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.)

Will or be going to

Compare will and be going to:

1. We use will with an infinitive (do, go, be arrive, etc.):

INFINITIVE

John will arrive tomorrow.


2. We use will for actions that we decide to do Now, at the moment of speakking:


past ---------------------------> now
speaking
decision


I like this coat. I think I'll buy it.

A: What would you like to eat?
B: I'll have a pizza , please.

We can use will for offers and promises:

I'll carry your case for you. (OFFER)
I won't forget your birthday again (PROMISE)


3. We use will to talk about things that we think or believe will happen in the future:

I'm sure you'll enjoy the film.
I'm sure it won't rain tomorrow. It'll be another beautiful, sunny day.


We use be going with to + infinitive ( to do, to be, to rain, etc.):

to + INFINITIVE

It's going to rain soon.
My friends are going to come tonight.
It isn't going to rain today.
What are you going to do on Sunday?

We use be going to for actions that we have decided to do BEFORE we speak:

past ---------------------------------> now
decision speaking

I'm going to clean my room this afternoon.
( I decided to clean it this morning.)

We can ask questions about people's plans:

Are you going to take the three o'clock train?
(=Have you decided to take the three o'clock train?)

We use be going to for something that we expect to happen, because the situation now indicates that it is going to happen:

He's running towards the goal, and he's going to score.

Will and Shall

1.- We use will to talk about the future. Look at this example:

It's now five o'clock. I'll stop work at six

2.- We make sentences with will like this

Will + Infinitive

I will stop

We use I will, or I'll and I will not or I won't.

We usually use the short forms (I'll, he'll, I won't, he won't) when we speak.

Positive Full form Short form

I/he/she/it/we/you/ they will go 'll go

Negative Full Form Short form

I/he/she/it/we/you/they will not go won't go

Questions

Will I/he/she/it/we/you/they go?

3.- We use will to talk about future facts, and things that we think will happen in the future:

My father will be fifty years old tomorrow.

Jane will love your new dress

He's a good manager. He won't make any mistakes.

We also use will to ask about the future:

Will they win this game?

4.- We use I'll when we make a decision to do something. For example, when the telephone rings, we say:

I'll answer it

Here is another example:

A: Does anyone want to come withme tonight?

B: Yes, I'll come

5.- We use Shall I...? or I'll... when we want to do things for other people:

Offer: Shall I make you a cup of coffee?

Offer: I'll make you a cup of coffee.

We use Shall we ...? to suggest things that we can do:

Suggestion: Shall we see a film tonight?

Be going to

1.- We form with be going to like this:

be going + to + Infinitive


It going to snow

Positive

I am

He/she/it is ---------------> going to leave

We/you/they are

Negative

I am
He/she/it is -------------------> not going to leave
We/you/they are

Questions

Am I
Is he/she/it --------------------> going to start?
Are we/you/they

2.- Note that we usually use the short form of be (I'm, he/she/it's, we/you/they're):

They're going to leave
He's going to spend a week by the sea.

3.- The negative short form is I'm not going to:

I'm not going to play tennis today.

With he,she and it, there are also two negative short forms:

He/she/it isn't going to come.
He/she/it's not going to come.

With you, we and they, there are also two negative short forms:

You/we/they aren't going to come.
You/we/they're not going to come.

4.- We use be going to for the future. We use it:

----> to talk about things we have decided to do in the future:

A: What are you going to do tomorrow?

B: I'm going to visit Paul in Brighton

A: Are you going to drive?

B: No, I'm going to take the train.


----> to predict the future, using information we know now:

Look at that blue sky! It's going to be hot.

I've eaten too much. I'm going to be ill.

Look at the time. It's two o' clock. They aren't going to come now.

Used to

1.- We can use the Present Simple to talk about present situation or habits:

----> Situations:
My sister works as a translator.
Andrew lives in London.

----> Habits:

Peter usually wears jeans.
I oftent eat a sandwich for lunch.
Mike doesn't smoke anymore.
Does John drive to work every day?

2.- Look at these sentences with the Past Simple:

----> Situation:
Henry lived in France for many years.

---->habit:
When I was young. I ran three miles every day.

The verbs are in the Past Simple and the sentences are about past situations or habits.


3.- Look at these sentences with used to:

Jill used to live in Ireland
Many people used to make their own bread
My husband used to work at home


We use used to to talk about a past situation or habit that continued for months or years, and to emphasize that the situation today is different:

Jill doesn't live in Ireland now.
Nowadays people usually buy bread from a shop.
My husband doesn't work at home now


Compare the Past Simple and used to:

----> Past Simple:

When he was young, he ran three miles every day. ( He may or may not run three miles every day now.)

----> used to

When I was young, I used to run three miles every day. I don't do that know.
(I don't run three miles every day now.)

We make negative sentences and questions with did + use to:

Sue didn't use to like black coffee.
Paul didn't use to smoke a pipe.
Did Alan use to cycle to school?
Did your parents use to read to you?


4.- We do not use to for present situations or habits; we use the Present Simple:

Ann sings in a band. ( Not Ann uses to sing in a band) X
Joe doesn't cycle to school. (Not... doesn't use to cycle...) X

These songs are dedicated for my best friends

Past Perfect

1.- We form the Past Perfect with had and the past participle of a verb (e.g. started, taken):

full and short form

I/you/he/she/it had started or ´d started
We/they

I had taken it. or I´d taken it


2.- Look at this

A year ago:

Jenny is flying to Rome. She thinks, I have never been on a plane before now.

Now:

Jenny flew to Rome last year. she had never been on a plane before that.

When we talk about an event or situation in past time we use the Past Simple (e.g. flew);
if we talk about an event before that time, we use the Past perfect (e.g. had been). Here
is another example:

Last Saturday at the cinema:

Mary: We don't need to queue because I've already bought the tickets.

Now talking about last Saturday

Mary: We didn't need to a queue because I had already bought the tickets.


Note that we can use never and already before the past participle (e.g. been bought).


3.- If we talk a series of past events in order, we use the Past Simple:

A: I saw a beautiful bird in my garden.
B: I went to get my camera.
C: The bird flew away
D: I returned with my camera

A B C D
-------------> now

We need the Past Perfect to talk make it clear that one use of the events is not in order:

D: I returned with my camera.
C: The bird had already flown away.
(The bird had gone before I returned.)

Also, compare these sentences using when:

Past Simple: When I returned with my camera, the bird flew away.

( It went after I returned.)

Past Perfect: When I returned with my camera, the bird had flown away.

( It went before I returned.)

4.- The Past Perfect is used in reported speech:

I have suffered from asthma for many years. She told the doctor that she had suffered
from asthma for many years.