Week 4 Seminar - Future Forms

Future Forms Overview

  1. will/won’t + infinitive (future simple)

  2. be going to + infinitive

  3. present continuous

  4. will/won’t be + -ing (future continuous)

  5. will/won’t have + past participle (future perfect)

  6. will/won’t have been + -ing (future perfect continuous)

  7. present simple

Details on Future Forms

1. will/won’t + infinitive (Future Simple)

  • Uses:

    • General predictions based on opinion, analysis, or judgment.

      • E.g., "The world’s population will reach 10 billion in the year 2050."

    • Future facts/events that are certain to happen.

      • E.g., "She will turn twenty years old this Friday."

    • Spontaneous decisions.

      • E.g., "Wait—I’ll help you."

2. be going to + infinitive

  • Uses:

    • Prediction based on present evidence (often about the immediate future).

      • E.g., "It is going to be a nice, sunny day."

    • Actions that people have already decided to do (emphasis on intention).

      • E.g., "I am going to attend the lecture this afternoon."

3. Present Continuous

  • Uses:

    • Future events that have been arranged by the time of speaking (emphasis on arrangement).

      • E.g., "I am seeing my parents for the first time in four months."

4. will/won’t be + -ing (Future Continuous)

  • Uses:

    • Prediction of an action in progress in the future.

      • E.g., "Next year, the economy will be growing again."

    • Plans or arrangements made in the past.

      • E.g., "Unfortunately, I will be working on my birthday."

    • Emphasis on routine nature of a future event.

      • E.g., "We will be meeting up for drinks on Friday night."

5. will/won’t have + past participle (Future Perfect)

  • Uses:

    • Prediction about a completed action in the future.

      • E.g., "The class will have ended by the time we get there."

6. will/won’t have been + -ing (Future Perfect Continuous)

  • Uses:

    • Action that will be in progress up to/at a moment in the future (focus on duration).

      • E.g., "In March 2024, I will have been living in Nijmegen for six years."

7. Present Simple

  • Uses:

    • Timetabled events, usually with a (fixed) time or date.

      • E.g., "The next train arrives at 12:30."

    • Describing future in subordinate clauses after specific time expressions.

      • E.g., "I will tell you all about it when I see you again (not 'when I will see you again')."