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24

Unit 24: The future
Seven ways of talking about the future

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  1. 1Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
  2. 2Reported speech in 90 seconds!
  3. 3If or whether?
  4. 45 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5Let and allow
  6. 6Passive voice
  7. 7Unless
  8. 8Mixed conditionals
  9. 9The zero article - in 90 seconds
  10. 10The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
  11. 11The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
  12. 12The continuous passive
  13. 13Future perfect
  14. 14Need + verb-ing
  15. 15Have something done
  16. 16Wish
  17. 17Word stress
  18. 18Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19Passive reporting structures
  20. 20The subjunctive
  21. 21When and if
  22. 22Inversion
  23. 23Phrasal verbs
  24. 24The future
  25. 25Modals in the past
  26. 26Narrative tenses
  27. 27Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28Conditionals review
  29. 29Used to - review
  30. 30Linking words of contrast

Session 4

When we think of the future, if we're thinking grammatically, we think of will. However, the future can be different depending on what we're talking about. Will is not the only future, as Tim explores in this video.

ክፍለ-ስራሓት ናይዚ ምዕራፍ

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

Stop Saying!

Different futures

It's very likely that you know will. It's the word we use to talk about the future in English, right? Well, yes and no. It certainly is one way of referring to the future, but it's not the only way. In this video Tim is off on a trip to meet his girlfriend.  A journey that he uses to highlight different ways of talking about the future.

ነቲ ቪድዮ ብምዕዛብ ነቲ ስራሕ ዕመምዎ

Summary

When a future event is planned or arranged, use the present continuous or be going to:

  • I'm meeting her tonight.
  • I'm going to meet her tonight.

When a future event is timetabled or arranged as part of a regular and repeating schedule, use the present simple:

  • My plane leaves at 6.00.
  • The exam is on Thursday at 9.00 sharp. So don't be late!

When a future action can be predicted because of evidence in the present, use be going to:

  • Look at the sky! It'sgoing to rain.
  • They're too close, they're going to crash.

When a future action is an intention, decided at the moment of speaking, use will:

  • My computer's died. How are we going to finish the project?
    Don't worry, I'll pop home and get my laptop.
  • It's time for tea: can one of you call your father in from the garden?
    OK mum, I'll do it.

To do

Try the quiz and see if you can choose the correct future forms.

Future Quiz

5 Questions

For each question choose the best option to complete the sentence.

ኣገናዕ፡ ፈተናኹም ዛዚምኩም
Excellent!Great job!ሕማቕ ዕድል!ዘመዝገብኩምዎ ነጥቢ ...:
x / y

End of session

That's the end of this section. Congratulations on finishing the page.

Many thanks to the staff and students of St. George's School of English for their help with this video.

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ናይ ስዋስው ክፍሊ

  • Talking about the future

    When a future event is planned or arranged, use the present continuous or be going to:

    • I'm meeting her tonight.
    • I'm going to meet her tonight.

    When a future event is timetabled or arranged as part of a regular and repeating schedule, use the present simple:

    • My plane leaves at 6.00.
    • The exam is on Thursday at 9.00 sharp. So don't be late!

    When a future action can be predicted because of evidence in the present, use be going to:

    • Look at the sky! It's going to rain.
    • They're too close, they're going to crash.

    When a future action is an intention, decided at the moment of speaking, use will:

    • My computer's died. How are we going to finish the project?
      Don't worry, I'll pop home and get my laptop.
    • It's time for tea,  can one of you call your father in from the garden?
      OK mum, I'll do it.
ምሉእ መወከስ ስዋስው ተመልከት

Session Vocabulary

ምሉእ መወከስ ማህደረ-ቃላት ተመልከት

መራገፊ ማእከል

ትሕዝቶ ናይ ሓድሽ ትምህርቲ