Lesson 5 Mixed Future Tenses (Part 2)

Transcription

1 Lesson 5 Mixed Future Tenses (Part 2) In yesterday's lesson, we covered how to talk about: 1. predictions (will / going to) 2. arrangements (will / going to / future continuous) and intentions (going to) 3. promises, offers, decisions in the moment (will) 4. scheduled/regular events (simple present) Today we will learn about four more future situations: conditional events in the future actions completed before a specific time in the future actions in progress at a specific time in the future and the future as seen from the past. Situation #5 Conditional Events in the Future When one future event depends on another future event, we use the present simple for the future condition, and will or going to for the future result: If it rains tomorrow, then we won't go to the beach. If it will rain tomorrow We'll have a big party if our team wins the championship next month. if our team will win We're going to have to leave without them if they don't get here in the next ten minutes. if they won t get here We will cover this topic more in depth in the next lesson on conditionals.

2 Situation #6 Actions Completed Before a Specific Time in the Future When a single event will be completed sometime between now and a specific future time, we use the future perfect: will + have + past participle Here s an example: Imagine that right now it is 12:00 PM. I will leave work at 5:00 PM. Before I leave work, I am definitely going finish a project. So I can say: By 5:00 PM, I will have finished the project. Or: By the time I leave work, I will have finished the project. Note that I don't say exactly when we will finish the project. I might finish at 12:30, or we might finish at 4:59 but it definitely will be finished before 5:00! The future perfect is often used with by and by the time.

3 Put it into practice! What is one thing that you will have done... by the end of the week? by the end of the month? by this time next year? by the time you are 80 years old? SITUATION #7 Actions in Progress at a Specific Date/Time in the Future When an activity will be in progress at a specific date or time in the future, we use the future continuous: will + be + verb-ing Don t call me at 6, because I ll be driving home from work. I can t meet with you Monday afternoon because I'll be teaching a class. Next month I'll be working on a special assignment in China. In each case we have a specific time in the future (at 6, Monday afternoon, and next month) and an activity that will be in progress at that future time I ll be driving, I ll be teaching, I ll be working.

4 Put it into practice! Use the future continuous to answer these questions? What will you be doing tomorrow at... 2 AM? (I'll be sleeping) 7 AM? 9 AM? Noon? 4 PM? 8 PM? Midnight? Sometimes when looking forward to anniversaries and special dates or moments, we want to comment on how long an activity will have been in progress by that time. In this case we use the future perfect continuous: By the time she graduates, she will have been studying for 7 years. By 7 PM, I will have been working on this project for eight hours straight. By this time next year, they will have been living in Japan for two decades. As you can see from the examples, the future perfect continuous is typically used with by and by the time. This tense is not used very frequently.

5 SITUATION #8 The future as seen from the past Sometimes when discussing past events, we want to talk about something that was in the future at that time. We often use this structure when the events came out differently from what we expected or planned. We can use was/were going to in this case: I was going to stay at a five-star hotel, but they were totally booked, so I had to stay somewhere else. We were going to get a dog, but then we found out pets aren't allowed in our apartment building. We can also say it the opposite way - something we were NOT going to do, but we ended up doing: I wasn't going to join the soccer game, but the team needed an extra player so I jumped in. They weren't going to buy the new toy for their son, but he made such a fuss in the store that they ended up buying it. Some other verbs that are commonly used for "the future in the past" include: was aiming to The company was aiming to grow by 50%, but it only managed to grow by 30%. expected to / was expecting to She was expecting to win the award, but it went to someone else. He expected to finish the work yesterday, but it took longer than anticipated. hoped to / was hoping to We hoped to take a trip last month, but it just wasn't possible. We were hoping to take a trip last month, but it just wasn't possible. intended to I intended to fix the leaking sink, but I didn't have time. was looking to The organization was looking to raise funds for a new project. planned to / was planning to / was planning on They planned to spend three days camping.

6 They were planning to spend three days camping. They were planning on spending three days camping. promised to He promised to pay me back by this past weekend, but he hasn't yet. decided to We decided to sell our house last year, and we did within a month. wanted to They wanted to see the show, but they couldn't get tickets. was about to The surgeon was about to start the operation when he realized it was the wrong patient! (this expression means something that was immediately in the future from that past moment) We can also use would / wouldn't to talk about the future as seen from the past - usually after the verbs said, told, knew, hoped, thought, and had a feeling: Yesterday he said he would make dinner, but he ended up just ordering pizza. I knew she would like the present I'd bought for her birthday - and she did! I wasn't expecting to get a perfect score on the exam - I was just hoping that I wouldn't fail. Put it into practice! Think about three things that you were going to do, hoping or planning to do... but things changed and you didn't accomplish them. 1. I was going to I was hoping to I was planning to... Summary When one future event depends on another future event, we use the present simple for the future condition, and will or going to for the future result When a single event will be completed between now and a specific future time, we use the future perfect: will + have + past participle

7 When an activity will be in progress at a specific date or time in the future, we use the future continuous: will + be + verb-ing Sometimes when looking forward to anniversaries and special dates or moments, we want to comment on how long an activity will have been in progress by that time. In this case we use the future perfect continuous: will + have + been + verb-ing For the future as seen from the past, use was/were going to, would/wouldn't, or other verbs involving hoping and planning

8 Quiz Lesson 5 Mixed Future Tenses (Part 2) Using the verbs in parentheses, fill in the blanks with the best option: Future continuous (will + be + -ING) Future perfect (will + have + past participle) Future perfect continuous (will have been + -ING) Ex) The wedding ceremony begins at 10. Hopefully all the guests will have arrived (arrive) by then. 1. Do you think you (work) at the same company in ten years' time? 2. By noon, they (play) that video game for five hours. Don t they ever get tired of it? 3. Henry (not join) us tonight; he's not feeling well. 4. Hopefully I (pay) off my student loans by the time I'm 40! 5. I (write) a book over the next six months. By December, I (publish) it. 6. It's our anniversary on Sunday. We (be) married for sixteen years. 7. Over the course of the next week, we (move) into our new apartment. 8. Politicians make a lot of promises, but I bet that nothing (change) by the next election. 9. Some foreign visitors are coming to my company tomorrow, and I (give) them a tour of the premises. 10. you (use) the car tonight, or can I borrow it? 11. By the end of her trip around the world, she (spend) time in 60 different countries. 12. Bring your kids over to my place around 7. My kids (finish) their homework by then.

9 Writing Task Imagine what you think life in your country (and the world in general) will be like 50 years in the future. You could consider aspects of politics, society, culture, technology, and daily life. What things do you think will stay the same, and what do you think will change or evolve? me your text at and I ll review it and send you back my comments. Answers 1. Do you think you will be working at the same company in ten years' time? 2. By noon, they will have been playing that video game for five hours. Don t they ever get tired of it? 3. Henry won't be joining us tonight; he's not feeling well. 4. Hopefully I will have paid off my student loans by the time I'm 40! 5. I will be writing a book over the next six months. By December, I will have published it. 6. It's our anniversary on Sunday. We will have been married for sixteen years. 7. Over the course of the next week, we will be moving into our new apartment. 8. Politicians make a lot of promises, but I bet that nothing will have changed by the next election. 9. Some foreign visitors are coming to my company tomorrow, and I will be giving them a tour of the premises. 10. Will you be using the car tonight, or can I borrow it? 11. By the end of her trip around the world, she will have spent time in 60 different countries. 12. Bring your kids over to my place around 7. My kids will have finished their homework by then.