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Give You A Pay Rise

This document discusses various ways to express futurity in English. It outlines the future simple tense using will, be going to future, present simple/continuous for future meaning, future continuous, future perfect simple and continuous. It also discusses clauses of time, the uses of will/won't-shall, and other constructions like be to, be about to, be due to, be sure to. Finally, it explains how to talk about the future in the past using constructions like was going to.

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Anca Ștefănescu
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39 views

Give You A Pay Rise

This document discusses various ways to express futurity in English. It outlines the future simple tense using will, be going to future, present simple/continuous for future meaning, future continuous, future perfect simple and continuous. It also discusses clauses of time, the uses of will/won't-shall, and other constructions like be to, be about to, be due to, be sure to. Finally, it explains how to talk about the future in the past using constructions like was going to.

Uploaded by

Anca Ștefănescu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ways of expressing futurity in English

Future Simple: subject+ WILL+ verb

We use the future simple for:

 on-the- spot decisions


It΄s cold. I΄ll turn on the heating.
 future predictions based on what we believe or imagine will happen (usually
with the verbs: hope, think, believe, expect, imagine, doubt etc; with the
expressions: I`m sure, I`m afraid, etc; with the adverbs: probably,
perhaps, etc).
I expect Tom will enjoy being retired.
 promises (usually with the verbs promise, swear, etc.) I promise we`ll go on
holiday next year., threats If you`re late for work again, I`ll tell the
manager., warnings You should finish that report today or the boss will be
angry., hopes He hopes the manager will approve his leave., offers We`ll
give you a pay rise.
 actions/ events/ situations which will definitely happen in the future and
which we cannot control. She will be twenty next month.

Time expressions used with the future simple:


Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, next week/ month/ year, tonight,
soon,
in a week/ month/ year, etc

Be going to future form: subject+ to be (am/ is/ are) +going to+ verb

We use be going to:

 to talk about future plans or intentions


He`s going to study to be a lawyer.
 to make predictions based on what we see or know (based on evidence)
Look out! You`re going to slip on the ice!
 To talk about things we are sure about or we have already decided to do in
the near future.
We are going to employ seven new members of staff this year.
Present Simple/ Present Continuous (future meaning)

 We can use the present simple to talk about schedules or timetables.


Reception opens at 8:00 am.
 We use the present continuous for fixed arrangements in the near future.
I`m meeting John tomorrow.

Future Continuous: subject + WILL BE + verb-ing

We use the future continuous for:

 actions which will be in progress at a stated future time ((at) this time
tomorrow, in ten years`time, etc.)
This time next week, I`ll be working as a tour guide.
 actions which will definitely happen in the future as a result of a routine or
arrangement
I`ll be seeing the manager for a meeting on Tuesday.
 when we ask politely about soemone`s plans for the near future
Will you be using the computer for long? I need to type up my CV.

Future Perfect Simple : WILL + HAVE+ past participle

We use the future perfect for actions that will have finished before a stated
time in the future.

She will have finished her interview by 3 o`clock.

Future Perfect Continuous: WILL + HAVE BEEN + verb-ing

We use the future perfect continuous to emphasise the duration of an action up to


a certain time in the future. The future perfect continuous is often used with:
by... for

By the time he finishes, he will have been working for sixteen hours.

Clauses of time
 Clauses of time are introduced by: after, as, as long as, as soon as, by
the time, before, every time, immediately, just as, once, the moment,
until/ till, when, while, etc.
You should hand in your application before you go on holiday.

 Clauses of time follow the rule of the sequence of tenses

MAIN CLAUSE TIME CLAUSE


PRESENT/ FUTURE FORM PRESENT FORM
We`ll leave the office as soon as the meeting finishes. (NOT will finish)
MAIN CLAUSE TIME CLAUSE
PAST FORM PAST FORM
We left after after he had finished his job.

Will/ Won’t- Shall

We use:

 Will you... ? to give an order or make a request.


e.g. Will you stop talking, please? (= Please stop talking.)
 Won’t to express unwillingness or an emphatic refusal, even when the
subject is not a person.
e.g. I’ve told him not to do that, but he won’t listen. (= He refuses to listen.)
The washing machine won’t work.
We use wouldn’t to refer to the past.
e.g. I asked him to help me, but he wouldn’t.
(= He was unwilling to help me.)
 Shall I/ we... ?
a) to make an offer.

e.g. Shall I do the washing- up for you? (= Do you want me to do the washing- up
for you?)

b) to make a suggestion.

e.g. Shall we go out for dinner tonight? (= Why don’t we go out for dinner
tonight?)
c) to ask for suggestions or instructions.

e.g. ”Where shall I put the vase?” „On the table.„

”What shall we do tonight?” ”We could go out.”

Other ways of expressing the future

We can also express the future with:

 be to + infinitive (formal English)

e.g. The President is to visit Poland next Monday.

 be about to + infinitive/ be on the point/ verge of + V-ing form (to


refer to the near future).

e.g. Look! The bus is about to leave.

The company is on the point of closing down.

 be due to + infinitive (timetables)

e.g. Their flight is due to arrive at 6: 15.

 be sure to/ be certain to/ be bound to + infinitive (to express certainty


about the future).

e.g. This plan is sure to/ is bound to succeed.

The future in the past

We use the following patterns to talk about things we intended to do or plans


we had for the future.

a) Was going to/ was to/ was about to/ was due to + infinitive

e.g. Mr Simons was going to resign, but the manager offered him a better salary.

b) was on the point of + V-ing

e.g. They were on the pont of leaving the house when the phone rang.

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