re looking)
he is looking (he’s looking) is he looking? he is not looking (isn’t looking)

The past progressive was / were + -ing form

I was looking was I looking? I was not looking (wasn’t looking)
* you were looking were you looking? you were not looking (weren’t looking)
he was looking was he looking? he was not looking (wasn’t looking)

The present perfect progressive have been / has been + -ing form
I have been looking have I been looking? I have not been looking (haven’t been looking)
(I’ve been looking)
he has been looking has he been looking? he has not been looking (hasn’t been looking)
(he’s been looking)

The past perfect progressive (pluperfect progressive) had been + -ing form
I had been looking had I been looking? I had not been looking (hadn’t been looking)
(I’d been looking)
he had been looking had he been looking? he had not been looking (hadn’t been looking)
(he’d been looking)

The future progressive will be + -ing form

I will be looking will I be looking? I will not be looking (won’t be looking)
(I’ll be looking)
he will be looking will he be looking? he will not be looking (won’t be looking)
(he’ll be looking)

The future perfect progressive will have been + -ing form

I will have been looking will I have been looking? I will not have been looking (won’t have been looking)
(I’ll have been looking)
he will have been looking will he have been looking? he will not have been looking
(he’ll have been looking) (won’t have been looking)

The conditional progressive would be + -ing form

I would be looking would I be looking? I would not be looking (wouldn’t be looking)
(I’d be looking)
he would be looking would he be looking? he would not be looking (wouldn’t be looking)
(he’d be looking)

The conditional perfect progressive would have been + -ing form

I would have been looking would I have been looking? I would not have been looking
(wouldn’t have been looking)
he would have been looking would he have been he would not have been looking
looking? (wouldn’t have been looking)
Use of tenses
Talking about the present Talking about the past

Use of tenses
The present progressive is used: The past simple is used:
m to talk about an action that is happening m to talk about an action that took place
now, or about a temporary situation: in the past:
j We’re just having breakfast. j He got up, paid the bill and left.
j What are you reading? j I didn’t read the letter, I just gave it to Lee.
j She’s not listening to me. j What did you say?
j They’re spending a year in Spain.
N Often a specific time in the past is
m to talk about something that is not yet mentioned:
finished, even if you are not doing it at the j Did you speak to Amy yesterday?
moment when you are talking:
m to talk about a state that continued for some
j I’m learning Italian.
time, but that is now finished:
j She’s writing a novel.
j I went to school in Scotland.
m with always, to talk about something that j Did she really work there for ten years?
happens often, and that you find annoying:
m to talk about actions that happened regularly
j He’s always asking silly questions.
in the past:
j They’re always coming round here to borrow
j I often played tennis with her.
something.
She always won.
N Some verbs are not used in the j They never went to the cinema when
progressive tenses, for example need, want, they lived in the country.
know, agree, seem, appear, understand,
smell, hear, etc. These verbs refer to a state, The present perfect is used:
not an action. m to talk about something that happened during
j I need some new shoes. a period of time that is not yet finished:
j He wants to go home. j The train has been late three times this week.
j Do you know Tania Smith? j He still hasn’t visited her.
j They love Japanese food.
m when the time in the past is not mentioned,
j She hates her job.
or is not important:
N Other verbs are used in the present j He’s written a book.
progressive when they refer to an action, and j We’ve bought a new computer.
the present simple when they refer to a state:
m when the action finished in the past,
j He’s tasting the soup.
but the effect is still felt in the present:
j The soup tastes salty.
j He’s lost his calculator (and he still hasn’t
j She’s being difficult again.
found it).
j She’s a difficult child.
j What are you thinking about? m with for and since to show the duration
j Do you think I should leave? of an action or state up until the present:
j I have worked here since 1998.
The present simple is used: j She hasn’t bought any new clothes for years.
m to talk about a permanent situation or
m in British English, with just, ever,
something that is always true:
already and yet:
j He lives in Spain.
j I’ve just arrived.
j Does he work in a factory?
j Have you ever been here before?
j Insects have six legs.
j He’s already packed his suitcases.
j What temperature does water boil at?
j Haven’t you finished yet?
m to talk about things that happen regularly:
N In informal American English the past
j She leaves for school at 8 o’clock.
simple can be used with just, already and yet:
j We don’t often go out for a meal.
j He already packed his suitcases.
j What time do you catch the bus?
j Didn’t you finish yet?
 The present perfect progressive is used: m for requests, promises and offers:
m with for and since to talk about an activity that j Will you buy some bread on your way home?

started in the past and is still happening: j We’ll be back early, don’t worry.

j I’ve been working since eight o’clock. j I’ll help you with your homework.

j He’s been learning English for several years. However, other tenses and expressions
Use of tenses

m to talk about an activity that has finished, are also used to express a ‘future’ idea.
but whose results are visible now:
The present progressive is used:
j My hands are dirty because I’ve been
gardening. m to talk about future plans where the time is
mentioned:
The past progressive is used: j He’s flying to Japan in August.

m to talk about an action that was in progress j What are you doing this evening?

at a particular time in the past: j I’m not starting my new job till next Monday.

j What were you doing in the summer of 1999?

Be going to with the infinitive is used:
j Was it raining when you left home?
m to talk about what you intend
m to talk about something that was already in
to do in the future:
progress when something else happened.
j I’m going to phone Michael tonight.
(You use the past simple for the action that
j What are you going to do when you
interrupts it):
leave school?
j The doorbell rang while they were having
breakfast. About to with the infinitive is used:
N As with the present progressive, m to talk about the very near future:
this tense cannot be used with ‘state’ verbs: j Go and ask him quickly.
j The fresh bread smelled wonderful He’s about to go out.
(not was smelling).
The present simple is used:
The past perfect is used:
m to refer to a future time after when,
m to talk about something that happened as soon as, before, until, etc.:
before another action in the past: j Ring me as soon as you hear any news.
j I had already met Ed before he came to Bath. j I’ll look after Jo until you get back.
j When I got to the station, the train had left. j You’ll recognize the street when you see it.

The past perfect progressive is used: m to talk about future plans where something
m with for or since to talk about an activity that has been officially arranged, for example
started at a time further back in the past than on a timetable or programme:
j We leave Palma at 10 and arrive in
something else:
j She hadn’t been living there very long when
Luton at 12.30.
j School starts on 9 September.
she met Mark.
m to talk about an activity that had a result The future progressive is used:
in the past: m to talk about actions that will continue
j My hands were dirty because I had been
for a period of time in the future:
gardening. j I’ll be waiting near the ticket office.
I’ll be wearing a green hat.
Talking about the future j This time next week you’ll be relaxing
in the sun!
There are several ways of talking about the future.
m to ask somebody about their plans or
The future simple intentions:
(will with the infinitive) is used: j How many nights will you be staying?
m to talk about a decision that you make as you j Will you be flying back or going by train?
are speaking:
j ‘It’s cold in here.’ ‘OK, I’ll close the window.’ The future perfect or
j I’ll have the salad, please. the future perfect progressive is used:
m to talk about what you know or think will m to talk about the duration of something that
happen in the future (but not about your own you will be looking back on at a particular time
intentions or plans): in the future:
j Her mother will be ninety next week. j They’ll have lived here for four years in May.

j Will he pass the exam, do you think? j She’ll have been working here for a year

j This job won’t take long. in October.