Statement of future fact

Prediction

Intention

USE 4 Decisions made at the moment of speaking (on-the-spot decisions)

USE 3 Habitual actions in the future

USE 2 Succession of actions in the future

We use the Future Simple to express a succession of actions in the future

· He’ ll ring you up and tell you everything.

We use the Future Simple to express habitual actions in the future

· I hope you will attend classes regularly.

We use the Future Simple to talk about the decisions made at the moment of speaking

· It’s hot here. I’ ll open the window.

The Future Simple versus “Be going to”

The Future Simple (shall/will) and be going to can both be used to express an intention about the future.

· be going to: the intention is premediated. The decision was made before the time of speaking or writing and plans have probably been made:

e.g. A: You know it’s Emily’s birthday on Friday, don’t you?

B: Yes, I’ m going to buy her a present this afternoon.

· shall/will: the intention is unpremeditated. The decision is made at the time of speaking or writing (also called on-the-spot decision):

e.g. A: You know it’s Emily’s birthday on Friday, don’t you?

B: Actually, I’d forgotten. Thanks for reminding me. I’ ll buy her a present this afternoon.

The Future Simple (shall/will) and be going to can both be used to make predictions about the future.

· be going to: the prediction is based on some form of evidence that exists in the present (so called logical prediction). It is often used to predict what is about to happen but it can be used to predict something that is not in the immediate future:

e.g. Oh look! The car is going to crash!

That child eats too much. He’ s going to be really overweight one day.

· shall/will: to express beliefs, hopes, thoughts, assumptions and doubts about the future. We often use these words and expressions: think, expect, hope, assume, be afraid, be/feel sure, believe, daresay, doubt, suppose, wonder, and such adverbs as perhaps, possibly, surely probably.

e.g. It will be a difficult year for the new Prime Minister.

I hope you’ ll enjoy yourself there.

The Future Simple (shall/will) and be going to can both be used to make statements about the future but the emphasis is slightly different:

e.g. a) The number of students will fall over the next five years.

b) The number of students is going to fall over the next five years.

Sentence a) is a statement of future fact or of the speaker’s beliefs.

Sentence b) is also a statement of future fact but it emphasizes that the speaker is thinking of present trends. It makes the speaker seem more involved and thus more informal.

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