Master plans reloaded

by Flavia Boaru

Hello again!

I’m so happy you decided to kill your time with the Future Tense again!

I can just imagine you saying to yourselves: I think I’ll take a look at what our writer has in store for us in this issue… And guess what?! I do have a lot in store for you, and if you thought like that, using almost the same words, it means you have read my previous article and already know how to use the Future Tense by now

Did you also tell your wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend: This year, I’m going to give up smoking? Or, This year I’m going to learn more English? If so, it is my pleasure to congratulate you on your important resolutions and correct grammar. Hurray!! I hope you’ll stick to both!

If you still have doubts about when to use will or when to use going to, the last article is still at your feet, ready to be read over and over and over again!

So, my friends, here we are again, having to face the Future and its intricate machinations! Or, are they?!

I promised you we would dig deeper this time, and boldly explore every hidden part that is left of the Future Tense.

We will thus deal here and now with the Future Tense expressed by the use of two well-known Tenses: Present Simple & Continuous. So, things can only get better!

And for starters, let’s suppose you totally forgot that you had to attend a formal party on New Year’s Eve, and you have no clue as to where and when it was scheduled! Well, now let’s ask Mr. Smith, our boss:

Mr Smith, do you happen to know where the party is and when it starts?

What’s even more important here is Mr. Smith’s answer:

Yes, of course. The party starts at 7 PM and it is held at my place!

All righty! So, let’s set on finding his mansion. But, wait! We have to take the train to get there. Let’s call the station:

Excuse me, what time does the train to Bistrita leave?

The answer will most probably sound like this:

It leaves at 3:23 PM.

You could perhaps realize that we, the speakers, can change neither the time the train leaves, nor the time the party starts. These events and schedules have already been decided on, and we can do nothing about them.

Thus, we use the Present Simple Tense for future programmes, schedules, timetables, etc., which cannot be changed by the speaker.

The train is set to leave at a certain time, the party is also fixed to start in a place and at a time which have been set and which cannot be altered. Planes leave the ground when they were scheduled. Similarly, stores open or close at a certain time, because that’s their timetable.

Let’s get on to the next thing on our list: the Present Continuous Tense for Future actions.

When we do have some control over the events that are to happen at some point in the future, when something is arranged, we use the Present Continuous to express our personal future plans. For instance, if we are asked:

What are you doing tonight? (NOT What will you do tonight? NOR What do you do tonight?)

You may reply:

We’re attending a dinner party at my boss’s place. (I previously made my plan for the New Year’s Eve). And the conversations may go on:

Oh, are you really? And are you going by bus or by train? At this point, it is sure that your reply should sound something like:

We are going by car, actually.

And the dialogue may go on, with what’s on the menu, so on and so forth.

Now, you may be at a loss here! I’ve just told you that we use the Present Conitnuous for personal future plans. But in my last article, I told you that plans are made with the use of the going to construction.

Present Continuous is often used instead of going to for self-made plans and voluntary schedules, especially for the near future.

We’re having a party on Friday night. (the party is this week; it’s a plan)
She’s leaving home right after breakfast and driving all the way up to Tallahassee in her grandma’s old car. (this is also about to happen in the very near future)

Sometimes the Present Continuous Tense is also preferred instead of the going to construction, for verbs such as: go, come, begin, start, finish, have, etc.

He is going to a party tonight.
‘The Smiths are coming home from Canada this spring.

Understanding how the Future works and is expressed in English is not as easy as it may seem, but I hope I did provide you here with some little clues that will hopefully make it more familiar to you!

Now see if you can do the next exercise!

Good luck to you all and see you next time!

P.S. What are you doing tonight?
I know I’m going to a party! Care to join me?

Exercise

1.We _______________________ lunch at McDonald’s at the weekend. (to have)
2. They ________________________ to London on Friday evening. (to fly)
3. The English lesson _____________ at 7:30. (to start)
4. We ________________ out for a meal with some friends this evening. (to go)
5. what time ________ train to Manchester __________? (to leave)
6. What _________ you ____ this weekend? (to do)
7. The plane to Tokyo ____________ at 20:00, as scheduled. (to leave)
8. My Mother _______________________ to Spain next week. (to go)
9. The store next to my house ______________ at 21:00. You are late. (to close)
10. We ________________________ a party tonight! I can hardly wait! (to have)

Key:

1 - are having
2 - are flying
3 - starts
4 - are going
5 - does……leave
6 - are you doing
7 - leaves
8 - is going
9 - closes
10 - are having