WHAT TO USE

There are various ways of talking about the future. The way that you choose depends on your intention and your feeling of certainty about the future. Let us see some basic rules:

1

WILL  +  INFINITIVE

You use this form to express a prediction about the future:

Such guests will raise the tone of the party greatly.
You won't go to so many parties when you're older.

You also use this form to express a spontaneous decision about the future:

"Well, OK," Mui Ee said eventually. "I'll come."

2

BE GOING TO  +  INFINITIVE

You use this form to express an intention about the future:

What am I going to wear for her wedding?
I'm going to wear my new red shoes.

You also use this form to express a certainty about the future which is based on evidence now:

Rick's smiling at you - he's going to ask you to dance.
You're driving too fast! We're going to crash !!

3

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

You use this form, with a time expression, to express a fixed future arrangement:

What are you doing tomorrow night?
Peter and Lynne are getting married in January.

4

PRESENT SIMPLE

You use this form, with a time expression based on a timetable or the calendar, to express a fixed future arrangement:

Their train arrives at 19.28.
Marisa's party starts at 8.30 pm.

5

BE THINKING OF      –ING VERB

You use this form when there is no decision, that is, when you have not made up your mind yet:

I'm thinking of wearing my new brown shoes, but they may hurt my feet.
Rolf and Cecilia are thinking of going to Cuba for their holiday, but they may go somewhere cooler.

On the next page you will be able to practise all these basic rules !!