The Future

The Future

Will, be going to and present continuous.

We use will/won't + the infinitive to predict future actions and events with some certainty, based on our knowledge, opinions and experience.

It will be his birthday next month.

That medicine won't help. It's for babies and young children, not teenagers.

We also use will when we make quick decisions about the future and when we make offers.

I'll have a cheese and ham pizza, please.

I'll get a chair for you.

To make an offer or suggestion as a question, we use Shall I...? and Shall we...?

Shall I get a chair for you?

Shall we leave now?

We use be going to + the infinitive when we talk about future events that are based on decisions that we have a lready made.

Jack is going to learn French next year.

Are you going to phone Sandra?

We also use be going to to predict future actions and events based on evidence that we can see, smell, hear or feel at the time of speaking.

Look at the time! We're going to be late.

Oh dear, listen to Milly. She's going to start crying again in a minute.

We use the present continuous when we talk about future plans and arrangements with other people or organizations.

Are you meeting Jason tomorrow?

I'm doing my piano exam on Monday.

PRESENT SIMPLE WITH A FUTURE MEANING

We can join two parts of a sentence about the future with the linking words before, after, as soon as, by the time, until, when or while. These linking words show when one action or event will happen in relation to the other action or event.

We use the present simple with a future meaning after these linking words.

I'll speak to Dave. Then I'll phone you.

- I'll speak to Dave before I phone you.

He's going to leave. I'll be sad then.

- I'll be sad when he leaves.

before/after = earlier than/later than

I'll start looking for a job before/after I leave school.

as soon as = immediately after

I'll call you as soon as it arrives.

by the time = before

You'll be asleep by the time I get home.

until = up to the time that

We're going to stay here until it gets dark.

when = at or after the time

I'll tell you when I remember

while = during/in the time

We'll talk about it while we have lunch