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Understanding Future Time Expressions

This document discusses different ways to describe future events in English based on the level of certainty. There are 5 levels of certainty for describing future events: certain (100%), nearly certain (95%), probable (75-80%), possible (50%), and unlikely (5-0%). The level of certainty impacts whether one uses will, be going to, or present tense. For example, a certain future event like "The shop closes at 3pm tomorrow" uses will while a possible future event like "I may go to the cinema" uses may. The document also discusses expressing the very near future and changing future tense to past tense when discussing past predictions.

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13 views3 pages

Understanding Future Time Expressions

This document discusses different ways to describe future events in English based on the level of certainty. There are 5 levels of certainty for describing future events: certain (100%), nearly certain (95%), probable (75-80%), possible (50%), and unlikely (5-0%). The level of certainty impacts whether one uses will, be going to, or present tense. For example, a certain future event like "The shop closes at 3pm tomorrow" uses will while a possible future event like "I may go to the cinema" uses may. The document also discusses expressing the very near future and changing future tense to past tense when discussing past predictions.

Uploaded by

phương
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FUTURE TIME

Often the same future event can be described in different ways:


 The shop closes at 3 p.m tomorrow.
 The shop is closing at 3 p.m tomorrow.
 The shop is going to close at 3 p.m tomorrow.
 The shop will close at 3 p.m tomorrow.
Which way you choose to describe something depends on some criteria:
CERTAINTY (100%-0%) WITHOUT CERTAINTY
(IMAGINE, THINK OF, PLAN)
1. 100% 1. Dream/Imagine that the future action will be
- Repeated happening at the same point of the time in the
- Timetable future (maybe in the far future)
- Schedule
S will be Ving

timetable - process
schedule repeated - point of time
Ex: I will be lying on the beach this time next
month.

past now future 2. Dream/Imagine that future action will have


completed by the point of the time in the future
Ex: Next Tuesday, I have 4 classes.
S will have PP by …

2. 95%
- Happen once - perfect/completed
- Plan carefully Ex: I’ll have completed the exercise by the time
- Prepare carefully you come.

3. Dream/Imagine tha future actionwill have


been continuing to happen by the point of time
in the future with the total time
ous
inu
plan/prepare ont
s ent c
carefully pre S will have been Ving by …

Ex: By the end of this year, I’ll have been


living in Hanoifor 20 years.
past now future
Ex: She is meeting her boss at the waiting room at 9
o’clock tomorrow.

3. 75%-80%
- Intension
- In somebody’s mind
- Evidence
intension
evidence uture
near f

past now future

Ex:
- I’m going to study abroad after high school.
- There are many workers here. They are going to
fix the water line.

4. 50%
- Decide to do the future action at the moment of
speaking (now).
- Sudden future actions
- Future facts

Ex:
A: Oh, I can’t finish all the paperwork by myself.
I’m so tired.
B: I’ll handle it for you.

- The trees you planted will die someday.

5. 5% (may) – 0% (might)
- No sure at the moment of speaking

Ex:
- I’m not sure what to do this weekend. I may go to
the cinema.
- I don’t have time to finish the book. I might read it
during my summer break.
+ Other ways to express the future

be (just) about to for the (very) near future I’m just about to go out.
be (just) on the point of for the (very) near future I’m just on the point of going out.
be (just) on the verge of for the (very) near future I’m just on the verge of going out.
be due to for formal arragements I’m due to meet my boss at 10 a.m.
You’re to get your assignment done
be to do for obligations/ formal announcements
before midnight.

+ Future in the past


I think I will buy a house by the end of the year.
 I thought I would buy a house in the end of the year.
She said: “I think I will buy a house by the end of the year.”

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