Ways of talking about the future

1. Unit 5 – ways of talking
about the future

2. There are many different ways we can
talk about the future...
Let’s look at:
1. Uses of the future simple
2. Uses of the future continuous
3. Uses of the future perfect simple and continuous
4. Uses of going to
5. Uses of the present
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The future simple

3. Uses Examples
I think Tina will change jobs before the end of the year.
The island will be under water in a matter of hours.
She’s already here? I’ll call her now then.
Philip will be at the gym right now. You should call round
later.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
Function: the future simple
The future simple is with will or won’t. Match the uses to the examples.
Instant decisions made in the moment.
Predictions/beliefs (often following I think, I’m sure, I
know, etc.)
An assumption about the present.
Facts

4. Uses Examples
I think Tina will change jobs before the end of the year.
The island will be under water in a matter of hours.
She’s already here? I’ll call her now then.
Philip will be at the gym right now. You should call round
later.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
Function: the future simple
Instant decisions made in the moment.
Predictions/beliefs (often following I think, I’m sure, I
know, etc.)
An assumption about the present.
Facts
Remember the contractions are:
‘ll = will
won’t = will not
Modal verbs will and
won’t are followed by a
bare infinitive.
The vowel sound in won’t
is the diphthong /əʊ/. It’s
the same sound we find in
the word nose. The future
continuous...

5. Function: future continuous
Yes
1. Go to the
supermarket
2. Get the sun
cream
It will be in
progress
Yes: this
time
tomorrow
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
Are these events in
sequence?
Look at the bold section of
the boy’s statement. Is he
talking about a specific time
in the future?
Will the action sitting in
the airport happen at
that time, be in
progress, or be
finished?
Look at what the girl
says. She has two
organised plans.
What are they?
Look at the conversation and answer the questions.
This time tomorrow, I’ll
be sitting in the airport,
waiting to board my
flight!
So jealous! By the way, I’ll be
going to the supermarket later,
so I’ll be getting the sun cream
you wanted then, ok?

6. Uses Examples
An activity in progress at or around a specific time in the
future.
I’ll be sitting in the airport this time tomorrow.
An activity that is part of a normal or organised sequence of
events.
I’ll be going to the supermarket later, so I’ll be getting the
sun cream you wanted then.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
Function: future continuous
now
I’ll be going to the supermarket
this time tomorrow
He will start to sit in the airport before this
specific time and will probably continue
after this time too.
now
I’ll be sitting in the airport
Remember. We make the
future continuous with: will +
be + verb-ing
I’ll be getting the sun cream
later today
First activity in sequence
Second activity in sequence Future perfect

7. Function: future perfect simple/cont.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
That’s true! You will have
been working there for a
week and a half!
By the time you get back
from holiday, I will have
started my new job!
Put these 3 activities on the timeline.
1. Girl will start new job.
2. Boy will get back from holiday.
3. Girl will be working there for a week
and a half.
1 2
3
now

8. Function: future perfect simple/cont.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
now
future perfect simple future perfect continuous
An assumption about the
present.
Lara will have arrived home
by now.
An activity that will have
been in progress up to a
certain point in the future.
You will have been working
there for a week and a half
(by the time I’m back).
An activity that will be
completed before a certain
point in the future.
By the time you’re back from
holiday, I will have started
my new job.
I will have started my new job
By the time you’re/
I’m back from holiday
You will have been working there for...
week and a half
Future perfect simple:
Will + have + past participle
Future perfect cont.:
Will + have + been + verb-ing
This is the specific
point in time in the
future.
This will start in the future
and continue in progress
up to the specific time in
the future
This event happens
before that specific time
in the future.
Going to...

9. Uses Examples
The tide is going to rise soon.
The mayor is going to make a speech at the
conference.
It’s going to rain soon.
Predictions based on observation
Actions which are inevitable or
unstoppable
Function: going to
Match the uses to the examples.
Intentions or plans which are made
before the time of speaking
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1

10. Uses Examples
The tide is going to rise soon.
The mayor is going to make a speech at the
conference.
It’s going to rain soon.
Predictions based on observation
Actions which are inevitable or
unstoppable
Function: going to
Intentions or plans which are made
before the time of speaking
going to:
To be + going to + infinitive
When speaking quickly, we often
shorten going to to /gənə/ or /gɒnə/.
Present tenses...
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1

11. Uses Examples
The concert starts at 3 p.m.
She’s moving back to Germany in September.
The train station is to reopen in the spring following
refurbishment.
As soon as you have spoken to Laura, will you call me?
Scott is due to arrive at 10 a.m.
Function: present tenses
We can use the present tenses for the future too. Match the uses to the examples.
Expressions be due to, be about to, be hoped to,
be bound to, be expected to + verb infinitive
Present continuous for future arrangements
(organised).
Present simple for timetabled organised events.
We use present tenses (incl. the present perfect)
after time clauses like when, as soon as, before...
We use be to for official plans or obligation.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1

12. Uses Examples
The concert starts at 3 p.m.
She’s moving back to Germany in September.
The train station is to reopen in the spring following
refurbishment.
As soon as you have spoken to Laura, will you call me?
Scott is due to arrive at 10 a.m.
Function: present tenses
Expressions be due to, be about to, be hoped to,
be bound to, be expected to + verb infinitive
Present continuous for future arrangements
(organised).
Present simple for timetabled organised events.
We use present tenses (incl. the present perfect)
after time clauses like when, as soon as, before...
We use be to for official plans or obligation.
Let’s practise...
be due to = expected or scheduled;
be about to = intend to do something/be close to
doing something;
be bound to = be inevitable that.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1

13. 1. When Fred …. (get back), we should leave straight away.
When Fred gets back, we should leave straight away.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition C1
Practice activities
Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the gaps. Justify your choices.
2. By the time she listens to your message, you …. (fly) to New York and I …. (hopefully/finish) this essay that ….
(due/be handed in) tomorrow.
3. A: It looks like there …. (be) a storm. B: I …. (get) the washing in off the line then.
4. Chris …. (have) his first session with the team on Tuesday. By the next Olympics, he …. (train) with them for over a
year. It’s not long, but he …. (expected/do) good things!
5. Ruby …. (compete) in a dance competition on Saturday. I’m sure the judges …. (see) how talented she is, and she
…. (take) home the trophy.
By the time she listens to your message, you’ll be flying to New York, and I will hopefully have finished this essay
that is due to be handed in tomorrow.
A: It looks like there is going to be a storm. B: I’ll get the washing in off the line then.
Chris has his first session with the team on Tuesday. By the next Olympics, he will have been training with them for
over a year. It’s not long, but he is expected to do good things!
Ruby is competing in a dance competition on Saturday. I’m sure the judges will see how talented she is, and she will
take home the trophy.