B2 Future tenses

Future perfect simple

Future perfect continuous

Future continuous

Present continuous

Be going to

Present simple

Will

Future tenses

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FURTHER STRUCTURES

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Be bound to

Was/were going to

Would

Be on the verge/point of

Be likely to

Present simple

Beatriz R.L.

We use the present simple to talk about the future when the action is part of a timetable or routine

We leave at dawnWe don't leave at dawn Do we leave at dawn?

WILL

Beatriz R.L.

We use will to make general predictions about the future, decide something in the moment of speaking, offers, objective future truths, promises and threats

I will always love you.You won't always love you. Will you always love me?

BE gOING TO

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We use going to to talk about plans and intentions for the future and predictions based on evidence

I am going to give you upI am not going to give you up Am I going to give you up?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

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We use the present continuous to talk about prefixed plans and intentions for the future

I am holding out for a heroI am not holding out for a hero Am I holding out for a hero?

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

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We use future continuous to talk about activities in progress (so, unfinished) at a particular time in the future.

I will be needing stitchesI won't be needing stitches Will I be needing stitches?

FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE

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We use future perfect simple to talk about activities that will be finished by a certain time in the future.

He will have vacated the chairHe won't have vacated the chair Will he have vacated the chair?

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

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We use future perfect continuous to talk about how long an activity has been in progress before a particular moment in the future.

He will have been working for six hours He won't have been working for six hours Will he have been working for six hours ?

Was/were going to: We use was/were going to to talk about the future in the past: Everyone thought the show was going to be a disaster.

Be likely to: We use be likely to + infinitive for a probable future outcome. They're likely to ask for your ID before you can go in.

Would: We use would to talk about the future in the past. The speaker looks forward in time from a point in the past (underlined below): When I broke my leg, I thought I would never dance again.

Be on the verge/point of: We use be on the verge/point of + gerund to say that something will happen in the future. That new player is on the verge of signing for Arsenal.

Be bound to: We use it to say that something is certain or extremely likely to happen in the future. They are bound to ask you for some identification before they can go in.