Present tenses for future; will; future continuous

Context listening
nYou are going to hear a man called Tom
having four conversations. Before you listen, look
at the pictures. What do you think Tom's job is?

O DE Listen and check if you were right

As you listen, match the conversations with
the pictures.
1 2 3 4

n DE Listen again and write the verbs.

Conversation 1 Conversation 3
1 Tom's plane Ixaves at 11.05. 7 I probably back in time.
2 It at Amsterdam airport at 13.40. 8 I think I a meal in town.
3 The conference on Wednesday 9 I breakfast in my room.
at 9.30.

Conversation 2 Conversation 4
4 I badminton in a few minutes 10 In a hundred years' time, the world
with Paul. a very different place.
5 I to a conference in Amsterdam 11 There much oil available for energy.
tomorrow morning.
12 People much longer.
6 I my eyes tested on Saturday
afternoon.
live
4 Look at your answers to Exercise 3 and answer these questions.

1 Which sentences are about events fixed by a timetable?

1. 2. 3. present simple
What tense is used?
2 Which sentences are about actions being decided or still not certain?
What tense is used? 7. 8. 9. the will future
3 Which sentences are about arrangements people have made? 4.5.6
What tense is used? present continuous
4 Which sentences are about general predictions about the future?
What tense is used? 10. 11. 12

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 Future (1) 5
Grammar
In English, several different tenses are used to talk about the future: the present simple (> see Unit 1), the
present continuous (> see Unit 1), will/shall, the future continuous and going to (> see Unit 6 forgoing to).

nPresent simple
We use the present simple for scheduled events with a future meaning:
for timetables (planes, buses, etc. leaving and arriving):
My plane arrives at Amsterdam airport at 13.40.
The London train leaves in half an hour from platform 2.
for programmes (when a conference, a course, a football match, a film, etc. begins and ends):
The conference starts on Wednesday at 9.30.
The match ends at about five o'clock.
for people if their plans are fixed by a timetable
The students have their written English exam on Monday and the oral on Tuesday.
Jo starts her drama course in two weeks' time.

nPresent continuous
We use the present continuous:
for plans which have already been arranged:
People are travelling from all over the world.
What are you doing tomorrow evening?
I'm flying to a conference in Amsterdam. (= already arranged)
I'm having my eyes tested on Saturday afternoon (= I have an appointment)

flwill future
+ will + verb They'll arrive soon.

will not + verb They won't arrive today.

? will ... + verb? Will they arrive soon?

In formal English, shall is occasionally used with l/we instead of will. (> For the use of shall with offers and
suggestions, see Unit 13, B3-4.)
We use will:
for decisions made at the moment of speaking
No, actually, Ill have breakfast in my room. (he changes his mind)
Thanks for telling me. 111 ring the office now.
These plates aren't clean. 111 put them in the dishwasher
for anything which is uncertain, especially with probably, maybe, I think, I expect and I hope:
I probably won't be back in time.
I think I'll get a meal in town.
expect you" be tired after the match.
We hope you'll visit us again soon.
 Future (1)

for situations that we predict will happen but which are not definitely decided or arranged:
In 100 years the world will be a very different place. There will be millions more people but there won't be
much oil available for energy. (= nobody knows definitely what the world will be like in 100 years)
A Compare
I'm taking my History exam again tomorrow (= arranged)
get higher marks this time. (= not something which is arranged or decided in advance - a hopeful
prediction)
for something in the future which doesn't depend on personal judgment:
I'll be 23 on my next birthday. (= I can't change this, it will just happen)
There'll be a full moon tomorrow.

4 Future continuous

+ will be + verb + -bog She'll be working at 7.30

- will not be + verb + -big She won't be working at 7.30.

? will... be + verb + -ing? Will she be working at 7.30?

We use the future continuous for an event which is going on at a particular time or over a period of time
in the future
I'll be working at seven o'clock. (= I will start before seven and I will continue after seven)

41maime
7 Pm
111 be wotidng

By the time you read this postcard I'll be walking in the mountains.

A Compare
I'll be interviewing him at 6.30. (= the interview begins before 6.30 and continues afterwards)
6.30

Interview Interview
begins ends

I'm interviewing him at 6.30 (= the interview is arranged to begin at 6.30)

6.30

Interview begins

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 Grammar exercises
Choose the most suitable form of the verbs.

To Mark
Subject Trip

Hi Mark,

VVhy don't you come with us to Yorkshire? It's all arranged. Jo (1) comes/is coming to my house
at six so we can go to the station together. The train (2) doesn't leave / isn't leaving until 6.45 but
we don't want to be late. It 131 stops/is stopping a lot on the way so it (4) doesn't arrive / isn't
arriving until three in the afternoon. We 151 stay/are staying in a youth hostel and we (6) spend/
are spending five days there. We can catch a bus some of the way from the station but it
(7) doesn't go / isn't going all the way so we have to walk the last two miles from the village.
We (8) have /are having breakfast and our evening meal at the youth hostel. It's in a beautiful spot
with lots to see. On the way back we need to set off early as there's only one bus and it
(9) leaves/is leaving at 8.30. The train back is faster so it (10) arrives/is arriving just after lunch.
Let us know if you can come.
Leo

nComplete these dialogues. Use the present continuous or the will future
I'mform
giving
of the verbs.

1 Tim: Where are you going?

Julie: To the cinema.
Tim: Wait for me. I think I 'LL come (come) with you.
is leaving
2 From next week all enquiries should be sent to Mary because Frances (leave) on Friday.

3 Rachel: I (give)Sophie a CD for her birthday. What (you /

give) her? will probably get are you giving
Fiona: I (probably get) her a new purse. She keeps losing money from her old one.
4 John: I need to finish packing today because we (move) tomorrow and there's
still lots to do. are moving
Peter: Don't worry. I (come) round tonight and help you.
5 James: Never walk under a ladder or you (have) ten years' bad luck.
Kay: Rubbish!
6 Details of the president's visit are now confirmed. He (stay) at the Castle Hotel for
two days. is arriving
7 Assistant: We have milk chocolate, plain chocolate, with nuts, with fruit.
Man: Er ... what a lot of choice!! (have) a bar of milk chocolate, please.
am driving
8 Sarah: (you / do)anything special next Saturday?
Lee Yes, lam. My cousin (arrive) from Italy so I (drive)
to the airport in the afternoon to meet him.
9 Carol: Have you finished that book I lent you?
Sam: Oh, sorry. I forgot all about it. I (get) it now.
Are you doing
43
'll get
S Future (1)

PI 0 Complete the following sentences by Cambridge First candidates. Use the present simple,
present continuous, will future or future continuous form of the verbs.

1 Theresa special bus to the conference centre, which leaves (leave) the hotel at Sam.
2 We're going to Miami! This time tomorrow we (sit) on a boat fishing.
3 I think I (apply) for a job when I have finished university.
will be speaking
4 I'm worried about the meeting because we (speak) English for the whole two hours.
5 My friends (have) dinner at my house tonight and I haven't started cooking yet!
6 You should meet me at 7 o'clock, the concert (start) at 7:30.
are having
7 I can't meet you on Saturday because a cousin of mine (come) from Bologna.
8 I have just bought a new bicycle, so maybe I (lose) some weight. is coming
4 Look at the pictures and fill in the gaps with suitable verbs in the present continuous, will future or
future continuous.

HAPPY 0
tips \ RTH DAY

1 I expect my parents wilt gWe me books again for my birthday.

2 Sam the doctor tomorrow morning at ten o'clock so he can't meet us then.
3 My grandfather eighty on his next birthday. is seeing
4 I think I a teacher when I grow up.
5 At midday tomorrow 1 over the Atlantic.
6 This time next week we in Austria.
7 We to Ireland by ferry this summer.
are going
8 Maybe my father me the money I need.

skiing
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 Exam practice Future (1) 5
II

Listening Part 2

OCE3 You will hear a tutor talking to a group of students about a geography trip to New Zealand.
For questions 1-10, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.

GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP

New Zealand was chosen because of the range of (1) which can be seen.
The first week concentrates on changes in (2) over the last thirty years.
The second week is spent studying the (3) on the west coast.
There is a limited chance of seeing a particular kind of (4) on the boat trip.
People are often not prepared for the (5) on the west coast.
Students should try to take a photograph of the (6) if possible.
Students need to write a (7) before they leave for New Zealand.
Most students choose to go (8) on their free weekend.
Everyone needs to bring at least one (9) with them.
Accommodation will be in (10) for most of the trip.

I? Exam tip
Listen for words in the recording which mean
the same as the words around the gap.

Grammar focus task

10E3Complete these extracts from the Listening task with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
Then listen again to check.
1 Our flight deports (depart) at 10.30.

2 During our first week we (stay) in a very rural area.

3 We (go) on a couple of boat trips.
4 I expect we (have) some rain.

5 They (wait) for us.

6 We (work) all day.

7 I hope you (get) some good shots.

8 Maybe we (see) some of the fishing boats too.

9 We probably (not get) a chance to buy much.

10 We (hire) everything we need.

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