This document discusses the different ways to express future time in English as there is no single future tense. It outlines the uses of will, going to, the present continuous, present simple, future continuous, and future perfect to talk about plans, predictions, arrangements, timetables, ongoing or repeated actions in the future. It provides examples for each construction and a short exercise to choose the correct future tense form.

1. FUTURE TIME IN ENGLISH
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•
•
•
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Will
Going to
Present Continuous
Present Simple
Future Continuous
Future Perfect
NO
FUTURE
TENSE
IN
ENGLISH

2. WILL (1)
• When we decide to do something at the
moment of speaking
“Oh, I left the front door open. I’ll go and
shut it”
• Offers
“That bag looks heavy. I’ll help you with it”
• Promises
“Thank you for the money. I’ll pay you back”

3. WILL (2)
• Predictions (what we think or guess will
happen)
“You’ll pass your exam”
• With expressions like “I’m sure”,“I expect”,“I
think”
“You must meet Ann.I’m sure you’ll like her”

4. GOING TO
• Plans and intentions
“There’s a film on TV tonight. Are you
going to watch it?”
• Predictions from present evidence
“Look at those black clouds! It’s going to
rain”

5. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
• To say what someone has arranged to
do
“I’m travelling to London on Monday”
“What time are you meeting Ann?”

6. PRESENT SIMPLE
• Timetables
“The concert starts at seven”
“My plane leaves at 3.25”

7. FUTURE CONTINUOUS
(will be + ___-ing)
• To say that we will be in the middle of doing
something at a certain time in the future
“At this time next week I’ll be on holiday. I’ll
probably be lying on a beautiful beach”
• To talk about things that are already planned
or decided
“I’ll be going to the city centre later” = “I’m going
to the city centre later”

8. FUTURE PERFECT
participle)
( will have + past
To say that something will already have
happened before certain time in the
future
“We’re late. I’m sure the film will already
have started by the time we get to the
cinema”

9. Choose the correct future tense:
• Give me a ring on Thursday. I (hear) the results by then.
will have heard
• This wind is so strong that it (probably/cause) some
damage before long.
will probably cause
• Don’t try to move that table all by yourself. Wait and I
(give) you a hand.
will give
• What (you/do) this summer? I (spend) a week with friends
in Greece.
are you going to do
am going to spend

10. Choose the correct future tense:
• Give me a ring on Thursday. I (hear) the results by then.
will have heard
• This wind is so strong that it (probably/cause) some
damage before long.
will probably cause
• Don’t try to move that table all by yourself. Wait and I
(give) you a hand.
will give
• What (you/do) this summer? I (spend) a week with friends
in Greece.
are you going to do
am going to spend