FUTURE TENSE
- Future Simple (I will/ going to)
We use future simple to talk about future actions.
a) Study this example situation:
Ann’s bicycle has a flat tyre. She tells her father.
Ann: My bicycle has a flat tyre.
Can you repair it for me?
Father: Okay, but I can do it now.
I’ll repair it tomorrow.
Will: We use will when we decide to do something at the time of speaking. The speaker has not decided before. Before Ann told her father, he didn’t know about the flat tyre.
Later, Ann’s mother speaks to her husband.
Mother: Can you repair Ann’s bicycle?
It has a flat tyre.
Father: Yes, I know. She told me.
I’m going to repair it tomorrow.
Going to: We use going to when we have already decided to do something. Ann’s father had already decided to repair the bicycle before his wife spoke to him.
- Future continuous (Progressive) (will be doing)
We use future continuous to say that we will be in the middle of doing something at a certain time in the future.
a) Study this example situation:
Jim is a football fan and there is a football match on television this evening. The match begins at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. Max wants to come and see Jim this evening and wants to know what time to come:
Max: Is it all right if I come at about 8.30?
Jim: No, don’t come then. I’ll be watching the match on television.
Max: Oh. Well, what about 9.30?
Jim: Yes, that’ll be fine. The match will have finished by then. (will have finished is Future perfect)
- Future Perfect (will have done)
We use future perfect to say that something will already have happened before a certain time in the future.
a) Study this example situation:
Jim’ football match ends at 9.15. So after this time, for example at 9.30, the match will have finished.
- Future Perfect Continuous (will have been doing)
We use future perfect continuous to say that activity will be probably continue in the future.
a) Study this example situation:
By next August we will have been living here for five years.
It means that it can be continue in the future.
