EXPRESSING THE FUTURE
A. There are many different ways of referring to the future. Study the following sentences and say which way is the most appropriate.
1. Could you ring the cinema and find out what time the film begins/ shall begin?
2. Nuclear waste will continue/ is continuing to damage the environment for years to come.
3. That case looks heavy. Hold on and I’ll give/ am giving you a hand if you like.
4. I’ve bought some cement because I’m going to mend/ will mend the wall.
5. I really can’t decide which coat I like best. I know what – I’ll take/ am taking them both.
B. Identify the phrases referring to future time, specifying which of the types of future meaning is involved.
1. It’s ten o’clock on a Friday morning and Helen is about to celebrate her seventeenth wedding anniversary with a visit to the hairdresser’s. She and Daniel will, as usual, be going out tonight and she wants to look her best.
2. Alan tried to start the car, however, with no success. They got out of the car.
“It’s not going to start.” he said. “I’ll drive you home and we’ll phone someone to see your car.” she said.
C. Complete the sentences with appropriate phrases used in expressing future time.
1. In twenty-four hours’ time______(I/ relax) on my yacht.
2. A: “There’s someone at the door.” B: “That______(be) the postman.”
3. It’s only a short trip. I _____ (be) back in an hour.
4. What______(you/do) this Saturday evening? Would you like to go out?
5. It______(not/be) long before Doctor Smith is here.
6. We’ll go to the park when you______(finish) your tea.
7. It’s very hot in here. I think I______(faint).
8. What______(you/give) Ann for her birthday. Have you decided yet?
9. I hope this war (not last) ______too long, otherwise it (take) ______ages to rebuild the country.
10. The conference (begin) ______at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
D. Use the given verbs to complete the sentences. Give a future meaning to the sentences.
1. I ______the textbook before I ______the final exam next month. take/read
2. Mr. Lee ______his wife as soon as he ______to the hotel tonight. return/call
3. I ______home tomorrow when the painters ______to paint my apartment. Someone else will have to let them in. come/be, not
4. Before I ______to my job interview tomorrow, I ______a list of questions I want to ask about the company. prepare/go
5. If John ______to work tomorrow morning, he ______a very important meeting. miss/come, not
6. A: Have you heard any news about Barbara since her car accident?
B: No, I’ve heard nothing. As soon as I (hear) ______something, I (let) _____you know.
7. When Rita (get) ______her driver’s license next week, she (be) ______able to drive to school every day.
8. We’ll be able to get the duty - free while we______(wait) for the plane to leave.
9. I’ll give you a lift when you______(want) to go home.
10. Robin (jump)______, but Alice tried to stop him, so he didn’t.
E. For each of the sentences below, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence, but using the word given. This word must not be altered in any way. The sentence must include a future form.
1. The manufacturers are certain of a high level of customer satisfaction with this product.
guarantee
2. Our plane’s departure is at 6.30 in the morning.
leaves
3. It’s unlikely that humans will ever be able to live on the moon.
think
4. Our daughter has got a role in the school production of Miss Saigon next month.
appearing
5. Let’s stop playing soon – our opponents have so many more points than we do.
going
F. Choose the most appropriate continuation for each sentence.
1. According to the latest forecast, the tunnel______.
A. will be finished next year B. will have been finished next year. C. is finishing next year.
2. You can borrow this calculator, I ______.
A. am not going to need it. B. won’t have needing it. C. am not needing it.
3. Look at the waiter. He’s carrying too much. He ______all those plates.
A. ‘s dropping B. ‘s going to drop C. ‘ll be dropping
4. ‘I’m really worried about Susan. What do think has happened?’ ‘Don’t worry. She’s just probably caught in the traffic. I’m sure she ______here soon.’
A. will be B. is being C. will be being
G. The future seen from the past (was going to, etc). Put atick if the underlined verbs are already correct. If they are wrong, correct them.
1. I’m sorry, I didn’t think the noise Uwill disturbU anyone.
2. IUwas about to reportU him missing, when he walked through the door.
3. I never thought that I Uwould be spendingU my holiday in hospital, but there I was.
4. We Uwere discussingU your case tomorrow, so I’ll be able to give you an answer soon.
5. I was going to write to you but I couldn’t find your address.
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