THE FUTURE

•  There are several ways of talking about the future in English: The Simple Future Tense, the going to form, the Simple Present Tense, etc.

A.Simple future tense

• The Simple Future Tense is used to talk about things which we cannot control. It expresses the future as fact.

1. I shall be twenty next Saturday.
2. It will be Diwali in a week.
3. We will know our exam results in May.

•  We use this tense to talk about what we think or believe will happen in the future.

1. I think Pakistan will win the match.
2. I'm sure Helen will get a first class.

• As in the above sentences, we often use this tense with I think, and I'm sure. We also sayI expect ---, I believe ---, Probably ---, etc.
•  We can use this tense when we decide to do something at the lime of speaking

1. It is raining. I will take an umbrella.
2. “Mr. Sinha is very busy at the moment.” – “All right. I'll wait.”

B.Going to

•  We use the going to form (be going to + base of the verb) when we have decided to do something before talking about it.

1. “Have you decided what to do?” – “Yes. / am going to resign the job.”
2. “Why do you want to sell your motorbike?” – “I'm going to buy a car.”

• Remember that if the action is already decided upon and preparations have been made,we should use the going to form, not the Simple Future Tense. The Simple Future Tense is used for an instant decision.
•  We also use the going to form to talk about what seems likely or certain, when there is something in the present which tells us about the future.

1. • It is going to rain; look at those clouds.
2. • The boat is full of water. It is going to sink.
3. • She is going to have a baby.

•  The going to form may also express an action which is on the point of happening.

1. Let's get into the train. It's going to leave.
2. Look! The cracker is going to explode.

C.Be about to

•  Be about to + base form can also be used for the immediate future.

1. Let's get into the train. It's about to leave.
2. Don't go out now. We are about to have lunch.

Exercise in Composition 48

Choose the correct or more suitable forms of the verbs to fill in the blanks:-

1. The plane --- at 3.30. (arrives, will arrive)
2. I will phone you when he --- back, (comes, will come)
3. When I get home, my dog --- at the gate waiting for me. (sits, will be sitting)
4. I --- the Joshis this evening, (visit, am visiting)
5. Look at those black clouds. It ---, (will rain, is going to rain)
6. The train --- before we reach the station, (arrives, will have arrived)
7. Perhaps we --- Mahabaleshwar next month, (visit, will visit)
8. Unless we --- now we can't be on time, (start, will start)
9. I --- into town later on. Do you want a lift? (drive, will be driving)
10. The next term --- on 16th November, (begins, is beginning)
11. Oh dear! I --- (will sneeze, am going to sneeze)
12. By 2005, computers --- many of the jobs that people do today, (will be
taking over, will have taken over)
13. I'm sure she --- the exam, (passes, will pass)
14. I --- home next Sunday, (go, am going)
15. I --- you one of these days, I expect, (see, will be seeing)
16. Help! I --- fall, (will fall, am going to fall)
17. She has bought some cloth; she --- herself a blouse, (will make, is going to make)
18. I --- your house this afternoon. It is on my way home from work, (will be passing, am
passing)
19. Hurry up! The programme --- (will start, is about to start)
20. This book is not long. I --- it by lunch time, (will be reading, will have read)