Future

1. We can talk about future time with different verb forms, for example:

-----> Will: I'll Come with you

-----> Be going to: he's going to come with us.

-----> Present Continuous
We're coming tomorrow.

-----> Present Simple
When he arrives, we'll have dinner.

2. When we talk about events in the future that we expect to happen but are not in our control, we can use will or be going to:

Ann will be (or is going to be) 12 next week.

We won't see (or aren't going to see) those birds again until next spring.

Will they finish (or Are they going to finish) the building soon?


3. When we talk about events in the future that are in our control (i.e. we use will defferently from be going to. We use will at the time we decide what to do; use be going to after we have decided what to do. Look at these examples:


Johnn: Can somebody help me, please?
Helen: Yes, I'll help you.
(Here Helen decided after Johnn asked.)

Now compare:

Carol: Johnn needs some help.
Helen: I know. I'm going to help him.
(Here Helen had decided before Carol spoke.)


4. Look at these examples:

If it rains, they'll stay (or they're going to stay) at home.
We'll have (or we're going to have) lunch after the programme finishes.


When the sentences has two parts that refer to the future, we use the Present Simple after the if, when, before,after,as soon as and until, and in the other part of the sentence we use will or be going to:

When/ Simple Will
after etc

After + it finishes + we'll have lunch


5. We use the Present Continuous to talk about a future arrangment that we have made with someone else:

A: Can you come and see us this evening?
B: I can't. I'm playing squash with Sam.


Peter can't come to the cinema with us tonight because he's meeting Jane for dinner.

Present tense: when, before, after, until, etc.

1. Look at this sentence:

When the programme ends, I'll do the washing- up.


To talk about an event in the future, we usually use the Present Simple (e.g. ends) after when, before, after, until and as soon as. We do not use will:

I'm going to finish this work before I go.

(Not ... before I will go)

Wait here until I get back.

I'll phone you as soon as I arrive.


2. We can use when + Present Simple to referto a time when something will happen:

I'll buy an ice - cream when I'm in the newsagent's


now -------------------------------------------------> future

in the newsagent's

buy an ice- cream


When you see her, give her my message.


We use until + Present Simple to mean from now to a time in the future:

We'll sit outside until it gets dark. ( = We'll sit outside from now to when it gets dark.)


We use as soon as + Present Simple with the meaning "inmediatly after":

They'll start playing as soon as it stops raining. (= They'll start playin inmediatly after the rain stops.)


3. We use when + Present Perfect (e.g I have done) to talk about an action that must, or will, happen before the next action can happen:

When I've found a job, I'll book for a place to live. (= First I will find a job; then i will look for a place to live.)


now ------------------------------------------------------------ future

find a job look for a flat

When Simon has saved enough money, he'll buy a car. (= First Simon must save the money; then he can buy a car.)

4. With after we can use either the Present Simple or the Present perfect with no difference in meaning:

After she takes/ has taken the course, she'll be qualified teacher. (= When she has done her course, she'll be qualified teacher.)

Present Continuous for the future

1. Look at these examples:

I'm flying home tomorrow
He's starting a new job on Monday
Tony and Ann are coming at the weekend.


In each example, we are using the Present Continouous, but we are talking about the future, not the present.

2. Look at this example:

You bought a plane ticket last week.
You can now say:

I'm flying home next week.

past -------> now ------->future
last week next week


We use the Present Continuous to talk about things we have arranged in the past to do in the future.

Here are some more examples:

A bank wrote to Steven and asked hin to start work next week.
We can now say:

He's starting a new job next week.


John said Tony and Ann:

Would you like to come for dinner on Sunday?

Tony and Ann said: Yes
John now says:

Tony and Ann are coming on Sunday.


3. The important part of a Present Continuous for the future sentence is iften a time or day (e.g. next week, in july, tomorrow, on Sunday):


PRESENT: I'm leaving now.
FUTURE: I'm leaving tomorrow
PRESENT: We're having a party at the moment. Can I phone you tomorrow?
FUTURE: We're having a party in July.



4. We do not use the Present Continuous for future events that we cannot arrange or have not arranged:

NOT the sun is shinning tomorrow.
(The sun will shine...)

NOT The irish team are winning next week.
( The Irish team will win next week.)