3.5.

THE FUTURE
Future time reference is achieved in English in several ways and the so-called future tense is
only one of them. The different means which can be used to express the idea of future have their
own shades of meanings and are therefore not always interchangeable.
There are five chief ways of expressing future time in the English verb phrase. The five means
of referring to future time can be arranged along a scale of certainty in the following way: simple
present (most certain), simple future, continuous future, be going to (least certain), present
progressive (least certain) (G. Leech, 1978: 65)
The future values expressed by simple present and present progressive were dealt with in the
respective chapters. The simple present tense indicates definite plans for the future as part of a
timetable or programme. The present progressive indicates personal plans for the future.
Why are you packing? Im leaving tomorrow.
The train leaves at 8:30 a.m.
The future tense differs from the tenses analysed so far on two counts: one is the existence of
other devices which mark future time. The other is the fact that the future auxiliaries shall and will
fulfil other functions besides those of mere indicators of future time, viz. they act as modal
auxiliaries.
It seems that the double function of shall and will as future auxiliaries and as modal
auxiliaries lies in the very nature of futurity. We cannot be as certain of future happenings as we
are of events past and present and for this reason even the most confident prognostication must
indicate something of the speakers attitude and so, be tinged with modality. (Leech, 1978: 52)
When discussing futurity, a distinction is made between future with intention and future without
intention (Thomson & Martinet, 1969: 168).
- Future with intention: a form which expresses a future action which will be undertaken by the
speaker in accordance with his wishes. Shall/will + infinitive, be going to- form, present progressive
can be used in this way.
- Future without intention: a form which merely states that a certain action will happen. The present
simple and future progressive can be used in this way.

3.5.1. THE FUTURE SIMPLE (SHALL / WILL FUTURE)

Form: This tense is formed of the auxiliaries shall / will followed by the short infinitive of the
main verb. Shall is normally used in the 1st person sg./pl. This use is more frequent in formal British
English, while in informal contexts, as well as in American English it is often replaced by will. Will
is used in the 2nd and 3rd persons sg./pl.
Uses and values:
(1) The future simple is used to denote actions to be performed in the future (i.e. after the present
moment). Thus, the future simple is used for predictions about the future (i.e. describing something
we know or expect will happen), for announcements of future plans. The performance of a future
action or the occurrence of an event in the future may be caused by objective circumstances or may
depend on a condition:
I shall / will be 20 next week (formal / colloquial English)
My horoscope says that next year will bring me success and happiness.
Hell come back next week.
It will be windy tomorrow. There will be rain in places.
Will they open the exhibition tomorrow?
Syntactically, the future simple is particularly common in:
- the main clause of temporal and conditional sentences (the future is not used in the subordinate
clause of time and condition. The present tense is used instead):
When it gets warmer, the snow will start to melt.
She will forgive you if you apologize to her.
You will feel better if you take your medicine regularly
 - Object clauses introduced by verbs which express the speakers opinion or assumption about the
future: believe, expect, hope, suppose, think, Im sure, Im afraid:
I suppose theyll sell their house.
Do you think it will rain? / I promise Ill be on time.
Common time markers (time expressions) with future simple are adverbials of future time such
as: tomorrow, combinations with next (next week/month), prepositional phrases introduced by in
(in the future, in two years, in ten days time), expressions with from now (two weeks from now)
etc.
(2) Apart from expressing pure futurity, shall and will can acquire modal value when used in
other persons than specified above, or when used in some special constructions (interrogative,
negative). Thus,