Questions tagged [future-constructions]
The English language doesn't have an explicit future tense, which means future constructions are effected through other means, including modal verbs, going-to structure, and futurive non-past. Any question regarding the future aspect of English should use this tag.
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Why do we use the future with will when we say "I'll be in London next week" when things have already been planned, instead of "be going to"?
I know there are several ways of using the Future Tense, one of them being "be going to". This is used for intention, something which has already been planned, for example:
We're going to ...
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Habitual present and future
Habitual present and future
1.Habitual (regular repeated) action/
activity/state/condition in the present.
This regular activity commenced sometime
in the past and continues at present.
1.1.Present ...
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First conditional with "Be going to"
I would like to know if the following sentences are correct.
I know "WILL" should be used in the main clause, but is it also possible to use "to be going to"?
Examples:
If she ...
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"I'll never allow that to happen." and "I'd never allow that to happen"
"I'd never allow that to happen." This is a phrase from a popular anime, Madoka Magika.
What is the difference between "I'll never allow that to happen." and "I'd never allow ...
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Bob will cook tomorrow or Bob will be cooking tomorrow. What's the difference of meaning?
I wonder if I understand these two examples right.
Bob will cook tomorrow. - I'm predicting the future. There's no emphasis on any existing plans.
Bob will be cooking tomorrow. - I'm saying that there'...
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Present or future in this case
I would like to know if the elevator will be working properly when we arrive.
Is it idiomatic ?
Could I write is instead of will be working don't think so because the trip occurs in the future
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How could we rephrase this sentence about a possible future?
If I don't get to make it to the party, I want to wish a happy birthday from now.
Does this sentence seems correct? I'm trying to tell the person that I'm wishing them a happy birthday from now so ...
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Differences between 'will be doing' and 'will do'
The Greenwood Boys are a group of pop singers. At present, they are visiting all parts of the country. They will be arriving here tomorrow. They will be coming by train and most of the young people in ...
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He is away until Wednesday. / He will be away until Wednesday
In my grammar book I have the following:
Jack has gone away. He will be away until Wednesday.
The first sentence is Present Perfect but the second one is Future Simple. Could you tell me why we don'...
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Will you now have three hours?
Two persons A and B have known each other for a while. A is interested in B's life. One day, A gets up the courage to ask B a question.
A: Can you tell me about your life?
B: You got three hours?
A:...
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"Were going to" versus "were to" versus " were about to"
I was wondering if there's a big difference between these three forms, which are refereeing to an event in the past.
The works of many artists were to be auctioned off for the first time.
The works ...
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no one is going solo on this
I'm watching Good Luck Charlie. Charlie is a newborn baby; she has three siblings.
Mom said to dad, "With both of us working, poor little Charlie doesn't stand a chance."
Her oldest kid ...
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The sentence "The rodents are believed to have been got(ten) rid of by the end of the month"? is supposed to be correct. Why?
The rodents are believed to have been got(ten) rid of by the end of the month
My classmates told me that a teacher of mine claims that this sentence should be correct but I don't understand why as ...
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'is to be' vs 'was to be' with present perfect at the end of the sentence [future seen from the past]
DNA testing was to be used by police in the search for the missing Dublin schoolboy. His parents have welcomed the news.
Why 'was to be used' is incorrect in this sentence and 'is to be used' is ...
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Correct or wrong?: "When I will meet him, I will explain."
Background
I think the present simple is usually used after when if it's like a condition.
E.g.:
I'll call you when I arrive. (correct)
I'll call you when I will arrive. (wrong)
However, on english-...
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The Present Simple is used as a condition. Why not 'will'?
I'm not sure if it's the right word, but I feel like the Present Simple is sometimes used as a 'condition'. For example:
If you do that, this will happen.
I'll call you when I arrive.
Clean your ...
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Do you say "when I'm going to do something" in place of "when I do something"?
The following is excerpted from Unit 25 of "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy:
Amy is on a train. She's calling a friend.
"I'll call you again later when I arrive."
...
We ...
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Difference between "am doing", "will be doing", and "will do"
I am doing your homework on Monday.
I will be doing your homework on Monday.
I will do your homework on Monday.
What is the difference between the three with respect to future meaning?
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the difference between future and present tenses
I cannot solve the question shown below.
the moment he receives/will receive this message, he must call me
which one is correct? and specifically why? thanks in advence.
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Does “will” really indicate happened action?
For example,
I’m going to eat. It means to eat is intended and to eat isn’t needed to happen.
For example,
I’m trying to eat. To eat isn’t needed to happen but is tried.
“Will” means ‘be going to.’ ...
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"Here is what I'm going to do" vs. "here is what I'll do" in context
Would you tell me if it's more natural use here is what I'm going to do or here is what I'll do in the dialogue below?
Broker: Can your driver be at the pick-up location in no more than one hour?
...
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"Check with someone to see if they are willing to..." or "check with someone to see if they will be willing to..."?
Could you tell me if I have to use the present simple or the future simple in the context below?
First I need to check with the driver to see if they are willing to sell the car for that money.
First ...
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Is present continuous a valid solution
If you need to contact me sometimes next week ,I am staying in the Odon hotel in Caen
Can I use present continuous. I know will be staying would be better as the arrangement has already been made
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Planned Leave: Simple Present vs Future
Could anyone please clarify which among the below is correct and why?
I will be on planned leave today and tomorrow
or
I am on planned leave today and tomorrow
If I want to communicate this at 8 ...
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What's the difference between "We will soon arrive..." and "We will soon be arriving..."
On Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains, you hear the announcement say "We will soon be arriving at [the name of a station]." Is there any difference between
"We will soon arrive at Tokyo ...
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Absolute phrase in the future tense, with 'having+past participle' construction
Can we use the absolute phrase in the future tenses with two actions? For example,
"The sun having risen tomorrow, we will set out on our journey"
I understand that the ‘having+ past ...
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Using ‘would have’ for an impossibility in the future
In DC’s Titans (season 3 episode 1), Barbara said to Dick that she was helping “whoever Bruce would have recruited next”.
I know intuitively that ‘would have’ can be used in relation to the present or ...
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Is past continuous a valid solution here
Mary was one of 185 passengers on a British Airways flight to Warsaw. She was feeling very excited when she got on the plane at Gatwick Airport. She had been waiting
a long time for this day. She ...
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"....in 10 days" or ".....after 10 days."
The text is from BBC web site:
"....Under the measures, Austrians will be asked to work from home, non-essential shops will close, and schools will remain open for children who require face-to-...
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difference between "will be doing" and "be doing" when use the continuous form for the future
I am confused about the following description of 'will be -ing' from a grammar book, which says:
We also use 'will be doing' to talk about complete action in the future.
Here is the example in which ...
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She hopes that she will get a loan from her bank
She hopes to get a loan from her bank to help her out of her financial predicament.
She hopes that she will get a loan from her bank to help her out of her financial predicament.
She is hoping to ...
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Does the present simple have future meaning in these sentences?
According to my grammar book (a student's version of CaGel) the present tense is used in English for future events that are planned/already known. Based on this, am I correct in assuming that the (a) ...
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"Will you work this evening?" vs "Will you be working this evening?"
Let's suppose I'm gonna ask my collegue whether he or she is working this evening. Could you please explain what is the difference between the two phrases below?
Will you work this evening?
Will you ...
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"Will have to for five minutes" vs "have to for five minutes"
If I want to say I (must) turn off my camera right now {it is urgent} and this action is going to last for five minutes, do I say
I'll have to turn off my camera for five minutes.
or
I have to turn ...
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going to drive tomorrow and will be driving tomorrow . What is the meaning difference?
(14) John will be driving to London tomorrow.
The above does not have the durative act. It has a mere plan. It is called the matter of course because of the event which is occurred without the speaker'...
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I don't agree with the keys on the "going to" vs "will" topic
So I have this task I'm planning to give to my students. It reads "What do you say to your friend in these situations? Use the words given in brackets. Use present continuous (I am doing), going ...
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Can we use a simple future noun clause in a present perfect?
I want to say that my friend and I will not know something happens until tomorrow. Can I say:
We haven't known what will happen. [1]
Somebody told me that a clause is a noun clause when I can ...
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I get/will get a cable in the box
I'm looking at the website of the new iPhone, I'm not sure if it comes with a cable or not, the site says it does come with a cable, in this case, should I say:
Looks like I get a cable in the box
...
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Which verb form is used when telling about an action that may be completed by some time in the future?
"Call me in a week; I may/might HAVE CHANGED my mind by then"
"Call me in a week; I may/might CHANGE my mind by then"
Which version is right? If both are used by native-speakers, ...
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Is it incorrect to say I'm 20 years old next month?
Is it incorrect to say
I'm 20 years old next month.
I'm learning through an English app. It says that the sentence above is incorrect and the correct answer is
I shall be 20 years old next month.
...
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is this usage of “later” natural?
I’d like to know if it’s natural/grammatically correct to use “later” with the future tense.
I’ll call you a week later.
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"While you are washing your hands I'll go to my bedroom and change my clothes" right or wrong?
Let's say we (me and my daughter) have just got home, we go to the bathroom and I say to her (a 5 years old child) to wash her hands, and I think that in the meantime I could change my clothes.
What ...
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Using future simple instead of future perfect
Is it correct to say:
I will finish my work before you come back.
Or should I use future perfect:
I will have finished my work by the time you come back.
and are the two sentences same in meaning?
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Future perfect continous vs Future perfect tense
What is the difference between these two sentences?
My aunt will have been living in England for five years when I go there.
and
My aunt will have lived in England for five years when I go there.
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Future or present in this example
There might be other things you are interested in.
Why is it not you will be interested, in the future and not in the present present as it is not sure.
Is it because might already means that it is ...
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Is "going to" possible in this case
We are watching a film tomorrow with Billy. He is coming to my house.
This is the solution of the test, but could we choose
We are going to watch a film tomorrow with Billy. He is coming to my ...
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Should we use "if" or "when" in this sentence?
1)We will go to restaurant , if our son completes his work
2)We will go to restaurant , when our son completes his work.
Meaning wise, we will go to restaurant only if/when son completes his work. ...
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Why Could is used in both past and the future tense
Why Could is used in both past and the future tense?
Example:
I could run fast when I was younger.
Extreme rain could cause the river to flood the city.
Can 'Could' be considered as a homonym.
Same ...
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How to explain the usage of the present continuous instead of simple in this example?
I was reading "English Grammar in Use" and came across the next exercise:
Ben can’t meet us on Monday. (He / work) late.
The correct answer is "He is working late", but I cannot ...
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What is the reason using "always" in the present perfect?
I saw a movie with its title "We have always lived in the castle".
If they meant to describe the pronoun "we" are living there until they die, why didn't they use future tense then?...
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