Lesson 9 - Future Tense
Introduction
In this lesson you'll learn how to use the future tense, as well as the English words for days of the week, months, and expressions of time.
Conversations
Sarah, Eric, and Cathy are having lunch at a small restaurant downtown. They are discussing a new movie that is in theaters.
Eric: When will you see the new movie?
Sarah: I'll go see it on Saturday.
Cathy: I think you'll really like it.
Sarah: I can't wait! How long is the movie?
Eric: It's two hours and twenty minutes.
Sarah: Well I have to go back to work. I'll see you tomorrow.
Eric and Cathy: Bye!
Vocabulary and Phrases
I can't wait!
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they are discussing
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downtown
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movie
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theater
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to like
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Days of the Week
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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Sunday
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Months
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January
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February
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March
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April
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May
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June
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July
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August
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September
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October
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November
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December
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Expressions of Time
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time
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year
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month
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week
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day
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hour
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minute
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second
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now
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yesterday
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today
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tomorrow
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this morning
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this afternoon
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this evening
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last week
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this week
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next week
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Grammar
Future Tense
There are a few different ways in English to indicate that an action will happen in the future. This lesson focuses on the future tense. The future tense in English is created by using the helper verb will before the main verb of the sentence. For example, the future tense of the verb go is will go. To turn the sentence into a question, place the subject of the sentence after will. For example: Will you go?
The following table gives the future tense of the verb go.
| I | will go | |
| you | will go | |
| he | will go | |
| she | will go | |
| it | will go | |
| we | will go | |
| they | will go |
Contractions
The verb will is very often shortened and combined with the subject of the sentence. The following table shows the contracted forms of the future tense.
| I'll go | |
| you'll go | |
| he'll go | |
| she'll go | |
| it'll go | |
| we'll go | |
| they'll go |
Examples
| The cat will run away. | |
| She'll meet us for lunch at 1:00. | |
| I'll make some more coffee. | |
| What'll happen if I press the button? | |
| That will never happen. | |
| That'll be the day. | |
| Will you buy it? | |
| When will it stop raining? | |
| We'll wait for you. |
Be Going To
Often in English the construction be going to is used to indicate that an event or action will be happening in the near future. The following table shows how this is used with the verb go. This construction can often be used interchangeably with the future tense using will.
| I am going to go | |
| you are going to go | |
| he is going to go | |
| she is going to go | |
| it is going to go | |
| we are going to go | |
| they are going to go |
Examples
| I'm going to go now. | |
| She's going to meet us for lunch at 1:00. | |
| We're going to study this afternoon. | |
| What's going to happen when they get here? | |
| He's never going to do that. | |
| Dinner is going to be ready in a few minutes. | |
| Are you going to buy it? | |
| When is it going to stop raining? | |
| We're going to wait for you in the restaurant. |
Practice
Days and Months
Enter the English words for the days of the week. They can be in any order.
Enter the English words for the months. They can be in any order.
Quiz
Here is an online quiz to help you learn the English vocabulary introduced in this lesson.
