Futures

Forms of the Future

In English, we use a variety of ways to talk about the future. There is no one single tense.

We choose a way of talking about the future based on whether we think it is possible or definite, whether we know it is already planned, or simply a decision we make as we are speaking.

This is similar to how we choose other tenses depending on the meaning we want to convey (see, for example, in Units 4 and 5, the Progressive and Perfect Tenses), and it is also similar to how we use modals to help us add meaning to a verb.

Here is a chart showing different ways of expressing the future:

1. Conditionals & Modals

We have already seen how Conditionals (1 and 2) can refer to the future as well as to now (See Unit 8).

An example from the text is:

If the teacher sees that this is going to be a problem, she can use ‘think, pair, share’ to help (4).

Here, ‘sees’ refers to now, or to any time in the future.

In the same sentence, the modal ‘can’ is used to talk about the future.

‘Can’ is also used for the future in this sentence:

It refers not only to how the teacher and learners communicate with each other in a new language – but also how students can learn (1).

A verb closely linked with modals is ‘need’. In the two sentences below, ‘need’ refers to the future:

At the same time, they become aware of what they still need to learn (2).

... any teacher involved needs the time to review and reflect on their teaching and to decide what adaptations will be needed (9).

(See Unit 6 for Modals)

2. Lexical Verbs & Expressions

We use certain verbs and expressions before an infinitive to show the future. Here is an example from the text:

This is likely to be especially useful for project work, in which interaction between members of a group is essential for cooperation (7).

Below are some verbs and expressions which we use to talk about the future:

I expect/hope/intend/want to pass my exams

.... is/are to... (V)

…. is/are due to... (V)

…. is/are about to... (V)

…. is/are likely to.... (V)

…. is/are on the point of... (V+ing)

Example:

The Head Teacher is to talk to us about the new curriculum.

The meeting is about to start - we'd better hurry up.

The new curriculum is likely to mean additional work for us.

The meeting is due to finish by 7pm.

What the Head doesn’t realize is that teachers are on the point of striking.

In all of the sentences above, these expressions show that we are talking about a future event.

(BUT we often use '…. is/are not on the point of... (V+ing)' to express annoyance, rather than with a future meaning).

3. Tenses showing the Future

We have already seen how the Progressive and Perfect Tenses have a future form (See Units 4 and 5). Here are some examples from the text:

Future Perfect:

By this stage, the students will have had an opportunity to try out what they want to say, …. (5).

By the time the project is successfully completed, students will have had numerous opportunities to speak together and to co-construct learning of content and of new language (8).

Future Progressive:

While students are interacting in pairs, they will be getting to know one another better and building new relationships (6).

4. 'Will + Infinitive' Future

In the section above, we saw how in Future Progressive and Perfect Tenses, we used ‘will’ as part of the tense to show a future meaning.

Using ‘will + V’ is a common ways to talk about the future.

Examples from the text:

By this stage, the students will have had an opportunity to try out what they want to say, and will be much more confident of sharing their ideas with the whole class (5).

Spending time becoming familiar with this student-centred and interactive way of learning will allow the teacher to say with confidence 'tomorrow is the first day of term, and I'm teaching CLIL!’ (10)

We use ’will’ when:

· We make a general prediction based on possibility - ‘Perhaps it’ll rain this weekend’

· We make a prediction based on what we believe - ‘Students will learn that …..’

· We make an unplanned statement about the future, such as:

Decisions made on the spot – ‘We’ll do it this way, then’

Offers - ‘I’ll open the window’

Promises – ‘I’ll do the presentation’

5. 'Going to + V' / Present Progressive:

Both ‘going to + V’and the use of the Present Progressive indicate that we are quite sure of a future event happening.

For example, from the text:

When the teacher asks a HOTS question, or outlines a problem to solve, or sets a creative task, some students are going to search for ways to avoid speaking in front of the whole class (3).

Here we are quite sure of this, based on our past knowledge of what usually happens in a classroom (our evidence). We expect it to happen.

We use ‘going to + V’ when we:

· Can predict the future with some certainty (either because of some information we have, or because of our previous experience) – ‘I saw the forecast. It’s going to rain tomorrow’ or 'Did you see how red the sky was yesterday evening? It's going be a beautiful day'

· Have already planned for something to happen – ‘we’re going to work on this tomorrow’

· Want to show our intention to do something – ‘I’m going to pass this exam, no matter what’

The Present Progressive can be used in all three cases as above:

· Prediction based on certainty – ‘he’s coming tomorrow. He told me so’

· Planned events – ‘We’re working on this tomorrow’

· Intention – ‘We're working on this until it's finished!’

The main difference between the two is that we usually use ‘going to + V’ when we talk about intentions, and we prefer the Present Progressive to describe future events that are already arranged or planned.

Here is an example from the text showing a planned event - the adoption by a school of the CLIL approach to teaching.

When a school decides it is adopting CLIL, any teacher involved needs the time to review and reflect on their teaching and to decide what adaptations will be needed (9).

This tells us that the school has put a plan in place, and is making the necessary arrangements. The adoption is already 'in progress', even though it is not complete. This is why the speaker has chosen a Progressive tense to talk about this future event.

6. Present Simple

In Unit 4, we saw how the Present Simple is used to show repeated actions, and facts.

Think of a timeline with scheduled or timetabled events which are repeated:

NOW

When we use the Present Simple to talk about the future, we look at the next scheduled event on the timeline after NOW.

This is why we use the Present Simple for:

· Scheduled or timetabled events – ‘Lessons start at 8am’

· The future as fact – ‘Xmas is on a Friday this year’

We also use the Present Simple in Time Adverbials (See Unit 4 for more detail).

Here is an example from the text:

By the time the project is successfully completed, students will have had numerous opportunities to speak together and to co-construct learning of content and of new language (8).

‘is completed’ is in the Passive here. We could reword the sentence to say:

‘By the time the students complete the project, they will have had ……..’

In the diagram below, you can see examples of the four mmmost commonly used futures:

· 'Will + V'

· 'Going to + V

· Present Progressive

· Present Simple

The diagram also shows where there is an overlap in the use of these 4 ways of showing the future.