2. You use the future tense when you want to
say something about things that will happen
in the future (quite obvious, isn’t it?)
There are 4 types of the future tense:
1. Present with -ing
2. “Going to”
3. Shall / will + verb
4. Present tense without -ing
3. Present + -ing
When do you use it?
When something has been agreed on or is set
(like an appointment) and will happen soon
I am leaving for the UK tomorrow
My brother is getting married next week
I am having dinner with my boyfriend this Thursday
4. “Going to”
When do you use it?
When someone is planning to do something or
when you notice something is going to
happen
Lauren is going to spend her holidays in Schotland
I’m going to phone my internet provider later this week
It’s going to rain soon – look at the sky!
5. Shall / will + verb
When do you use it?
- When you do an offer or ask for advice
Shall I give you a ride? Then you don’t have to walk
home
6. Shall / will + verb
When do you use it?
- When you are talking about the future in
general (as opposed to when there is an
appointment or a fixed agreement)
Maybe we will / shall meet you on holiday in Schotland
You probably won’t* meet us in Schotland
*won’t = will not
7. Shall / will + verb
When do you use it?
- With questions you use shall with I and we
Shall I help you carry those boxes?
Shall we go by train?
- But you use will with you, he, she, it and they (!)
Will you ever learn to behave?
Will she ever stop smoking?
8. Present tense without -ing
When do you use it?
- When it’s about something that’s on a
timetable, schedule or programme or when
something is on a fixed date
My train leaves at 10:30
The thirteenth of May is my birthday
9. Extra: “to hope”
After the verb “to hope”, you use shall / will +
verb. You can also use can, may or must.
We all hope we will get good grades
I hope I won’t have to see the doctor again
I hope you can tell me the correct answer
