The future

Taha Azher Sudq

Second stage
Future
There are a number of different ways of referring to the future in English. It is
important to remember that we are expressing more than simply the time of the
action or event. Obviously, any 'future' tense will always rAll of the following
ideas can be expressed using different tenses:
All of the following ideas can be expressed using different tenses:
Simple prediction: There will be snow in many areas tomorrow.
Arrangements: I'm meeting Jim at the airport.
Plans and intentions: We're going to spend the summer abroad.
Time-tabled events: The plane takes off at 3 a.m.
Prediction based on present evidence: I think it's going to rain!
Willingness: We'll give you a lift to the cinema.
An action in progress in the future: This time next week I'll be sun-bathing.

An action or event that is a matter of routine: You'll be seeing John in the office
tomorrow, won't you?

Obligation: You are to travel directly to London.

An action or event that will take place immediately or very soon: The train is about
to leave.

Projecting ourselves into the future and looking back at a completed action: A
month from now he will have finished all his exams.
It is clear from these examples that several tenses are used to express the future. The future
tense section shows the form and function of each of these uses of future tenses.
There are four future verb tenses in English.
Simple future tense
Functions of the simple future tense
The simple future refers to a time later than now, and expresses facts or certainty. In this case
there is no 'attitude'

The simple future is used:

To predict a future event:
It will rain tomorrow.
With I or We, to express a spontaneous decision:
I'll pay for the tickets by credit card.
To express willingness:
I'll do the washing-up.
He'll carry your bag for you.
In the negative form, to express unwillingness:
The baby won't eat his soup.
I won't leave until I've seen the manager!
With I in the interrogative form using "shall", to make an offer:
Shall I open the window?
With we in the interrogative form using "shall", to make a suggestion:
Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
With I in the interrogative form using "shall", to ask for advice or instructions:
What shall I tell the boss about this money?
With you, to give orders:
You will do exactly as I say.
With you in the interrogative form, to give an invitation:
Will you come to the dance with me?

Will you marry me?

Note:In modern English will is preferred to shall. Shall is
mainly used with I and we to make an offer or suggestion, or to
ask for advice (see examples above). With the other persons
(you, he, she, they) shall is only used in literary or poetic
situations, e.g. "With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes."
Contractions
I will = I'll
We will = we'll
You will = you'll
He will = he'll
She will = she'll
They will = they'll
Will not = won't
The form "it will" is not normally shortened .
Future continuous
Form
The future continuous is made up of two elements:
the simple future of the verb "to be" + the present participle (base+ing)

Subjec +simple future of the verb "to +present participle

t be"

You will be watching

I will be staying

To stay, future continuous

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative

interrogative

I will be staying. I won't be Will I be staying? Won't I be staying?

staying.

You will be You won't be Will you be Won't you be

staying. staying. staying? staying?

He will be He won't be Will he be Won't he be

staying. staying. staying? staying?

She will be She won't be Will she be Won't she be

staying. staying. staying? staying?

It will be staying. It won't be Will it be staying? Won't it be

 Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative
interrogative

staying. staying?

We will be We won't be Will we be Won't we be

staying. staying. staying? staying?

They will be They won't be Will they be Won't they be

staying. staying. staying? staying?

Functions
The future continuous refers to an unfinished action or event that will be in
progress at a time later than now. The future continuous is used for quite a few
different purposes.

The future continuous can be used to project ourselves into the future.

Examples
This time next week I will be sun-bathing in Bali.
By Christmas I will be skiing like a pro.
Just think, next Monday you will be working in your new job.
he future continuous can be used for predicting or guessing about future events.

Examples
He'll be coming to the meeting, I expect.
I guess you'll be feeling thirsty after working in the sun.
You'll be missing the sunshine once you're back in England.
In the interrogative form, the future continuous can be used to ask
politely for information about the future.

Examples
Will you be bringing your friend to the pub tonight?
Will Jim be coming with us?
Will she be going to the party tonight?
Will I be sleeping in this room?
The future continuous can be used to refer to continuous events that we expect
to happen in the future.

Examples
I'll be seeing Jim at the conference next week.
When he is in Australia he will be staying with friends.
I'll be eating with Jane this evening so I can tell her.
When combined with still, the future continuous refers to events that are already
happening now and that we expect to continue some time into the future.

Examples
In an hour I'll still be ironing my clothes.
Tomorrow he'll still be suffering from his cold.
Next year will she still be wearing a size six?
Won't stock prices still be falling in the morning?
Unfortunately, sea levels will still be rising in 20 years.
Future perfect
Form
The future perfect is composed of two elements
the simple future of the verb "to have" (will have) + the past participle of the main
verb

Subjec + will + past participle of the main verb

t have

He will have finished.

I will have finished.

To arrive, future perfect tense

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative

interrogative

I will have I won't have Will I have Won't I have

arrived arrived arrived? arrived?

You will have You won't have Will you have Won't you have
arrived arrived arrived? arrived?

He will have He won't have Will he have Won't he have

arrived arrived arrived? arrived?

We will have We won't have Will we have Won't we have

arrived arrived arrived? arrived?
 Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative
interrogative

They will have They won't have Will they have Won't they have
arrived arrived arrived? arrived?

Function
The future perfect tense refers to a completed action in the future.
When we use this tense we are projecting ourselves forward into the
future and looking back at an action that will be completed some time
later than now. It is most often used with a time expression.

Examples
I will have been here for six months on June 23rd.
By the time you read this I will have left.
You will have finished your report by this time next week.
Won't they have arrived by 5:00?
Will you have eaten when I pick you up?
Future perfect continuous
Form
The future perfect continuous is composed of two elements
the future perfect of the verb "to be" (will have been) + the present participle of
the main verb (

Subjec + will have + present participle

t been

He will have been playing.

I will have been playing.

To live, future perfect continuous tense

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative

interrogative

I will have been I won't have Will I have been Won't I have been
living been living living? living?

You will have You won't have Will you have Won't you have
been living been living been living? been living?

He will have He won't have Will he have been Won't he have

been living been living living? been living?

We will have We won't have Will we have been Won't we have

been living been living living? been living?
 Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative
interrogative

They will have They won't have Will they have Won't they have
been living been living been living? been living?

Function
Like the future perfect simple, this form is used to project ourselves
forward in time and to look back. It refers to events or actions that are
currently unfinished but will be finished at some future time. It is most
often used with a time expression.
Examples
I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.

By 2001 I will have been living in London for sixteen years.

When I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years.
Next year I will have been working here for four years.
When I come at 6:00, will you have been practicing long?