Future forms
• Plans
What are you going to do when you finish
school?
• Unplanned decisions
I’ve got a problem. – Don’t worry, I’ll help you.
• Predictions
I think they’ll win.
Careful, the vase is going to fall off the table.
• Future arrangements
I’m having dinner with Ann tomorrow.
Is the second sentence about the present or the
future?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
I’m busy. I’m cooking a meal at the moment.
I’m nervous. I’m cooking for ten people on Friday.
I don’t want to go out. I might watch a video later.
There’s football on TV tonight. I might watch it.
We’re off at last. We arrive in New York at seven.
This train is never on time. We always arrive late.
• I’m going to Manchester. I’m waiting for a
connecting train.
• I’m going to get a train to Manchester,
changing at Birmingham.
Which is spoken during the journey?
• We’ll know the results of the tests next week.
• We might know the results of the tests next
week.
Which one is more certain?
• I’m doing two exam this year.
• I’m doing some work at the moment.
In which sentence has the action already
started?
• I’m eating at the Thai restaurant tonight.
• I’ll eat at the Thai restaurant tonight.
Which would you say if you’ve already booked
a table?
• What time do we arrive in Swansea?
• What time will we arrive in Swansea?
Which question is more likely if you are
travelling by car?
Read the conversations. Which replies are statements
about the future and which are instant decisions.
1. What would you like? – I’ll have an orange juice,
please.
2. Shall we go out tonight? – I’ll be too tired, I think.
3. I’m worried about the exam. – Oh, you’ll do all
right.
4. I haven’t got any transport. – Don’t worry, we’ll give
you a lift.
5. We’ve lost a tennis ball. I’ll help you look for it.
6. I must paint this house some time. – We’ll be dead
before then.
will and be going to
• Will has a neutral meaning. We use it to talk about
facts in the future.
I’ll be twenty next Friday.
The sun will set today at 6.30.
will and be going to
• We use be going to for an intention,
something we have already decided to do.
We’re going to have a meal.
Tom is going to sell his car.
will and be going to
• Will does not express an intention.
It’s her birthday. She’s going to have a meal
with her friends. (NOT She will have…)
We’re all going to have a meal. There’ll be 10
of us. – Oh, that’ll be very nice.
will and be going to
decisions and intentions
• We use will for an instant decision or agreement to
do something.
There’s a postbox over there. I’ll post these letters
now.
You still haven’t painted the house. – Ok, I’ll do it
tomorrow.
• Be going to means that we have already decided.
I’m going out. I’m going out to post these letters.
You still haven’t painted the house. – I know. I’m
going to do it tomorrow.
Ask and answer questions using going to or
present continuous
What / do / Christmas
holidays?
What / the next film /
see?
Go away / next weekend?
What / the next CD / buy?
Go out / tonight?
What / do after class?
What time / get up
tomorrow?
Do any sports / next
week?
Watch TV / tonight?
Use I’ll… or Shall I…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
It’s very hot in this room.
I’m hungry.
It’s very dark in here.
This case is too heavy for me.
We need some milk and bread.
I need to get to the airport urgently.
Do you think you’ll ever…
(I’m sure I will. / I think so. / I hope so. / I don’t think so. / I hope
not. / I might. / I doubt it.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
work in another country?
have your own business?
marry a foreigner?
write a novel?
adopt a child?
run a marathon?
be the topic of a newspaper article?
live on your own?
become a vegetarian?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Do you think (finish) work late tonight?
(help) you with the letter?
I can’t help you. I (go) shopping.
Have you heard the news? Jean (be) sacked?
I think I (apply) for the job at Ford.
I (buy) a new flat soon.
Oh, no. I forgot to phone him. I (do) it right
now.
8. I (have) dinner with Mark tonight.
• No non esco. Piove e fa troppo freddo. Guardo la televisione. C’è un buon
programma.
• Penso che non sia rimasta molta benzina nel serbatoio. Ci fermiamo al
prossimo distributore?
• Non ho intenzione di fare niente in merito. Sembra contentissimo del
modo in cui stanno le cose.
• Il dottor Bignami non può riceverla adesso. Vuole aspettare? – No, grazie,
allora ritornerò più tardi.
• Dov’è Claudia? – Non è ancora in ufficio. Arriverà alle nove e trenta come
al solito.
• Cosa farai dopo l’università – Non ho ancora deciso. Spero di trovare un
lavoro che mi piaccia.
• Andiamo a casa? Presto sarà buio e temo che non troveremo la strada per
tornare.
• Ti richiamo io tra venti minuti. Sei a casa? – Si, lavoro tutto il pomeriggio.
• Sai che Mario rimane ancora una settimana da noi? – Come mai? – Deve
parlare con dei clienti che sono a Milano in questi giorni.
• Domani non vado in montagna. Sono troppo stanco.