English in Mind, pages 10-12
Expressions to talk about Future

In Class

Exercise 1

Choose the correct or most appropriate future forms to complete the sentences below.
You have completed this test.
Correct answers: 8/10.
Your score is 80%.

Check your answers:

1. He looks very pale and confused. He is going to faint .
➪ We use be going to to talk about something that is very near to happen or that we see is going to happen (there is present evidence)

2. Somebody is at the door. I ‘m going to check  who it is.

Correct answer: ‘ll check
➪ We use will for decisions that we take at the moment of speaking (instant decisions).

3. ‘I’ll never pass the exam.’ ‘Don’t worry, I will help  you prepare it.’
➪ We use will for promises or instant decisions.

4. I ‘ll meet  John’s parents for the first time tomorrow.

Correct answer: ‘ll be meeting
➪ We can use present continuous or future continuous to talk about future arrangements.

5. We ‘re leaving  at 9 tomorrow, because the train leaves  at 9.45.
➪ We often use the present continuous to talk about future arrangements.
➪ We use the present simple to talk about future events that are scheduled or timetabled.

6. By the end of the month I ‘ll have been working  here for 25 years.
➪ We use the future perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about the duration of a situation until a certain time in the future.

7. What are you going to do  next weekend?
➪ We use be going to to talk about future intentions or plans.

8. Will you take  Jack to school today, please?
➪ We use will in requests, i.e. when we are asking someone to do something.

9. I ‘ll never trust  you again.
➪ We use will in promises and refusals.

10. I love photography. I ‘m going to buy  a digital camera soon. I just need to save a bit more.
➪ We use be going to to talk about future intentions or plans.

Exercise 2

Choose the correct or most appropriate future forms to complete the sentences below.
You have completed this test.
Correct answers: 10/10.
Your score is 100%.

Check your answers:

1. We need to be there at ten, and if you don’t go faster we won’t have arrived  by then.
➪ We use the future perfect simple for actions that will be completed before certain time in the future.

2. Please, don’t make noise when you arrive, because I ‘ll be putting  the baby to bed.
➪ We use the future continuous for situations or actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.

3. Our plane leaves  next Tuesday morning. We are flying  first to Toronto and then to New York.
➪ We use the present simple to talk about future events that are scheduled or timetabled.
➪ We can use present continuous to talk about future arrangements.

4. I don’t think he will find  a job easily.
➪ We use will to talk about something we think that will happen.

5. In 2100, humans won’t be living  in this planet any more.
➪ We use the future continuous for situations or actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future.

6. When they arrive next week, they will have been travelling  for 3 entire months and they will have visited  8 different countries.
➪ We use the future perfect continuous with dynamic verbs to talk about the duration of a situation until a certain time in the future.
➪ We use the future perfect simple for actions that will be completed before certain time in the future.

7. If you ever need me, I will be  there for you.
➪ We use will for promises.

8. Are you going to finish  that chocolate cake?
➪ We use be going to to talk about future intentions or plans.

9. Please, promise you won’t say  anything about the accident.
➪ We use will for promises.

10. You dropped your wallet. I ‘ll pick it up  for you.
➪ We use will for decisions that we take at the moment of speaking (instant decisions).