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Future Tenses Overview

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F U T U R E   T E N S E S : F O R M S   A N D   I N D I C A T I O N S (= USES OF THE VARIOUS FORMS)


  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PRESENT  SIMPLE: PRESENT  CONT. (be+ -ing): BE GOING TO: WILL: WILL BE DOING: INDICATIONS / USES:
 
- The train leaves at 9 a.m. - At 11.30 we arrive / at 12:00 we have lunch / at 1:30 pm we depart again / at .. etc. (e.g. programme for a special family day)  
 
 
 
- TIMETABLE FUTURE
 
 
- I'm seeing Tom tonight (We have a date.) - She is taking the exam in October. (enroled!) - I am seeing the dentist tomorrow about my back tooth problem. - We are flying to London tomorrow.  
 
- I will be seeing Tom tonight - She will be taking the exam in October. (has enroled!) - I will be seeing the dentist tomorrow about my back tooth problem. - We will be flying to London tomorrow. - DEFINITE ARRANGEMENTS, FIX PLANS: TWO PARTIES ARE INVOLVED : <----> - DATES (private), APPOINTMENTS (official) - TICKETS ARE BOOKED
 
 
- What are you doing now? / Are you eating any more of this? - What are you going to do now? Are you going to eat any more of this? - (Car broken down: ) What are we going to do now?  
 
IMPENDING FUTURE: STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT ACTIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MOMENT OF SPEAKING.
 
 
  - She is going to fail, look at her! - It's going to rain tomorrow, I can feel it in my toes. - I'm going to be in trouble again. - Trump is going to speak on the telly tonight. (informal!) - The President Elect, Mr Donald Trump will speak on television tonight. (formal!)  
PREDICTION FOR IMMEDIATE FUTURE, BASED ON EVIDENCE IN THE PRESENT. (You can see it coming, feel it or hear it. It is "in the air".) ANNOUNCEMENTS, PREDICTIONS: - INFORMAL SPEAKING vs. FORMAL SPEAKING
 
 
- I'm writing some letters tonight. - I'm going to my parents' (place) tonight. - They are coming tonight, don't worry. ▼ ▼ ▼ - I'm going to see Tom tonight. [Tom doesn't necessarily know] - I'm going to write some letters tonight. - I'm going to go to my parents' (place) tonight. - They are going to come, don't worry. ▼ ▼ ▼  
 
PLANS, INTENTIONS FOR NEAR FUTURE: PREMEDITATED (speaker has thought about it, WANTS to do that action) BUT ARRANGEMENTS HAVE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN MADE YET.
 
 
With the verbs "go" and "come" the "BE GOING TO" form is mostly replaced by the "PRESENT CONTINUOUS" form (style!): ---> plan OR arrangement only clear by context!  
 
 
 
 
 
 
- I'll write to you, as soon as I can. - He'll buy a house when he gets married. - I'm sure he'll be back soon. - She'll (probably) be out driving around in her new car somewhere.  
- PLANS, INTENTIONS FOR MORE REMOTE FUTURE (NOT REALLY CERTAIN) - SPECULATIONS, OPINIONS, ASSUMPTIONS ["wird wohl..."] (often with "probably, perhaps, maybe, I think, I guess, etc.")
 
 
 
 
- I'll see Tom tonight. (He happens to be in the same evening class as I am.) - You'll have 17 children and you'll be very happy, indeed, in your adult life. - You'll be walking around like a tomato soon, if you stay exposed to the sun like that. PREDICTIONS BASED ON OPINION AND FACTS IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU CANNOT INFLUENCE (outer circumstances, destiny, in the stars) - FORTUNE TELLING
 
 
 
 
Mary-Lou, you are my companion in life and my one true love. I will treasure our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust and honor you. I will laugh and cry with you. With unfailing love I will stand by you, through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep, so help me God. I will be holding your hand and support you whenever you need me. (a bit less formal, but still a promise) - PROMISE
 
 
 
– I'm not going to do it! – Yes, you are! – No, I'm not! No way! – I'm not going to speak to this person ever again! – I simply won't do it! – Yes, you will! – No, I won't! No way! – I won't speak to this person ever again!  
- INSISTING ON DOING STH.: IN A ROW / VERBAL FIGHT - REFUSAL
 
 
 
 
- (phone ringing:) Just stay, I'll take it. - Tonight? Well, ok, I'll go dancing.  
- DECISION ON THE SPOT
 
 
- What are you having? Well, I'm starting with a soup, and then I'm having a shepherd's pie.  
- What would you like? Well, I'll have a beer.  
- ORDERING AT THE RESTAURANT
 
 
 
 
- Will you open the door for me, please.  
- REQUEST
 
 
 
 
 
- What will you be doing tomorrow at the same time? – Well, tomorrow around 2 o'clock p.m. I'll be lying on the beach in Spain, and I'll be having a great time. - ACTIONS AROUND A CERTAIN POINT OF TIME IN THE FUTURE: YOU IMAGINE / "CAN SEE" / THE ACTION UNFOLDING IN THE FUTURE SO TO SPEAK.
 

 

 

NO FUTURE FOR WRONG FUTURE TENSES AFTER THIS !


 

TRY TO GET THE FEELING FOR:

 

BE + –ING, BE GOING TO, WILL, WILL BE DOING

 

 

Y O U   C A N   D O   I T !

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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