2B. INTENTIONS & ARRANGEMENTS

2B. THE FUTURE

INTENTIONS & ARRANGEMENTS

INDEX

GOING TO

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

FUTURE SIMPLE

OTHER WAYS OF TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE

PRESENT SIMPLE

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

BE GOING TO

Plans for the future when we want to emphasize the idea of intention

BE GOING TO

EXAMPLES:

1. We´re going to get a new car soon.
2. What are you going to tell him if he asks?
3. I´m going to wait here until Carol gets back.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Personal arrangements and fixed plans, especially when the time and/or place have been decided

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

EXAMPLES:

1. We´re going to London next summer.
2. I´m meeting her next week.
3. What are we having for dinner?

DON´T USE THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS:

- Things are going to get better soon. - He´s going to have an accident one of these days.

To talk about events that are outside people´s control (predictions)

-Their new house is going to look over the river.

To talk about permanent states

USE THESE CONTINUOUS VERB PHRASES TO TALK ABOUT PLANS

• BE PLANNING TO + INFINITIVE
• BE AIMING TO + INFINITIVE
• BE THINKING OF + -ING

• Peter is planning to go on a trip to London
• I am aiming to finish my Master´s Degree with good marks.
• They´re thinking of buying a house on the outskirts.

FUTURE SIMPLE

Decisions made at the time of speaking

FUTURE SIMPLE ( WILL + INFINITIVE)

EXAMPLES:

1. "The phone´s ringing". "I´ll answer it".
2. I think I´ll have the salad, please.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

Events which are fixed or decided, or which are expected to happen in the normal course of events. It does not suggest the idea of personal intention

FUTURE CONTINUOUS ( WILL + BE + -ING)

EXAMPLES:

1. You´ll be hearing from my solicitors.
2. Professor Leech will be giving another lecture tomorrow.

YOU CAN ALSO USE THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS:

- This time tomorrow I´ll be flying to Paris - Good luck with the exam. We´ll be thinking of you.

To talk about events in progress in the future

PRESENT SIMPLE

Events which are planned in accordance with a timetable, calendar or schedule.

PRESENT SIMPLE

EXAMPLES:

1. My flight leaves in half an hour.
2. Our next lesson is on Thursday.
3. Are you on duty next weekend?

* We can use "will" with the same meaning in newspapers and news broadcasts for formal announcements. The President will open the new airport tomorrow.

OTHER WAYS OF TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE

• BE ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE
• A future event which you think will happen soon
• In informal American English, not about to can mean "unwilling to" (negative intentions)
• BE TO + INFINITIVE
• Used in formal style to talk about plans and arrangements, especially when they are official
• BE DUE TO + INFINITIVE
• Used in writing and more formal speech to indicate that an event is intended to happen at a particular time in the future.

• Don´t go out now - We´re about to have lunch.

• I´m not about to pay 100 dollars for that dress.

• The Prime Minister is to visit Japan next June.

• The bridge is due to be completed in 1998.

PRESENT TENSES

WILL

When we want to emphasise present ideas like intention or certainty What are you doing next year? / What are you going to do next year? All the family are going to be there.

No emphasis on intention or certainty. What will you do next year? All the family will be there.

VS

THANK YOU!

THE FUTURE IS YOURS!