Talk about the future precisely
I can choose the right form of the future out of five and explain why it is this one.
Declared core time. Two of the core blocks carry no figure at all, so the real lesson is longer than this sum.
Grammar
15 minIn A2 the future had three forms and one question for choosing between them: when did you decide (A2 #9)? Now there are five forms. The two new ones are the Present Simple for a timetable and be about to for what will happen in a minute. The question "when did you decide?" is still the main one, but two more are added to it: does it depend on us, and how close is it?
Five forms and what each one tells:
| form | what it tells | example |
|---|---|---|
| will | a decision at the moment of speaking, a promise, an offer of help, an opinion about the future | I'll help you with those bags. |
| be going to | an intention decided earlier; a prediction from what you can see now | Look at those clouds — it's going to rain. |
| Present Continuous | an arrangement: there is a time, a place, other people | I'm meeting a client at four. |
| Present Simple | a timetable, a programme, a calendar | The train leaves at 7.40. |
| be about to | any second now, in a minute | Hurry up — the film is about to start. |
More about each one.
will is a future that is not yet in any plan or calendar. You decided right now: The phone's ringing. I'll get it. You promised: I won't tell anyone. You guessed: I think it'll be cold tomorrow. With the words I think, probably, I'm sure it is almost always will.
be going to — the decision is already in your head: We're going to paint the kitchen this summer. And a prediction that has a reason you can see: She's going to be late — she's still at home.
The Present Continuous is the same intention, but already arranged with other people and written in the calendar: We're having dinner with Sam on Friday. If there is a ticket, a meeting or a booking, it is the Present Continuous. Without a time word this form is read as "right now", so an arrangement almost always has a "when" next to it: tonight, on Friday, at four.
The Present Simple is a future that does not depend on us: train timetables, the start of a film, working hours. The museum opens at ten. My course starts on Monday.
be about to — "any second now", with no time named: I'm about to leave — can I call you back?
How to choose in a few seconds. Ask yourself the questions in order. Is there a timetable or a programme? — the Present Simple. Have you arranged it with someone, is there a time and a place? — the Present Continuous. Did you decide earlier, or can you see signs? — going to. Are you deciding right now, promising or just guessing? — will. Will it happen in a minute? — be about to. The first question with the answer "yes" gives you the form.
Three pairs worth telling apart:
| It'll rain tomorrow. — that's what I think | It's going to rain. — I can see the clouds |
| I'll call Anna. — I've just decided | I'm calling Anna at six. — we've arranged it |
| The train leaves at 7.40. — the timetable | The train is leaving! — it's going right now |
going to or the Present Continuous. Both forms are about something decided in advance. The difference is whether you have arranged it with someone:
| I'm going to see a doctor. | I've decided to go to a doctor, but I haven't booked yet. |
| I'm seeing the doctor at ten. | I have an appointment: the time is fixed. |
With the verbs go and come, instead of I'm going to go people usually just say I'm going to Spain in May — it is shorter, and the meaning is the same.
will or going to in a prediction. will is an opinion or knowledge about the future: that's what I think, that's what usually happens. going to is a conclusion from what you can see right now:
| Don't worry, you'll pass the exam. | I believe in you. |
| Careful! You're going to drop those plates. | I can see them sliding. |
The Present Simple or the Present Continuous. A timetable does not depend on us, an arrangement is ours: The match starts at three — that's what the programme says; We're watching the match at Tom's — that's what we have arranged.
One story — five forms. Look how the form changes as the plan becomes real:
I need a holiday. I know — I'll go to Spain! ← a decision right now I'm going to spend a week in Spain in May. ← the decision is made, no ticket yet I'm flying to Malaga on the third of May. ← the ticket is bought The flight leaves at 6.15. ← the timetable We're about to take off. ← in a minute
Don't say this. ✗ I'm about to leave tomorrow → ✓ I'm leaving tomorrow. be about to means "in a minute", and no time is named next to it.
Check yourself. You see that a child on a bike is about to fall. What do you say — He'll fall or He's going to fall? Which form goes in My flight ___ (leave) at 6.15? What is the difference between I'm going to see a doctor and I'm seeing the doctor at ten?
show the answers
Common learner errors
written for your languageThe present for a personal plan
Tomorrow I go to the dentist is said about a line in a timetable, for example when you read out your week from a diary. About your own arrangement people usually say ✓ I'm going to the dentist tomorrow. In German, Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian the present is normal for a plan, but the English Present Simple about the future sounds like a timetable, not like your plan.
The present for a decision or a promise now
✗ Wait, I help you! → ✓ Wait, I'll help you!; ✗ Will you come? — Yes, I come → ✓ Yes, I will. German, French, Spanish and Italian offer and promise in the present (Warte, ich helfe dir; Attends, je t'aide). English needs will here.
will for an arrangement
I will meet him at four is not an error, but people do not usually talk like this about a meeting fixed in advance: it sounds like a decision made right now or a promise. For an arrangement — ✓ I'm meeting him at four. French and Italian can use their future tense (je le verrai, lo vedrò) for this too, so will seems the right translation.
going to about a timetable
The train is going to leave at 7.40 can be understood, but people do not talk about a timetable like this: ✓ The train leaves at 7.40. In French (va partir), Spanish (va a salir) and Portuguese (vai sair) the future with "go" is the everyday future for almost anything, so going to seems to fit here too.
Pronunciation
4 mingoing to in fast speech is /ˈɡənə/ (A1 #32 once more): I'm going to call her sounds like /aɪm ˈɡənə ˈkɔːl hə/. You do not need to write gonna, but you must recognise it by ear.
will in a positive sentence shrinks to /l/: I'll /aɪl/, we'll /wiːl/, it'll /ˈɪtl/. It is stressed and full in a short answer: Yes, I will.
won't and want differ in the vowel: won't /wəʊnt/ — as in go; want /wɒnt/ — a short /ɒ/, as in hot. I won't go means "I will not go", I want to go is a wish. Mixing them up means saying the opposite.
Text
5 minWhat are you doing on Friday?
I'm meeting a client at four — we arranged it last week. After that I'm free. The office closes early on Fridays.
Great. Emma and I are going to look at a flat on Saturday morning. Do you want to come? You're good at spotting problems.
I'd love to. What time?
The agent hasn't confirmed yet. She's going to send me the address this evening.
OK. I'll come if I'm not too tired. Text me the time later.
I will. And the forecast says it'll be sunny, so we're going to have lunch in the park afterwards.
Have you looked at the sky? Look at those clouds. It's going to rain any minute.
Then let's hurry. The last bus leaves at ten past six, and it's six o'clock now.
Wait — my phone's ringing. It's the agent. I think she's about to tell us the time.
Exercises
30 min1. Multiple choice.
- Look at those clouds — it (rain)
- I (meet) the client at four — we arranged it last week
- According to the timetable, the train (leave) at 7.40
- Hurry — the film (start) — any second now
- The phone's ringing. I (get) it
- We (paint) the kitchen this summer — we've already bought the paint
Show the answers
2. Multiple choice.
- — There's no milk. — Really? I (get) some on the way home
- — Why are you putting your coat on? — I (buy) some milk. I decided an hour ago
- The sky's completely black. There (be) a storm
- I'm sure you (love) this film
- — I can't open this jar. — Give it to me. I (do) it
Show the answers
3. Error correction.
- Wait, I help you with the bags.
- I'm about to leave tomorrow.
- It's going rain this afternoon.
- Will you come to my party? — Yes, I come.
- She's about to arriving.
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4. Matching.
- decided just now
- arranged with someone
- timetable
- I can see signs
- any second now
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5. Rewrite for the situation in brackets.
- I meet Anna at six. (we have arranged it)
- It will rain. (you can see clouds)
- I'm going to answer the phone. (you have just decided: the phone is ringing)
- The film will start at eight. (in the cinema programme)
- I'm leaving. (any second now, in a minute)
Show the answers
6. Expand the prompt into an answer
- Are you free on Saturday? (no / I / meet / my parents — we have arranged it)
- What time is your train? (it / leave / at 8.15)
- What are your plans for the summer? (I / learn / to drive — I have decided)
- I'm so thirsty. (I / get / you some water — I am deciding now)
- Why are you running? (the shop / close — any second now)
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7. Answer about your plans
in full sentences. The answers below are an example. 1) What are you doing this weekend? 2) What are you going to do after this course? 3) What time does your working day start tomorrow?
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8. Say it in English.
Each line describes a situation in simple words. Say it in one sentence, with the right form of the future. 1) The timetable says: the train, departure 7.40. 2) Tell your friend your opinion: this film is just the kind of film he or she likes. 3) Warn someone: a glass is at the very edge of the table, and it is moving. One second more, and it is on the floor! 4) You and Sam have fixed a time to see each other: Friday.
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Summary
Covered
- five forms of the future and the question that chooses each one
- the pairs will — going to
- going to — the Present Continuous
- a timetable — an arrangement
- won't against want
Next — lesson 6: review of lessons 1–5.
End of the core
The lesson counts as done once the exercises are done. Everything after this is optional.
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Vocabulary for your deck
15 words- client /ˈklaɪənt/ a person who pays a company or a professional for a service
- arrange /əˈreɪndʒ/ to agree with someone on a plan, a time or a place
- agent /ˈeɪdʒənt/ a person who sells or rents houses and flats for other people
- confirm /kənˈfɜːm/ to say that something is true or will really happen
- forecast /ˈfɔːkɑːst/ what the weather will probably be, as said on TV or online
- cloud /klaʊd/ a white or grey mass in the sky that can bring rain
- be about to /bi əˈbaʊt tə/ to be going to do something in a moment
- afterwards /ˈɑːftəwədz/ later, after that
- text /tekst/ to send a message by phone
- spot /spɒt/ to notice something
- hurry /ˈhʌri/ to do something or go somewhere fast because there is little time
- any minute /ˌeni ˈmɪnɪt/ very soon, at any moment
- dentist /ˈdentɪst/ a doctor for your teeth
- storm /stɔːm/ very bad weather with strong wind, rain and often thunder
- take off /ˌteɪk ˈɒf/ (of a plane) to leave the ground and go up into the air
Writing
Six sentences about the coming week: one arrangement, one intention, one prediction from signs, one timetable and one decision made right now.
Example
I'm meeting a client on Friday at four. We're going to look at a new flat on Saturday. The office closes at three on Fridays, so I'll have time to get ready. Look at the sky — it's going to rain all weekend. Oh, and I've just remembered — it's Anna's birthday on Sunday. I'll buy her a present tomorrow.
Checklist
Practise this lesson in the other sections
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