FUTURE TENSE

The will - future is used:

1. to talk about future actions we can't influence or control.
2. to foretell future actions or to express hopes, expectations, fears, offers, promises,
refusals,... .
Key words: Im sure, I believe, I expect, I hope, I suppose, I think, I'm afraid, I wonder, I
fear, I worry, I promise, I guess or perhaps, possibly, surely, probably, maybe
3. with I / we for spontaneous reactions or making promises
I shall is sometimes used instead of I will.

Form of will Future

positive
negative
question
no differences I will speak. I will not speak. Will I speak?

Use of will Future

a spontaneous decision
example: Wait, I will help you.
an opinion, hope, uncertainty or assumption regarding the future
example: He will probably come back tomorrow.
a promise
example: I will not watch TV tonight.
an action in the future that cannot be influenced
example: It will rain tomorrow.
conditional clauses type I
example: If I arrive late, I will call you.

I. Write positive sentences in will Future.

1. We (help) _____________ you.
2. I (get) _____________ you a drink.
3. I think our team (win) _____________ the match.
4. Maybe she (do) _____________ a language course in Malta.
5. I (buy) _____________ the tickets.
6. Perhaps she (do) _____________ this for you.
7. Maybe we (stay) _____________ at home.
8. She hopes that he (cook) _____________ dinner tonight.
9. Im sure they (understand) _____________ your problem.
10. They (go / probably) _____________ to the party.
II. Write negative sentences in will future.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

(I / answer / the question) _____________

(she / read / the book) _____________
(they / drink / beer) _____________
(we / send / the postcard) _____________
(Vanessa / catch / the ball) _____________
(James / open / the door) _____________
(we / listen / to the radio) _____________

8. (they / eat / fish) _____________

9. (she / give / him / the apple) _____________
10. (the computer / crash) _____________
III. Write questions in will future.
1. (you / ask / him) _____________
2. (Jenny / lock / the door) _____________
3. (it / rain) _____________
4. (the teacher / test / our English) _____________
5. (what / they / eat) _____________
6. (when / she / be / back) _____________
7. (who / drive / us / into town) _____________
8. (where / we / meet) _____________
9. (when / I / be / famous) _____________
10. (what / you / do) _____________
Homework
1. they / call / us
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
2. she / remember / us
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
3. you / be / in Australia
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
4. I / buy / bread
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
5. you / see / the house
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
6. Gareth / empty / the bin
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
7. my friends / help / me
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
8. we / lose / the game
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________

The going to - future is used:

1. to talk about future things you intend to do, plan or decided to do
Examples:
Did you know that Sarah is in hospital? No, I didnt. Ill visit her this afternoon. (spontaneous
reaction will - future)
Yes, Im going to visit her next month. (planned action going to - future)
2. to foretell future actions for which we have proofs that they are going to happen.

Form of going to Future

positive
negative
question
I am going to speak.
I am not going to speak.
Am I going to speak?
I
you / we / they You are going to speak. You are not going to speak. Are you going to speak?
He is going to speak. He is not going to speak. Is he going to speak?
he / she / it

Use of going to Future

an action in the near future that has already been planned or prepared
example: I am going to study harder next year.
a conclusion regarding the immediate future
example: The sky is absolutely dark. It is going to rain.

I. Write positive sentences in going to future.

1. I / work - ___________________
2. you / dance - ___________________
3. it / rain - ___________________
4. they / ask - ___________________
5. he / stays - ___________________
6. we / speak - ___________________
7. I / give - ___________________
8. she / try - ___________________
9. they / help - ___________________
10. he / push - ___________________
II. The following people are about to do something. You can see that they have already planned or
prepared the action.
Write positive sentences in going to future.
1. What does she need the telephone for?
(she / call / her boyfriend) __________________________________
2. Why are they wearing sport suits?
(they / play / squash) __________________________________
3. Why has Fiona bought chocolates?
(She / visit / her grandma) __________________________________
4. Why do you need a map?
(we / walk / in the mountains) __________________________________

5. What do you need the cloth and the bucket for?

(we / wash / the car) __________________________________
6. Why are you running about with the toothbrush?
(I / brush / my teeth) __________________________________
7. Why is daddy not coming with us?
(he / repair / the car) __________________________________
8. Hurry up!
(they / light / the bonfire) __________________________________
9. Why are all these tapes on the table?
(we / learn / Greek) __________________________________
10. What do you need the pen for?
(I / write / some postcards) __________________________________
III. The following people do not intend to do the following actions.
Write negative sentences in going to future.
1. (I / sell / my car) __________________________________
2. (he / help / us) __________________________________
3. (they / study / harder) __________________________________
4. (we / cook / dinner tonight) __________________________________
5. (I / celebrate / my birthday this year) __________________________________
6. (she / cleaning / her room) __________________________________
7. (they / move / house) __________________________________
8. (she / stay / with Amy) __________________________________
9. (they / change / their clothes) __________________________________
10. (we / get up early / next Sunday __________________________________
IV. Write questions in going to future.
1. (he / cook dinner / tonight) _________________________________
2. (you / run / in the race) _________________________________
3. (they / climb / that mountain) _________________________________
4. (she / exercise / at the gym / in the afternoon) _________________________________
5. (you / carry / that heavy box) _________________________________
6. (computer / crash) _________________________________
7. (we / eat / fish / tonight) _________________________________
8. (he / play football / tomorrow) _________________________________
9. (Lucy / call / a taxi) _________________________________
10. (you / sing / a song / for us) _________________________________
Homework
Write sentences in going to future.
1. he / get up / early
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
2. they / do / their best
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
3. you / learn / Irish
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________

o Question: ______________________________
4. she / buy / a computer
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
5. we / take / the bus
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
6. she / watch / the match
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
7. they / wait / in the park
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________
8. He / buy / bread / this afternoon
o Positive: ______________________________
o Negative: ______________________________
o Question: ______________________________

The present progressive is used:

to talk about future things that are fixed, planned or definitely decided
The speaker must refer to the future and not to the present.
I am visiting my grandparents tomorrow.
What are you doing next Friday?

The present simple is used:

to talk about times of arrivals and departures of traffic and times of events.
The train leaves at 10.20.
The bus goes at 8.30.
When does the concert begin?

I. Fill in the will - future of the words below.

have go meet visit walk have buy not be have

Tomorrow I ____________ my friend George. We ____________ to the movies and then we

____________our dinner at the new fast food place. In the afternoon we ____________ Georges
uncle and play table tennis in his garden. Then we ____________ around in the shopping mall where

we ____________ a look at the shops. Maybe I ____________ new jeans. We ____________ back
before 6 oclock. I think we ____________ a great day.
V. When Im older I will .....

buy - have - watch - buy - go - stay - go

When Im older I ___________ out late.
When Im older I ___________ TV as long as I like.
When I'm older I ___________ to parties.
When I'm older I ___________ two children.
When I'm older I ___________ a car.
When I'm older I ___________ to the cinema.
When I'm older I ___________ a lot of sweets.
When Im older I will not....

do - write - go - wash - go - live - make

When Im older I _________________ any homework.
When Im older I _________________ my bed in the morning.
When Im older I _________________ for a walk with my parents.
When Im older I _________________ my fathers car.
When Im older I _________________ to school.
When Im older I _________________ so much.
When Im older I _________________ in my parents house.
II. Fill in the GOING TO future.

1. I _________________ him tomorrow. (meet)

2. They _________________ to Dublin. (drive)
3. He _________________ to the football match. (go)
4. She _________________ her aunt. (visit)
5. We _________________ a test. (write)
6. They _________________ them tea. (offer)
7. My friends _________________ their holidays in Wales. (spend)
8. My uncle _________________ a birthday present for Harry. (buy)
9. I _________________ the rabbits. (feed)
10. My father _________________ his car. (wash)

11. Tom _________________ you with the homework. (help)

12. There _________________ a meeting at our school. (be)
13. Winter holidays _________________ in the first week of February. (be)
14. I _________________ it for you. (repair)
15. They _________________ Japanese. (learn)
III. Fill in the correct future tense - will future, going to or present progressive.

1. They ___________ (drive) to New York tomorrow morning.

2. I hope the weather ___________ (be) nice.
3. I offered him this job. I think he ___________ (take) it.
4. I promise I ___________ (not tell) your secret to anyone.
5. Take your umbrella with you. It ___________ (rain).
6. They ___________ (play) cards this evening.
7. I ___________ (go) to the cinema tomorrow.
8. They ___________ (fly) to Seattle next summer holidays.
9. I ___________ (invite) 50 people to the party and I hope everyone ___________ (come).
10. That exercise looks difficult. I ___________ (help) you.
11. ___________ he ___________ (go) to the football match?
12. Are you sure they ___________ (win) the match?
13. She ___________ probably ___________ (stay) till Thursday.
14. He ___________ (not leave) tomorrow.
15. We think he ___________ (come) home late in the night.
IV. Fill in GOING TO or WILL future.
1. When the weather is fine we _______________________a picnic in our garden. (probably have)
2. _______________________ him for help? (you ask)
3. Susan _______________________ the bathroom next weekend. (paint)
4. I think he _______________________ her name. (find out)
5. I _______________________ a walk in the garden this evening. (take)
6. Let's hope that the wind _______________________ away the clouds. (blow)
7. Mary _______________________ a good mark because she has studied hard. (get).
8. Are you sure, you _______________________ in a tent in your holidays? (sleep)
9. Peter _______________________ his new bike in the park. (ride)
10. I hope Jane _______________________ me to her party. (invite).
11. I _______________________ dad's car tomorrow afternoon. (wash)
12. Mum thinks dad _______________________ home early tonight. (come)
13. It _______________________very cold in the mountains. Take a sweater with you. (probably
be)

14. We _______________________ our bikes in the park. Can you come with us? (ride)
15. It's my birthday next Friday. Mum _______________________a cake. (bake)
V. Fill in GOING TO or WILL future.
1. I think Susan ______________ in love with Mike. (fall)
2. John ______________ to his new CD all evening. (listen)
3. It's late. I hope we ______________ the bus. (not miss)
4. I think the police ______________ the burglars. (arrest)
5. ______________ the new words this time, Peter? (you learn)
6. Jane and Sue ______________ a present for mum's birthday. (buy)
7. I hope you ______________ me with the dishes, Julie. (help)
8. Next summer we ______________ at a campsite near a lake. (probably stay)
9. We ______________ to Scotland this summer. (go)
10. I promise, I ______________ you tomorrow. (phone)
11. Maybe he ______________ any time next weekend. (not have)
12. She ______________ a baby next April. (have)
13. I hope the train ______________ delayed. (not be)
14. They ______________ the exam. (probably pass)
15. The sky is cloudy and grey. It ______________. (rain)
VI. Put

the verbs into the correct form (will, going to, simple present or present progressive).

1. I love London. I (probably / go) ___________________ there next year.

2. Our train (leave) ___________________at 4:47.
3. What (wear / you) ___________________ at the party tonight?
4. I haven't made up my mind yet. But I think I (find) ___________________something nice in
my mum's wardrobe.
5. This is my last day here. I (go) ___________________back to England tomorrow.
6. Hurry up! The conference (begin) ___________________in 20 minutes.
7. My horoscope says that I (meet) ___________________an old friend this week.
8. Look at these big black clouds! It (rain) ___________________.
9. Here is the weather forecast. Tomorrow (be) ___________________dry and sunny.
10. What does a blonde say when she sees a banana skin lying just a few metres in front of her? Oh dear! I (slip) ___________________!