1. Unit 3 Grammar Form & Function Level 3
Future Tense
Unit 3 Grammar Form & Function Level 3

2. Simple Future “be going to” -- Form
Form [= grammar structure]
Example
1. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (present form of “be”) +
(“going to”) + (base form of verb)
I’m going to have a party.
1. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (present form of “be”) + (“not) +
I’m not going to tell him the answer.
2. Yes/No Questions
**(present form of “be”) + (Subject) +
Are your friends going to make the food?
2. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (present form of “be”) +
(“not” for the negative)
Yes, they are. / No, they’re not.
3. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) +
(present form of “be”) + (“going to”) +
(base form of verb)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(present form of “be”) + (Subject) +
a. Who is going to make the food?
b. Where are they going to make it?

3. Simple Future “will” -- Form
Form [= grammar structure]
Example
5. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will”) + (base verb)
I will have a party this weekend.
5. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + ( “will not/won’t”) +
(base form of verb)
I won’t change my mind about not buying the dress.
6. Yes/No Questions
**(“will”) + (Subject) + (base form of verb)
Will your roommate like the surprise?
6. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (“will”) +
(“not” for the negative)
Yes, he will. / No, he won’t.
7. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) +
(“will”) + (base form of verb)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(“will”) + (Subject) + (base form of verb)
a. Who will cook for the party?
b. Where will the party be?
Pronunciation point: We way “where’ll be the party” or “who’ll,” but we do not write that way.
Also, we say “who’s going to…” or “where’re they…,” but we don’t write that way.

4. Simple Future “will + base verb” -- Function
Function [=reason to use]
Example
a. Talk about something we decide to do at the moment of speaking.
A: Oh, I’ve spilled some coffee.
B: Don’t worry. I’ll clean it up.
b. Say what we think or believe will happen in the future. Key words: think, believe, expect, probably, perhaps, maybe, certainly, I’m sure, I’m afraid.
They’ll probably get here late.
I’m sure he’ll be there.
c. Talk about actions and events that will definitely happen in the future.
I will be 20 next month.

5. Simple Future “be going to” -- Function
Function [=reason to use]
Example
a. Talk about plans or something we have already decided to do.
I’m going to have lunch with my family today.
b. Talk about something in the future that we can see as a result of something in the present.
There aren’t any clouds. It’s going to be a beautiful day.
c. Talk about plans, intentions, or ambitions for the future.
She’s going to be a doctor someday.

6. Both “will” & “be going to”-- Functions
Function [=reason to use]
Example
2. a. Often use “be going to” to talk about intention
b. Often use “will” to give details and comments
I am going to have a surprise party for ken. I will invite all his friends.
3. Use both to make predictions.
They’ll win the game.
They are going to win the game.
4. Use both with time expressions like “as soon as,” “tonight,” “tomorrow,” and “next week.”
Next week, I’ll write mom a letter.
Next week, I’m going to write mom.
5. Sometimes we use “shall” with “I” or “we” – more British English style
Shall we go? It’s late.

7. Time Clauses & Conditional Sentences -- Form
Form & Function
Example
1. All clauses have a subject and a verb.
Main clauses are complete sentences (independent clause).
Dependent clauses are NOT complete sentences. Use them with independent clauses.
Time clauses are one type of dependent clause.
Conditional clauses are dependent clauses also.
2. Time clauses begin with words like “when,” “while,” “as soon as,” “before,” “after,” and “until.”
I’ll buy a car as soon as I have enough money.
I’ll get a bigger apartment if I have enough money next year.
3. A time clause gives information about when something happens in the main clause.
When you get here, we’ll start the game.
4. A future conditional sentence expresses a possible situation in the conditional clause and a result in the independent clause.
If you’re late, we’ll start without you.

8. Time Clauses & Conditional Sentences -- Form
Form & Function
Example
5. The time or conditional clause can come either at the beginning or the end of the sentence. When the time or conditional clause comes at the beginning of a sentence, we put a comma after it.
As soon as I have enough money, I’ll buy a car.
If I have enough money next year, I’ll get a bigger apartment.
6. We do not use will or be going to in a time clause even though we are talking about the future. We usually use the simple present.
When I see him, I’ll give him the message.
If the weather is nice, we’ll go to the beach.
7. We can also use the present perfect in a time clause to show that one action will be finished before another action.
I’ll talk with her when she arrives.
or I’ll talk with her when she has arrived.
8. In some cases, we can use the present progressive (instead of the simple present) to talk about an action that will be in progress at a future time.
While we are traveling around Mexico next summer, we will visit all the famous cities.

9. Present with Future Meaning-- Form
Function [=reason to use]
Example
1. Use present progressive for actions that are already arranged or planned for the future.
What are you doing on Sunday?
We’re flying to NY.
2. Use the present progressive more often that “be going to” with the verbs “go” and “come.”
We’re going camping on Saturday, and we’re coming back on Sunday night.
Not usually – We’re going to go camping.
3. We use the simple present to talk about actions or events that are part of a fixed schedule.
The train arrives at 8:10 in the morning.
The movie starts at 9:00.

10. Future Progressive -- Form
Form [= grammar structure]
Example
1. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will”) + (“be”) +
(Base verb + “-ing”)
I’ll be meeting with my boss at 10 a.m.
6. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will not” or “won’t”) + (“be”) +
We won’t be meeting next week.
7. Yes/No Questions
**(“will”) + (Subject) + (“be”) +
Will you be working at home tonight?
7. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (“will”)
+ (“not”)
Yes, they will./No, they won’t.
8. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) +
(“will”) + (“be”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(“will”) + (Subject) + (“be”)
a. Who will be taking the day off?
b. Where will you be sitting?

11. Future Progressive -- Function
Function [=reason to use]
Example
1. Use “will be” + “verb-ing” to talk about something which will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
At this time next week, I will be walking on a beach.
2. To talk about something which has already been arranged or is part of a routine.
I’ll be eating lunch with my boss tomorrow.
I’ll be doing the laundry tomorrow morning.
3. As a polite way of asking about someone’s plans in the near future, especially when those plans affect us.
Will you be using the car tonight?

12. Other Ways to Talk About Future – Form & Function
Example
a. Talk about the very near future =
(“be about to”) + (base verb)
Watch! He is about to throw the ball.
b. Refer formally to a future plan =
(“be to”) + (base verb)
The president is to visit Haiti next week.
c. Express future plan or intention =
(present form of verbs like “plan” or “intend”) +
(infinitive)
We plan to buy a house next year.
2. To say that we planned something for the future after it didn’t happen. Often means the planned action did not happen. =
(“was/were going to”) + (base verb)
They were going to buy the house, but they changed their minds.

13. Future Perfect -- Form Form [= grammar structure] Example
1. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will”) + (“have”) + (Past participle)
By this time next year, the people will have chosen a new leader.
1. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will not”) + (“have”) +
(Past participle)
She will not have completed her homework before the text next week.
2. Yes/No Questions
**(“will”) + (Subject) + (“have”) + (Past participle)
Will the teacher go over Unit 2 again?
2. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (“will not/won’t”)
Yes, he will. / No, he won’t.
3. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) + (“will”) + (“have”) +
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) + (“will”) +
(Subject) + (“have”) + (Past participle)
a. Who will have scored the most points by the end of the tournament?
b. Why will they have spent so much money on their house?

14. Future Perfect Progressive -- Form
Form [= grammar structure]
Example
4. Affirmative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will”) + (“have”) + (“been”) +
(Base verb + “-ing”)
By next week, they will have been working out for two months.
4. Negative Sentence
**(Subject) + (“will not”) + (“have”) + (“been”) +
They will not have been working out for very long.
5. Yes/No Questions
**(“will”) + (Subject) + (“have”) + (“been”) +
Will they have been working out for a long time?
5. Short Answers to Yes/No Questions
**(Pronoun Subject) + (“will not/won’t”)
+ (“have” -- sometimes)
Yes, they will.
No, they won’t.
6. Wh- Questions
a. **(Wh- word as Subject) + (“will have”) +
(“been”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
b. **(Wh- word is not Subject) +
(“will”) + (Subject) +
(“have been”) + (Base verb + “-ing”)
a. Who will have been working out the most?
b. Why will they have been exercising so much?

15. Future Perfect -- Function
Function [=reason to use]
Example
a. To say that a future action will be completed before another action or stated time in the future.
The tech guy will have repaired my computer by the time I get to work.
b. With time expressions such as “by the time,” “by next week,” and “before.”
They will have repaired it before 8:00 a.m.
c. Both Future Perfect & Future Perfect Progressive – Use a present tense in the time clause and future in the main clause.
By the time I get home, I will have driven for an hour.

16. Future Perfect Progressive -- Function
Function [=reason to use]
Example
a. Emphasize the continuation of an action
that will be in progress up to a certain time in the future.
By the end of this year, he will have been working for the company for 20 years.
b. With time expressions such as “by the time,” “by next week,” and “before.”
By the time I graduate, I will have been living here for three years.