Seven, yes seven, ways to talk about the future

Dan
Hi Guys, Dan for BBC Learning English here. This time we’re going to be cover… the future! As you may know, there are many ways to about the future in English… This week we’re going to look at seven of them. We’re going to do the whole future in 90 seconds - the whole future in 90 seconds! Are you ready? Go!

1. Will

“OK, I’ll be there.” I’ll be there. That’s will used for a decision made at the moment of speaking. We also use it for promises, voluntary offers, and predictions about the future.

2. Present continuous
That was… a friend. I’m meeting her tonight. Notice: ‘meeting’, that’s the present continuous, which we use for arrangements, which are very firm plans.

3. Be going to
We’re going to have a coffee together. Be going to - when you talk to people about plans that you’ve made - which are not quite as strong as the present continuous. We also use be going to for when we make predictions you have a physical reason for believing - (looks up) it’s going to be a beautiful evening!

4. Future continuous
So, in an hour’s time we’ll be drinking coffee together! That’s future continuous - we use it for a future activity that’s not complete at that time.

5. Future perfect
But by 5pm we’ll have finished our drink. It’s future perfect. Will have finished. That means the sction is completed before a future time.

6. Present simple
Goodness Is that the time? Guys my train leaves in 5 minutes. Did you notice? It leaves in 5 minutes! That’s present simple - for a timetabled future events. We often use it with trains buses, and planes. I’d better go.

7. Be + to + infinitive
Ooh, no. London train are to strike. That’s be + to + infinitive - this is also used for future, but it’s very formal we find it in television and in newspapers. I don’t know what to do now, I’d better run. I’m going to be late to meet my mother.

I’ll see you next week take care okay?