Unit 3 Tenses (3): talking about the future

Grammar
Channel

We can talk about the future in a number of ways.

3.1 
When we talk about something that we think or believe will happen in the future,
e-Dictionary
we can use the will + base form of the verb structure.
Writing focus
I think Jane will accept our invitation.
We use these tenses or
We can also use I’ll/I will when we: structures to talk about
plans for the future.
• offer to do something

I’m hungry.

I’ll make you some

noodles.

• agree to do something

Can you help me

with these bags? Of course. I’ll carry
one of them for you.

• promise to do something

Don’t forget to
post the letter. I won’t. I’ll drop it
into the post box on
my way to school.

We use Will you + bare infinitive to ask somebody to do something.

Will you help me

move this table? Of course.

Tony Mary

We use will not/won’t when somebody refuses to do something.

I’ve invited her, but she won’t come.

We use Shall I/we? to ask for someone’s agreement.

We’re late. Shall we take a taxi?

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Notes All answers Unit 3

Grammar Practice
A Use shall/will + the words on the right to complete the dialogues. The first one has been done for
you as an example.

1 A: We haven’t got any bread for breakfast tomorrow. (1) I/get/some

I’ll get some

B: from the bakery.

2 A: Please be there on time. (2) I/not/be/late

B: Don’t worry. .

3 A: It’s cloudy today. (3) it/rain

B: Yes, I think

this afternoon.

4 A: It’s hot in here. (4) I/turn on/a fan

B: .

5 A: I have a lot of things to buy at the market. (5) you/come

with me?

B: Sure. I’ll get my jacket.

6 A: I’m in a meeting. (6) I/call you back

B:  later today, say

around five?

7 A: Have a nice trip. (7) I/text/you

B: Thanks.

as soon as I get there.

8 A: Your room is so messy. (8) I/clean/it/tonight

B: .

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3.2 When we talk about something that we have arranged or planned to do in the future,
we use the present continuous tense (am/are/is + -ing).

Kate and I are meeting

for dinner this evening. I’d love to.
Would you like to join us?


If, however, we make the decision while we are speaking, we use will.

The telephone
is ringing. I’ll get it.

B Make positive or negative sentences using the verbs given in the box. Use the present continuous
(am/are/is + -ing) or will. Each verb can be used ONCE only. The first one has been done for you
as an example.

1 I am going shopping this afternoon. Can I get you anything?

be
come
do 2 I anything this evening. Shall we go to the cinema?
happen
go 3 Sarah to Hong Kong for Christmas this year. She has other
have
stay plans.

4 My sister a party next Sunday. Would you like to come?

5 I am tired. I at home this evening.

6 Jennifer would like to join us, but she free until after six.

7 I’m sorry for being late. It again.

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All answers Unit 3

C Ask questions using the given words. Use the present continuous tense. The first one has been
done for you as an example.

1 A:  Are you meeting (you/meet) Sarah at the airport this afternoon?

B: Yes, I’m going to leave at 2 pm.

2 A: (your brother/work) tomorrow?

B: No, tomorrow’s his day off.

3 A: Jennifer will go back to Canada tomorrow.

B: (she/leave) in the morning or the afternoon?

4 A: I’m going to Cheung Chau tomorrow.

B: (you/take) your sister with you?

5 A:  (your sister/do) anything this weekend?

B: I think she’s going to the Hong Kong Book Fair.

6 A: Paul and Anna are going to the computer lab.

B: (they/work) on their science project?

3.3 We use the be going to + base form of the verb structure (am/is/are going to + base form
of the verb) when we talk about what we intend to do in the future.

Have you told

Ann?
Not yet. I’m going
to call her tonight.


We also use this structure when we are sure that something will happen because of what
we can see now.

The traffic isn’t moving.

I’m going to be late.

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We can use either the be going to structure or the present continuous tense to
talk about our plans. More often, we use the present continuous tense to talk
about plans with fixed arrangements.
Leo is going to meet/is meeting Betty’s parents tomorrow. (The time of the meeting is fixed.)
Leo is going to meet Betty’s parents. (Leo plans to meet Betty’s parents but no time is fixed.)

D Form sentences using the given words. Use the be going to + base form of the verb structure in
each of the sentences. The first one has been done for you as an example.

1 I/have/a shower

I’m going to have a shower

. Please answer my phone if anybody calls.

2 you/be/late

Finish your breakfast quickly.

for school if you don’t hurry up.

3 I/watch/my favourite TV programme

‘Are you going out tonight?’ ‘No, .’

4 he/not/give up/his job

John works for a travel agency.

because he enjoys what he does.

5 we/miss/you

We’re sorry you’re leaving. .

6 he/go/there

He’s been to Tokyo twice already, and

again this year.

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All answers Unit 3

3.4 We use the present simple tense to talk about future events which are part of a timetable.

Our train leaves at 8.05 am tomorrow.

We
 also use the present simple for the future in clauses of time (those beginning with
when, while, as soon as, after, before, until, etc.) and clauses of condition (those beginning
with if, unless, as/so long as, etc.)

I’ll give him the book when I see him tomorrow.

I won’t go out if it rains tomorrow.

Caution

7 I’ll give him the book when I will see him tomorrow.
7 I won’t go out if it will rain tomorrow.

E Complete the sentences using the correct forms of the verbs in the box. Each verb can be used
ONCE only. The first one has been done for you as an example.

be begin end fall get

leave open return start

1 The TV programme starts at 9.30 pm tonight.

2 This year, Chinese New Year on 28 January.

3 I’m going to bed now. My plane early tomorrow.

4 If the weather fine tomorrow, we’ll have a barbecue at the

beach.

5 It’s still early. I think I’ll wait until he before I go.

6 Tonight’s concert at 8 pm and at 11 pm.

7 The new exhibition next Monday.

8 Bye, Mike. I’ll text you as soon as I home. Extra Practice

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 Notes All answers

Language Practice
F Conversation
Tim is taking his cousins on a sightseeing tour of Hong Kong this Saturday. Look at his plan. Then
fill in the blanks in Tim’s conversation with his friend Gabriel using the verbs given in brackets. Use
the be going to + base form of the verb structure and other tenses for the future. The first one
has been done for you as an example.

Saturday, 18 August

9.30 am Meet up with cousins at hotel 3.30 pm Take the slow ferry to Lantau

10 am Visit the Hong Kong History 5.30 pm Barbecue in Mui Wo

Museum

12.30 pm Quick lunch in Tsim Sha Tsui 10 pm Return to Central

Gabriel Hey Tim, what (1) are you doing (do) this weekend?

Tim 
I’m pretty busy, actually. I (2) (show)

my cousins around Hong Kong.

Gabriel 
Cool! Where (3) (you/take) them?

Tim 
The Hong Kong History Museum!

Gabriel 
That’s a good idea. What else are you doing with them?

Tim 
After the museum and a quick lunch in Tsim Sha Tsui, we

(4) (go) to Lantau. I want to show

them the island and some of the beaches there. Then we

(5) (have) barbecue for dinner.

Gabriel 
That sounds like lots of fun. I’m sure they (6)

(enjoy) that. It sounds like you (7) (be)

busy all day on Saturday, right?

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Notes All answers Unit 3

Tim 
Yes. Why do you ask?

Gabriel 
I was thinking of going to a movie, and thought you might like to come

along! There’s a new superhero movie that looks great.

Tim 
Good idea. I don’t have any plans for Sunday. (8)

(you/be) free then?

Gabriel 
I (9) (have) lunch with my grandparents

on Sunday, but I (10) (be) free after that.

There (11) (be) a show at 3 pm.

(12) (that/work) for you?

Tim 
Sure! I (13) (see) you on Sunday then!

G Email of invitation
Nathan is writing an email to a successful travel vlogger to invite her to be the judge for a school's
vlog competition. Complete the text using the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets. The first
one has been done for you as an example.

To: Lily Chan

From: English Club, Lantau School
Subject: Invitation to be a judge for Lantau School’s Vlog Competition

Dear Ms Chan

On behalf of Lantau School’s English Club, I am writing to invite you to be a judge for our Vlog
will take place
Competition, which (1) (take place) next month.

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As you are both an alumnus of Lantau School and a successful travel vlogger, we believe

students (2) (be) inspired when they (3)

(learn) about your career. In addition, students (4) (learn) from your

experience as they (5) (develop) their own style of making videos.

This annual competition (6) (be) open to all Lantau School students.

This year’s theme (7) (be) ‘Travelling around Hong Kong’. Students

(8) (submit) videos about a place or places they (9)

(want) to introduce to tourists from around the world.

In addition to being our competition judge, we would also like to invite you to attend the

competition’s Award Ceremony as our guest of honour, give a short speech about the videos

and present the award to the winner. The ceremony (10) (be held) at

3 pm on 17th December in the school’s auditorium. It (11) (include)

videos by the finalists and (12) (feature) a performance by the school

choir. We (13) (expect) the event to finish by 5 pm.

I sincerely hope you will be able to join us for this special event. I would appreciate it if you

could let me know by the end of the week if you can attend. Should you have any queries, please

do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Nathan Koo
Chairperson
English Club
Lantau School

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Notes All answers Unit 3

Paper 3

You may be asked to write a progress report in the HKDSE English Language Exam Paper 3.
In the main body of the progress report, you should cover tasks that have already been done,
tasks that are in progress and tasks to be completed. You should use the future tenses when
listing tasks to be completed and planning the next stages of the project.

H Progress report
A library is going to be set up in Tai Po Community Centre. It is currently under construction.
Complete the progress report using the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets. The first one
has been done for you as an example.

Progress report on the new library

Aim and background of the project

The community centre (1) hopes (hope) to promote the joy of

We may use
gerunds as the
reading to the community. Many of our users (2) (express) objects of
prepositions. Refer
their interest in having a library at the centre recently. After receiving approval for to Unit 8 for more
information.
the budget, the library’s construction (3) (begin) in April.

Work completed

Workers (4) (finish) installing the air-conditioning system for

the library on 29 April. Installation of the bookshelves (5)

(be completed) on 5 May. Tammy Wong, the librarian, (6)

(fill) the shelves with books and (7) (set up) an Internet

system for the library with several volunteers in the week that followed.

Work in progress We may use the

to-infinitive to
explain the
The community centre (8) (currently/recruit) volunteers purpose of each
task in the project.
to help maintain some basic functions of the library. In addition, the centre Refer to Units 6
and 24 for more
information.
(9) (seek) book donations to expand the library’s collection.
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Work to be completed

The study area is still under construction. Workers (10)

(put) desks and chairs in the study area in late May. Work on the study area

(11) (be finished) in early June.

The opening of the library

The opening ceremony for the library (12) (take place)

on 20 June. We (13) (invite) local writer Eric Lam to

We may use by, a be the guest of honour at the opening ceremony. The library committee
preposition of
time, to tell the (14) (submit) a proposal about the opening ceremony
reader the deadline
for or finishing time
of a task. Refer to to community centre management by the end of May.
Unit 13 for more
information.

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