Teach English in Dongdajie Jiedao - Wuwei Shi

Unit 8 explains that the future is one of the most complex areas of the English language. The Future has tense 4 types. * Future Simple * Future Continuous * Future Perfect * Future Perfect Continuous There are, however, other ways to talk about the future without using a future verb tense. * Present Continuous : for speaking about future arrangements * Simple Present : for speaking about scheduled events * Be going + Infinitive : for speaking about intentions and predictions (for the future) The future simple has many functions including : predicting an event, make a spontaneous decision, to express willingness, and to make an offer, suggestion or invitation. The following table lists examples of some of the uses of the future simple tense. * predicting an event : It will rain tomorrow. * to express willingness : I'll pay for the tickets. * to make an offer : Shall I open the window? * suggestion or invitation : Will you marry me? The following table lists examples of 'to go' in the simple future affirmative AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE I will go I won't go Will I go? Won't I go? I shall go Shall I go? The future continuous uses 'will be' (future simple of 'to be') and the present participle (base+ing). The following table list examples of some of the uses of the future continuous. * to same that something will be in progress at a particular moment in the future : At 12 o'clock I will be swimming. * to predict the present : Josh will probably be having lunch now. * to inquire about someone's plans : Will you be coming to the party? * to refer to fixed future events : The train will be arriving at 10. The future perfect uses the simple future of the verb \"to have\" (will have) and the past participle of the main verb. The future perfect tense refers to a completed action in the future. The speaker is projecting oneself forward into the future and looking back at an action that will be completed some later. It is often used with a time expression. The following table list examples of some of the uses of the future continuous. * to predict when something will have been done by a certain time : By the end of the summer I will have completed this course. The following table lists examples of 'to arrive' in the future perfect. AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE I will have arrived. I won't have arrived. Will I have arrived? Won't I have arrived? The future perfect continuous uses the future perfect of the verb \"to be\" (will have been) and the present participle (base + ing). This tense refers to events or actions in a time between now and some future time that are unfinished. It is often used with a time expression. The following table list examples of some of the uses of the future perfect continuous. * to say how long something will have continued by a certain time : By the time you get here, I will have been working for six hours. The following table lists examples of 'to work' in the future perfect continuous. AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE I will have been working I won't have been working. Will I have been working? Won't I have been working? When we use 'going to' to talk about the future we use the verb 'to be' in the present, plus 'going to', plus base form of verb. This method is usually used to speak about ones plans and intentions or to make predictions. Going is often shortened to gonna in speech but in not in written language. The following table lists examples of 'going to' where 'to be' is conjugated in the present tense. SUBJECT + TO BE (CONJUGATED) + GOING + INFINITIVE She is going to stay. I am going to stay. We are going to stay. The following table lists the uses and examples of 'going to' to talk about the future. * Intentions : I'm not going to do it. * Predictions based on present evidence : I think it's going to rain later! * Plans : I am going to visit my family in April. The simple present tense is also used to speak about future events which are based on fixed facts like time-tables, or schedules. The following table lists the uses and examples of Present Simple to talk about the future. * The train arrives at 6. * We start filming tomorrow. The present continuous tense is also used to speak about future events or arrangements. It suggests that more than one person is aware of the event and that preparations have been made for it. It is important to note the difference between using present continuous or simple present to talk about the future. Using simple present implies a schedule or a timetable whereas present continuous implies a singular event. * We are having a staff meeting next Monday. // present continuous implies happens once * We have a staff meeting every Monday. // simple present