Future Simple Tense and other ways of expressing future

Will + infinitive	Be going to + infinitive
A decision at the moment of speaking: Julie: There's no milk. John: Really? In that case, I'll go and get some.	A decision before the moment of speaking: Julie: There's no milk. John: I know. I'm going to go and get some when this TV programme finishes.
A prediction based on opinion: I think the Conservatives will win the next election.	A prediction based on something we can see (or hear) now: The Conservatives are going to win the election. They already have most of the votes.
A future fact: The sun will rise tomorrow.
For promises / requests / refusals / offers: I'll help you tomorrow, if you like.

(The phone rings)

Julie: I'll get it!

('I'm going to get it' is very strange, because it makes us think that Julie knew the phone was going to ring before it did).

I'm going to go on holiday next week.

('I'll go on holiday next week' makes it sound like you've only just decided at that minute. Of course, this is possible, but normally we plan our holidays more in advance!).

Other points about the future:

ü We use the present continuous tense for definite future arrangements. Often, it doesn't really matter if we choose 'be going to' or the present continuous. In the following example, there is really very little difference in meaning:

I'm going to the cinema tonight.

I'm going to go to the cinema tonight.

ü We use the present simple tense in two cases. First, we use it for a timetabled event in the future, like public transport or the start of a class:

My train leaves at six tonight.

His class starts at 9am tomorrow.

ü Second, we use it after certain words, when the sentence has a future meaning. These words are: before / after / as soon as / until / when:

I'll call you when I get home.

She's going to study after she finishes dinner.

Please drink some water as soon as you complete the race.

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Exercises

Analyze the following examples of future actions usage.

1. “We’re going to have more rain”. – “Yes. Bob will be glad he’s got his hay in”.

2. I’m having some people in after dinner tonight at my place. Will you come?

3. “When is Rosemary coming?” “Some time later this evening, Philip said. And he is coming too. We’re going to have a jolly family evening”.

4. What time do we arrive?

5. Well. We’ll be seeing you this evening.

6. “How long are you going to stay with us?”

7. I don’t know when I will be in the mood for entertainment.

8. I’ll probably come back and sleep here.

9. There is a train that leaves Waverly at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.

10. In that case we will take the bus.

Put the verbs into the correct form (will, going to, simple present or present continuous).

1. I love London. I (probably / go) ____________ there next year.

2. Our train (leave)_______________ at 4:47.

3. What (wear / you)__________________ at the party tonight?

4. I haven't made up my mind yet. But I think I (find) __________ something nice in my mum's wardrobe.

5. This is my last day here. I (go) ____________ back to England tomorrow.

6. Hurry up! The conference (begin) ____________ in 20 minutes.

7. My horoscope says that I (meet)____________ an old friend this week.

8. Look at these big black clouds! It (rain) ___________.

9. Here is the weather forecast. Tomorrow (be)____________ dry and sunny.

10. What does a blonde say when she sees a banana skin lying just a few metres in front of her? - Oh dear! I _______________(slip) !

№ 3 Use will, Present Simple, Present Continuous or going to.

1. The train ________ at 11:45. (to leave)

2. We __________ dinner at a nice restaurant on Saturday. (to have)

3. It __________ in the mountains tomorrow evening. (to snow)

4. On Sunday at 8 o'clock I _________ my friend. (to meet)

5. They___________ to London on Friday evening. (to fly)

6. Wait! I ____________you to the station. (to drive)

7. The English lesson____________ at 8:45. (to start)

8. I ____________ my sister in April. (to see)

9. Look at the clouds – it___________ in a few minutes. (to rain)

10. Listen! There's someone at the door. I ________ the door for you. (to open).

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Future Continuous Tense

Future Continuous образуется при помощи глагола to be в будущем времени и причастия I смыслового глагола.

This time next month I will be sitting on a beach.

Don’t call him at 8 tomorrow. He will be sleeping.

They won’t be playing chess at 12 on Sunday; they will be in the library.

Future Continuous употребляется:

1. Для выражения действия в ближайшем или отдаленном будущем, независимо от того, имеется ли в предложении обстоятельство времени, или оно только подразумевается:

He will be taking his exam next week. Он будет сдавать экзамен на следующей неделе.

I will be using the car this afternoon. Днем я буду на машине.

What time will you be coming home? Когда ты придешь домой?

Эта форма не имеет дополнительной окраски (намерения, желания, решимости) и употребляется для простой констатации факта в будущем, для выражения действий, которые произойдут в будущем при обычном, естественном ходе событий.

2. Для выражения действия, которое совершится в определенный момент в будущем. Этот момент может быть ясен из контекста или обозначен:

a) точным указанием времени (часа) в будущем:

He will be waiting for you at 10 tomorrow morning.

Он будет ждать вас завтра в 10 утра.

б) другим действием в будущем, выраженным глаголом в настоящем времени группы Simple в придаточном предложении условия или времени:

When we come to Moscow they will be meeting us at the railway station. Когда мы приедем в Москву, они будут встречать нас на вокзале.

Для выражения действия в ближайшем будущем, особенно при наличии обстоятельства времени, употребляется Present Continuous. Future Simple употребляется для выражения действия в отдаленном будущем или действия, обусловленного обстоятельственными придаточными предложениями условия или времени или когда в предложении имеются выражения сомнения, вероятности, предположения и другие.

Сравните:

I will be meeting him tomorrow.	Мы встретимся с ним завтра (само собой разумеется, что мы встретимся, т. к. мы вместе работаем).
I’m meeting him tomorrow.	Мы встретимся с ним завтра (заранее предопределенное, запланированное действие – имеется договоренность о встрече).
I will meet him some day.	Мы встретимся с ним когда-нибудь (в отдаленном, неопределенном будущем).

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Future Continuous

ü A continuous action in the future which is interrupted by a time or by another action.

I’'ll be waiting when you arrive.

At eight o’clock, I’'ll be eating dinner.

ü A complete action in the future that will happen in the normal course of events.

The Government will be making a statement later.

ü Because this talks about something that will happen if everything is as we planned, we often use this tense to ask politely about what someone is going to do.

Will you be taking your car to the meeting? (=I'm asking very indirectly and politely - perhaps I want to get a lift).

ü To make a guess about the present.

My mother will be working now (= I think she is working now, but I’'m not completely certain).

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Exercises

№ 1 Put the verbs into the correct form (future progressive).

1. Tomorrow morning we (work) _____________ .

2. This time next week we (have) _______________ a party.

3. At midnight I (sleep)________________ .

4. This evening we (watch) _____________________ a talk show.

5. They (not/do) ___________________ their homework this afternoon.

6. He (listen)________________________ to music.