Looking ahead

Future plans can include plans, ambitions, predictions, and possibilities.

Discuss:

1. Where do you see yourself in five years?
2. What are you planning to do next year?
3. What do you think will change in your life?

Words for plans and possibilities

Sort the words into these groups:

Useful combinations:

• have an ambition
• aim to do something
• predict that...
• expect to do something
• get a promotion
• settle down
• set up a business

Choosing the right future meaning

English uses different future forms to show why we talk about the future and how we see the action.

Will: a decision now or a general prediction

Use will when you decide at the moment of speaking.

The phone is ringing. I’ll answer it.

Use will for offers and promises.

Don’t worry — I’ll carry those bags for you.
I’ll call you after the meeting.

Use will for a neutral prediction or personal opinion.

I think remote work will become more common.
The forecast says it will be cold tomorrow.

Form: after will, use the base verb.

She will get a promotion.
They will not settle down yet.
Will you apply for the job?

Going to: intention or evidence

Use be going to for an intention made before the moment of speaking.

I’m going to take a marketing course this autumn.
We’re going to set up an online business.

Use it for a prediction based on visible evidence.

Look at those clouds. It’s going to rain.
Be careful! You’re going to drop those files.

The evidence exists now.

Present Continuous: a fixed arrangement

Use the Present Continuous when the plan is more fixed: usually there is a time, place, ticket, booking, or another person involved.

I’m meeting the course adviser on Tuesday at three.
We’re having dinner with my parents on Friday.
She’s starting her new job next month.

Compare:

Future Perfect: finished before a future point

Use the Future Perfect for an action that will be complete before a deadline or future time.

By June, I will have graduated.
By next September, Alex will have saved enough money.
They will have completed the project by Friday.

Form: will have + past participle

Future Continuous: in progress at a future time

Use the Future Continuous for an activity that will be happening at a particular future moment.

This time tomorrow, I’ll be flying to London.
At 9 tomorrow morning, she’ll be giving a presentation.
At 8 p.m., we’ll be discussing our career plans.

Form: will be + verb-ing

Quick meaning check

Common mistakes

Use the future forms in context

Connect each situation to its best future form

Connect each meaning to its future form

Choose the form that matches the clue

1. I think robots [___] more jobs in the future.
2. Look at that broken glass! Someone [___] a window.
3. We [___] the manager at 10:30 tomorrow; it is in our calendars.
4. This time next week, I [___] on a beach in Spain.

Complete the future verb phrase

1. By the end of this course, I [___] all the units.
2. At 9 tomorrow morning, she [___] a presentation.
3. Don’t worry — I [___] these bags for you.
4. They [___] their online shop next month; the decision is already made.

Listening for future meanings

Listen for intentions, arrangements, predictions, completed actions, and actions in progress.

1. What course is Alex going to take, and why?
2. What fixed arrangement does Alex have on Tuesday?
3. What does Alex predict about houses?
4. What will Maya and Alex have completed by their future deadlines?

Your future-form guide

Decision tree

1. Decision now, offer, or neutral prediction?

→ will + base verb

1. Earlier plan or evidence now?

→ be going to + base verb

1. Fixed arrangement with a time or another person?

→ Present Continuous

1. Finished before a future deadline?

→ will have + past participle

1. Happening at a future time?

→ will be + verb-ing

Vocabulary review

Say:

• one sentence about a plan;
• one sentence about a prediction;
• one sentence about a future achievement.