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> Grammatik > Zeiten > Future (Futur/Zukunft)

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Übersicht   -   Unregelmäßige Verben   -    das Verb "to be"   -   Intensive Grammar Course

Past Perfect   -   Past   -   Present Perfect   -   Present   -   Future


Future (Zukunft):

Dieser Abschnitt wird in Kürze auch auf Deutsch verfügbar sein!

There are many ways to express that something will happen in the future. The most important future tenses are the ‘will’-future and the ‘going to’-future, but the English language also frequently requires other future tenses. By the way: modal verbs (can, may, must…) always require present simple tense, even though they may refer to some future action!


"will" future simple   -   "will" future progr.   -   "going to" future simple   -   "going to" future progr.

present progressive as future tense   -   present simple ("timetable future")   -   future perfect


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“will”-future simple

form:

will + base form   |   will not = won’t

use:

simple descriptions of an action in the future or general statement about something in the future;

spontaneous decisions
-Come on, I will help you.
-I have just decided that I will go to the movies tonight.


predictions & weather report
-The test won't be easy.
-They say that the storm will reach Florida on Tuesday morning.
-Tomorrow the weather will be cloudy, and it will rain in most parts of the country later in the afternoon.

promises & agreements
-I will take out the dustbin tonight, but you will look after the baby.
-I promise, I will never do something like that again.


uncertainty concerning the future, probability
-They will probably come at 5 or 6 in the evening.
-We’ll call unless we forget it.


“if”-clauses (conditional I)
-If you don’t go to bed now, you will be tired tomorrow.
-They will kill me if I don’t tell them who stole the car.


time indicators:

I promise, I have just decided that, come on, probably, maybe, possibly, it may be that, it isn’t sure that...


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“will”-future progressive

form:

will + be + “ing”-Form

use:

descriptions of a longer action that will be happening at a certain point of time in the future

-Next year this time I will be sitting in Brazil enjoying the warm weather.
-I think that they will be playing cards when we come home.

time indicators:

next year this time, in three months time, ...


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“going to”-Future Simple

form:

am/are/is + going to + base form

use:

plans for the future

-I am going to visit my uncle next week.
-They are going to sing a song at the prom. They have been rehearsing a lot.

predictions for which there is evidence; things that are obviously going to happen

-The test is going to be difficult; the teacher has told everyone to study hard.
-Look at those dark clouds! It’s going to rain soon!

intentions

-She has been reading a lot about piercings lately, so I suppose she is going to buy a piercing soon!
-I am going to buy a new car, because my old one doesn’t really work any more.

certainty about the future

-They are certainly going to come.
-We’re going to call you as soon as we arrive at the airport.

time indicators:

certainly, surely, definately; look!; we have already decided that...

note:

in colloquial English, especially in American English, „going to” often turns into „gonna“


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“going to”-Future Progressive

form:

am/are/is + going to be + “ing”-Form

use:

The „going to“-Future Progressive is hardly ever used. It can describe longer actions that are certainly going to happen in the future.

-Next week they are going to be writing a 3-hour test.
-Telling from the clouds in the sky I’m sure it’s gonna be raining all night long.


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Present Progressive as Future Tense

form:

am/are/is + “ing”-Form

use:

descriptions and actions in the future that have been fixed, planned and arranged

-We are staying at the Hilton. I’ve already called the hotel and they will reserve a room for us.
-They are performing in the big hall. They’ve already arranged everything.

Often "going to"- Future can be used instead of Present Progressive as Future Tense; however, this leads to a slight change of meaning in the sentence

- Present Progressive expresses that something is absolutely sure
- "going to" expresses that something is quite certain


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Present Simple –“Timetable” Future

form:

„base form“ (3rd person "s")

use:

official time indications, timetables

-The train leaves at 5:34. (It leaves whether I’m in it or not…)
-They broadcast the news at 10pm.

NOTE: Official predictions (which do not simply indicate a time) normally require „will“-Future

-The president will give his speech tomorrow morning.
-The Queen will open the celebrations.


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Future Perfect :

form:

will have + Base Form

use:

something that will have already happened at a certain point in the future. (An action before another action in the future)

-This time next year we will have had all our final exams already.
-They will have arrived at the station by 9 or 10 in the evening.



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DOWNLOADS:

Intensive Grammar Course - Tenses                     (rightclick to download) downloadable in PDF format

Intensive Grammar Course - key to exercises     (rightclick to download) downloadable in PDF format

 

short overview of all future tenses                             (rightclick to download) downloadable in PDF format

 

 
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