Means of Expressing Future Time

There are a number of grammatical means that can be used to express future time. Shall and will are only one form among them.So when we say that English has no future tense, we certainly do not mean that English has not the means of expressing future time. Instead there are a number of constructions that can be used to denote futurity in English.

Constructions denoting future timeFuture time can be expressed by means of modal auxiliaries, semi-auxiliaries, the simple present and present progressive forms.1)Will / shall + infinitiveWill / shall + infinitive can be used to express future. But in many cases, the future meaning expressed by these auxiliaries are very often colored by modal meanings from prediction to intention and volition.

-I will be here tomorrow. (future + intention)-Tomorrows weather will be cold and cloudy. (future + assumption) -When shall I see you next? (listeners intention)2) Will / shall + progressive infinitive* This construction usually implies an action which will occur in the normal course of events without any human involvement, ie. without being colored by volition and intention.-I will go to town this afternoon.-I will be going to town this afternoon.

-Hurry up. They will be waiting.* This construction can also be used to denote an action that is still going on at a given future time.-I will be studying in London during August.-What will you be doing this time tomorrow morning? Will / shall + perfective infinitiveThis construction can be used to express an action that has just finished before a given future time.-I will have completed the English course by this time next year.

Will / shall + perfective progressive infinitiveIf an action has extended for a special length of time before a given future moment and possibly continues at that moment, we can use this construction.-At the end of this week I shall have been studying in this country for exactly three years.

3) be going to + infinitivea) The uses of be going to + infinitiveThis construction is usually used to express two meanings: intention and prediction. * In its first use, the be going to form implies an intention of doing something in the near future. The doer of the intended action is generally the subject of the sentence, but in some contexts it may also be implied or realized by a different element, but with personal intention.-Next year we are going to spend our summer vacation in Sydney.-A house is going to be built there.

In its second use, be going to can express the speakers feeling of certainty or strong probability. The time is usually not mentioned, but the action is expected to happen in the near or immediate future. It can be used with both personal and non-personal subject. -She is going to have a baby.-It is going to rain.-He is going to arrive late at the concert. (context)-He doesnt like music. He-He hasnt yet had supper. He .

b) Contrast between be going to and will*A. Be going to: premeditated intention Will: unpremeditated intention-She has bought some cloth; she is going to make herself a dress.-Where is the telephone book? Ill get it for you.

e.g. You shall obey / are to obey / *are going to obey my orders!(Im willing to let you obey my orders.)She shant be / ?isnt to be / *isnt going to be back late. (Im not willing to let her be back late)*B. The both forms can express prediction.Be going to: implying that there are signs that something will happenWill: implying what the speaker thinks or believes will happen, no signs-She is going to have a baby. (She is pregnant.)-She will love her baby. (It is her baby.)

Look at the balck clouds it *will rain / is going to rain. 4) Present progressiveThe present progressive can express an action that will happen in the near future according to a present arrangement, plan, or program.-What time are you coming back?As a future form, the present progressive is widely used with verbs of movement from one place to another such as go, come, leave, start, arrive, etc. and other dynamic verbs.-We are leaving on Friday.

When used to denote futurity, the future reference must be clearly indicated.-He is washing the dishes. (now, later)Since both the be going to form and the present progressive can be used to refer to a future happening arising from the present decision, the two forms are sometimes interchangeable for future reference.-She is getting married this winter.(=She is going to get married this winter.)

We are going to invite / are inviting several people to the party.When expressing that something will probably happen, we often use be going to.-I feel dizzy. I think I am going to faint.*I think I am fainting.

5) Be to + infinitive1) As a form expressing futurity, this construction can denotes a future happening based on a present plan or arrangement. It is very much used in newspapers, and in headlines with the verb be omitted to save space.-The line (is) to be open to traffic on October 1.2) Another use of this construction is to convey orders, instructions, or prohibitions; it can also connote possibility or destiny.-You are to stand here. Do you understand? (order)-The football match is not to be played tonight. (possibility)

The future action expressed by be to + infinitive is usually controlled by human will. In this case, be to + infinitive and be going to can be used interchangeably, but they have different meanings.-I am going to play football this afternoon. (present intention)-I am to play football this afternoon. (planned)Be going to cannot be replaced by be to +infinitive when expressing the action that is not controlled by human will.-He is going to be fat. *He is to be fat.-It is going to rain. *It is to rain.

Be about to +infinitiveThis construction expresses an immediate future and can be used interchangeably with be on the point of + -ing participle and with be just going to +infinitive.-We are just about to leave.-The talk is just about to begin.

6) Simple presenta) The future use of the simple present is more frequent in dependent, especially conditional and temporal, clauses than in main clauses.-If you try hard, well be able to finish the plan.-Mr. Smith will telephone you as soon as he returns.b) In main clauses, the simple present refers to an immutable future event predetermined by a timetable or a schedule which is very definite and unalterable.-Tomorrow is my birthday.-The term starts on September 1.

For future reference, the simple present, just like the present progressive, usually goes with transitional verbs with the implication of a plan or program already made, but the plan implied by the simple present is more impersonal than that by the present progressive, and therefore, more fixed and unalterable.

One day I / you / he will die.*One day he is going to die I shall be 25 / *am going to be 25 next week.Come to the party.Ok, I will bring / *bring /*am going to bring my boyfriend.

the simple present, the present progressive and will + do

e.g. The match starts/is starting at 2 oclock.We start / are starting for Istanbul tonight.

e.g. The exhibition closes / will close / *is closing on Friday next week.

e.g. Tomorrow is / will be / *is being Saturday.Next Christmas falls/will fall/ *is falling on a Thursday.

PracticeTranslate the following sentences:1. Eu voi merge acasa. 2. Veti desena? 3. Diana won't sing. 4. The life will be beautiful. 5. Noi nu vom povesti (spune). 6. This cart will dissapear. 7. Unde veti locui? 8. Veti semna acolo? 9. My mother will come. 10. Nu voi mai face iar. 11. Va zbura? (el /ea, neutru) 12. I won't repeat.

PracticeUsing the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses:1. A: Why are you holding a piece of paper? B: I (write) a letter to my friends back home in Texas. 2. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up! B: I (get) you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up. 3. A: I can't hear the television! B: I (turn) it up so you can hear it. 4. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) Paris, Nice and Grenoble. 5. Sarah (come) to the party. Oliver (be) there as well. 6. Ted: It is so hot in here! Sarah: I (turn) the air-conditioning on. 7. I think he (be) the next President of the United States. 8. After I graduate, I (attend) medical school and become a doctor. I have wanted to be a doctor all my life. 9. A: Excuse me, I need to talk to someone about our hotel room. I am afraid it is simply too small for four people. B: That man at the service counter (help) you. 10. As soon as the weather clears up, we (walk) down to the beach and go swimming.

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