moodyAle
Use of future in english

hi everyone! i have a question for english people.

At school we have studied 3 different types of future in english.

my teacher said that each of them has a particular use.

FUTURE WITH WILL: for predictions, promises, threats and when we take a decision suddently (ex: the phone is ringing, i'll answer)

FUTURE WITH "BE GIONG TO": for intentions and for something that in our opinion is giong to happen (ex:look at those dark clouds... it's going to be a storm)

FUTURE WITH PRESENT CONTINUOUS: for set dates, plans, arrangements.

 

Is it right? is there something wrong? can anyone explain these rules better?

Sep 1, 2014 4:35 PM
Comments · 4
3

I think that's pretty much what you need to know by pre-intermediate level.  As well as the present simple for scheduled events, there are a few other grammar forms that we use to indicate the future. Keep an eye out for them - there's more than just the three forms you've mentioned.

 

Keep in mind that each of these forms indicate different ways of HOW we perceive the future. If you treat them as "interchangable" or "we don't really follow these rules", then you're guaranteed to make mistakes and sound awkward.

 

It is also worth remembering that English doesn't really have a "future tense" - we just use other pieces of grammar to indicate events in the future. That may lessen the shock of upper-level grammar for you.

September 2, 2014
1

The problem with rules is that they either don't apply or they are rarely followed.  For example:

 

The phone is ringing...

 

I will answer it.

I'm going to answer it.

I am answering it.

 

There is an interesting job opening in the newspaper...

 

I will apply for it tomorrow.

I'm going to apply for it tomorrow.

I'm applying for it tomorrow.

 

All are valid responses and fall into each of the three rules you posted.

, i'll answer)

FUTURE WITH "BE GIONG TO": for intentions and for something that in our opinion is giong to happen (ex:look at those dark clouds... it's going to be a storm)

FUTURE WITH PRESENT CONTINUOUS: for set dates, plans, arrangements.

September 1, 2014
1

I'm not sure how Scotland appeared twice in that list...

September 1, 2014
1

That looks fine to me. You could add the present simple for fixed schedules, but otherwise there's nothing wrong, and you don't need any more explanations. All you need to do now is listen, observe how native speakers use these forms, and try to use them yourself in the same way.

 

One correction - I'm sure you're not restricting your question just to 'English' people. England is a fairly small country, and this question could equally well be answered by citizens of ( in alphabetical order, just to be fair ...) Australia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, the USA and Wales, plus a few other places where English is spoken as a native language. I just thought that that was worth pointing out.

September 1, 2014