THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS

THE FUTURE INDEFINITE

The Future Indefinite Tense is used to denote:

1. a single point future action(indicators: tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, in a week (month, year), next week (month, year, time, etc.); in a day or two, one of these days)

e.g. It will ruin her.

An action occupying a whole period of time in the future

e.g. I will remain in love with you all my life.

A succession of actions in the future

e.g. We will just talk and then we willhave dinner.

In the object subordinate clause to denote a future action

e.g. I don’t know if he will help us.

Decisions taken at the moment of speaking (on-the-spot decisions)

e.g. It’s cold in here. I will turn on the heating.

6. hopes, fears, threats, warnings, offers, promises, invitations, suggestions, etc. after the corresponding verbs and expressions to hope, to fear, to be afraid, etc

e.g. I hope he will like his birthday present.

7. actions and predictions which may (not) happen in the future(indicators: probably, likely/unlikely, etc.)

e.g. She will probably win.

Actions which we cannot control and will inevitably happen

e.g. The baby will be born after Christmas.

9. an officially planned future action

e.g. The government will lower taxes.

but. I’m leaving tomorrow. (individually planned future action)

Comment on the use of the Future Indefinite in the following sentences:

Model:

1. I will help you. -The verb to help is used in the Future Indefinite tense form to denote a single point future action.

2. Spring will come soon. - The verb to come is used in the Future Indefinite tense form to denote an action which we cannot control and which will inevitably happen.

3. I don’t know whether the play will be interesting. - The verb to be is used in the Future Indefinite tense form to denote a future action in the object subordinate clause.

A. 1. She will be thirty next February. 2. I think they will easily win the match. 3. I will lend you the money you need. 4. He will have to help us. 5. I wonder if he will catch any fish. 6. The world will become overpopulated in 50 years. 7. Will you post the letter for me? 8. It’s very hot in here. – I’ll open the window. 9. The Indian Government will probably impose a ban on tiger hunting. 10. Soon the sun will rise and will paint the land in bright colours and the camp will awake. 11. The days will become shorter soon. 12. They hope the company will make a profit next year. 13. Perhaps he will arrive in time for lunch. 14. I hope I will find it. 15. I wonder how many of us will be here next year.

B. 1. I wonder if he will succeed. 2. It’s getting chilly in the room. –Is it? I will turn on the heating. 3. Christmas will fall on Saturday this year. 4. I will go and sort out some drinks for the guests. 5. Tom will probably get the promotion he wants. 6. I will be back at 8.30. 7. The fire has gone out. – So it has. I will go and get some sticks. 8. Jack will be 21 next month. 9. We are not sure if he will return soon. 10. Probably they will stay with us. 11. I don’t know when he will return. 12. I am dying of thirst. – I will go and fetch you some water. 13. I doubt if everything will happen as we expect. 14. I have spilt my coffee. – I will get you a cloth. 15. I wonder when we will write our test in history.

THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS

The Future Continuous Tense is used to denote:

1. an action in progress at a definite future moment or a period of time(indicators: at 2 p.m., at this time tomorrow, all evening, from October to December, from 4 till 6p.m., etc.)

e.g. I will be revising for my exam the whole evening tomorrow.

2. actions which are the result of a routine, which doesn’t need any special arrangement

e.g. I will be going to the bank tomorrow.

3. to ask politely about people’s arrangements to see if they can do something for us (an implicit request)

e.g. Will you be driving into town this afternoon? Can you give me a lift?

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 1671