Structure and Uses

TO EXPRESS PREDICTION WITHOUT EVIDENCE: The Headmaster won’t let you leave at this time. GUESSING: Fortune teller: “You will win a lot of money on the lottery” SPONTANEOUS DECISION: (at the time of speaking) ‏ “There’s no sugar left, I’ll pop down to the shop and fetch a box.” CONDITIONAL / TIME CLAUSES: “If you want to get good marks, you’ll have to study harder” “When you study harder, you’ll improve your results.” IN OFFERS, PROMISES AND REQUESTS. I'll do that for you. Will you help me, please?

WITH I or WE IN OFFERS AND SUGGESTIONS: Shall I come with you? Shall we go out? SHALL

TIMETABLES AND SCHEDULES The train to London leaves on Monday at 10 o'clock. We have Biology next Friday. The plane leaves at eight fifteen. To refer to the future in clauses of time and condition after if, unless, when, after, before, as soon as, until. We'll phone you when we get there. PRESENT SIMPLE

SCHEDULED ACTION (CERTAINTY) AND FUTURE EVENTS WE HAVE PLANNED (the time reference must be stated or clear from the context). We’re flying to Venice next Sunday I’m visiting the doctor tomorrow We’re having a maths test on Friday 18 th. I'm meeting her for lunch tomorrow. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

INTENTIONS (when we have already decided to do something): “My parents are going to travel abroad this summer” They're going to visit Madame Tussaud's when they're in London. PREDICTION BASED ON EVIDENCE: “Look at those black clouds, It’s going to rain” “She is going to have a baby”

TO INDICATE A COMPLETED ACTION BEFORE A PARTICULAR TIME IN THE FUTURE (often with by or by the time + present simple): “By the time you finish you work, I will have come back home.” Students will have learnt to speak in fluent English in four years’ time. I'll have finished this job by Friday. We'll have cooked dinner by the time you get here. FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

EXPRESSES AN ACTION / ACTIVITY THAT WILL BE IN PROGRESS AT A POINT IN TIME OR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE FUTURE. “At this time next Sunday, we will be lying on the beach” “In the next weeks, she will be explaining her ideas to all the members of the group” “What will you be doing tomorrow at this time?” I'll probably be watching TV. This time tomorrow we'll be sitting on the plane.

WE USE THIS TENSE WITH FOR TO EMPHASISE THE DURATION OF A STATE OR ACTION WHICH WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE AFTER THE TIME MENTIONED: We'll have been living here for two years in January. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS