domingo, 30 de noviembre de 2008

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.




viernes, 14 de noviembre de 2008

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.)

miércoles, 5 de noviembre de 2008

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.)


martes, 21 de octubre de 2008

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.



viernes, 3 de octubre de 2008

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?





miércoles, 17 de septiembre de 2008

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.










miércoles, 10 de septiembre de 2008

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








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