WAYS OF EXPRESSING FUTURE IN ENGLISH

1.- WITH SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

For timetables, programs or planned actions:

The plain lands at 7.30.

2.- WITH PRESENT CONTINIOUS TENSE

* When we talk about what we have already arranged to do (planned intention)

Tomorrow I'm going to the disco.

* For immediate future (an action that is about to happen)

The glass is going to break.

NOTE: you can use be going to in the same way (no with movement verbs),

but we prefer to use present continuous for personal plans.

3.- WITH FUTURE TENSE

FORMATION:

shall / will + INFINITIVE of the verb (without "to")

* for predictions:

Tomorrow it’ll snow.

* when you decide something in the very moment.

I'll have a salad to start with.

* For timetables. The plane will land at 7.30.

4.- WITH FUTURE CONTINUOUS

FORM

will be + GERUND

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future

To indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action in the future.

I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.

Notice that the interruptions (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future

You can also use a specific time as an interruption.

At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.

REMEMBER: in the Simple Future, a specific time is used to show the time an action will begin or end. In the Future Continuous, a specific time interrupts the action.

I’m sure that tonight at 6 PM, I will have dinner. (I am going to start eating at 6 PM)

Tonight at 6 PM, I will be having dinner. (I am going to start earlier and I will be in the process of eating dinner at 6 PM)

USE 3 Parallel Actions in the Future or description of atmosphere

When you use the Future Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing plans, and having a good time.

5.- WITH FUTURE PERFECT

FORM

will have + PAST PASTICIPLE

To talk about activities that will be finished before a particular time in the future. We often use this tense with time phrases beginning with by (which means before) By the year 2020, Spain will have won the World Cup again.