Grammar presentation: The Future

1. The Future
Grammar

2. Find examples of future formsFind examples of future forms
“This is my last year at college. It’s June, so I’m about
to leave all this behind me. And I’ve already got a job!
In September, I’m starting work at a bank in London.
So I’ll be free for most of the summer. I’m going to
spend six weeks travelling around the U.S. My friend
Vicky is coming with me. She finishes college at the
same time as me, and is on the point of applying for
several jobs.”

3. Find examples of future formsFind examples of future forms
“This is my last year at college. It’s June, so I’m about
to leave all this behind me. And I’ve already got a job!
In September, I’m starting work at a bank in London.
So I’ll be free for most of the summer. I’m going to
spend six weeks travelling around the U.S. My friend
Vicky is coming with me. She finishes college at the
same time as me, and is on the point of applying for
several jobs.”

4. will: form
• Affirmative:
• Negative:
• Questions:
will (’ll) + infinitive without to
will not (won’t) + infinitive without to
will + subject + infinitive without to
‘Will you tell us
your decision?’
‘I won’t answer your
questions now. I’ll
answer them later.’

5. will: use
• to say what we know or think about the future
• for an instant decision
• in offers and invitations
e.g. ‘I can’t wait for the school reunion. Everybody will have
so much to talk about.’
‘I’m thirsty. I’ll make some tea.’
‘Will you come to lunch?’

6. be going to: form
• Affirmative:
• Negative:
• Questions:
be going to + infinitive without to
be + not + going to + infinitive without to
be + subject + going to + infinitive without to
‘What are you
going to do?’
‘I’m going to play
football.
What about you?’‘I’m not going to
play. I’ve got too
much homework.’

7. be going to: use
• intentions
• predictions
“I’m not going to go out tonight. I’m going to do some work.”
“The sky looks heavy and white. It’s going to snow.”
A structure used in a similar way to be going to is …
the present continuous.

8. present continuous: form
• Affirmative:
• Negative:
• Questions:
be + -ing form
be + not + -ing form
be + subject + -ing form
‘We’re having a party
tomorrow night.
Are you coming?’ ‘I can’t. I’m going to my
aunt’s birthday meal.’

9. present continuous: use
• arrangements
Compare:
“We’re having a party tonight.” (= arrangement)
“We’re going to have a party tonight.” (= intention)
When using the present continuous to
talk about an arrangement, we add …
a future time expression

10. present simple: use
timetables.
‘What time does
your train leave?’
‘It leaves at 9.30.
I’ve got plenty of time.
The course doesn’t
start until 2.00.’
We can use the present simple to talk about …

11. other future expressions: form
We can use other expressions to talk about the future.
These include:
• be on the point of + -ing form
• be (just) about to + -ing form

12. other future expressions: use
Both expressions refer to the immediate future, though
be on the point of is slightly more formal.
‘Quick! It’s just
about to leave!’
They had to hurry because the train was on
the point of departing.

13. Correct or incorrect?
• Paul’s going to hand in his notice.
• There’s someone at the door. I’m seeing who it is.
• She was so angry I thought she was about to
explode.

14. Correct or incorrect?
Paul’s going to hand in his notice.

There’s someone at the door. I’m seeing who it is.
There’s someone at the door. I’ll see who it is.
She was so angry I thought she was about to explode. 



15. Find examples of future formsFind examples of future forms
“My new job is fantastic, and it’s gone so fast.
My manager told me that I’ve passed my probationary
period with flying colours. In fact, she said that I’ll be
working on more challenging projects very soon. It’s
all very exciting, but I admit I’m a bit nervous because
there’s so much to learn. In a year’s time, though,
I’ll have been working here for a year, and I’ll have
become much more used to the job.”

16. Find examples of future formsFind examples of future forms
“My new job is fantastic, and it’s gone so fast.
My manager told me that I’ve passed my probationary
period with flying colours. In fact, she said that I’ll be
working on more challenging projects very soon. It’s
all very exciting, but I admit I’m a bit nervous because
there’s so much to learn. In a year’s time, though,
I’ll have been working here for a year, and I’ll have
become much more used to the job.”

17. will be doing: form
• Affirmative:
• Negative:
• Questions:
will be doing is the …
future continuous tense
will (’ll) + be + -ing form
will not (won’t) + be + -ing form
will + subject + be + -ing form

18. will be doing: use
• an action that takes place over a period of time in
the future
Compare:
“The band will play when the President enters.”
(= the President will enter and then the band will play)
“The band will be playing when the President enters.”
(= the band will start playing before the President enters)

19. will be doing: use
We use a future time expression with
the future continuous.
‘This time tomorrow, I’ll
be lying on the beach.’

20. will have done: form
• Affirmative:
• Negative:
• Questions:
future perfect simple tense
will (’ll) + have + past participle
will not (won’t) + have + past participle
Will + subject + have + past participle
will have done is the …

21. will have done: use
• for something that will be finished in the future
We are looking back from a future point.
‘I’ve read this book
really quickly. I’ll have
finished it by Friday.’
We use a future time expression with the future
perfect simple.

22. will have been doing: form
• Affirmative:
• Negative:
• Questions:
will have been doing is the …
future perfect continuous tense
will (’ll) + have been + -ing
will not (won’t) + have been + -ing
will + subject + have been + -ing

23. will have been doing: use
• to look back at a continuous action which will still be
in progress at a point in the future
‘By three o’clock we’ll
have been cycling for
four hours, so we’ll
take a break at
Langston village.’
We use a future time expression with the future
perfect continuous.

24. Select the correct sentence
A This homework is taking ages. By 9.00 I’ll have been
doing it for three hours!
B This homework is taking ages. By 9.00 I’ll have done it
for three hours!
A In ten years’ time, I’ll have been writing several
famous novels.
B In ten years’ time, I’ll have written several famous novels.

25. Select the correct sentence: answers
A This homework is taking ages. By 9.00 I’ll have been doing it
for three hours! 
B This homework is taking ages. By 9.00 I’ll have done it for
three hours!
A In ten years’ time, I’ll have been writing several famous
novels.
B In ten years’ time, I’ll have written several famous novels. 