Expressing the future / zero, first conditional

Examples:                                                   

• You will do it later.

• Will you do it later?

• You will not (won't) do it later.

A lot of students have been confused by older textbooks which refer to 'will' as 'the future tense'.

When we talk about the future we cannot always use 'will' and when we use 'will' we are not always talking about the future.

In these examples 'will' is clearly referring to the future.

• • I'll probably visit Sue Kay when I go to Oxford.

  • Next year she'll be 42. Or so she says.

Will/ won't is generally used in other situations:

1. Prediction

We often use will to make a prediction about the future. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples:     

• It will rain tomorrow

•    I think I will get married                                         

• People won't go to Jupiter before the 22nd century.

• Who do you think will get the job?

if clause

If you study hard,

main clause

you will pass the test.

main clause

You will pass the test

if clause

if you study hard.

main clause

You will pass the test

if clause

if you study hard.