Lesson 9. Future Tense

Introduction

In this lesson you'll learn how to talk about events that happen in the future. You'll also learn some expressions of time. This lesson also includes chapter 4 of the story 'A New Life in Vancouver'.

Talking about the Future

There are a few different ways in English to indicate that an action will happen in the future:

  • using the helper verb will
  • using be going to
  • using the present continuous
  • using the present tense

The Helper Verb Will

The helper verb will is used in the following cases:

  • quick decisions
  • promises
  • predictions

The verb will goes before the main verb in the sentence. When a pronoun comes before will is often shortened to 'll and combined with the pronoun. The negative form is won't.

Examples

She'll meet us for lunch at 1:00. 她会一点钟我们见面吃午饭。
The cat will run away. 猫会逃跑。
I'll make some more coffee. 我会作些更多的咖啡。
What'll happen if I press the button? 如果我按下按钮,会发生什么?
That will never happen. 这将永远不会发生。
I won't be going to that restaurant again.
Will you buy it? 你会买吗?
When will it stop raining? 什么时候会停止下雨吗?
We'll wait for you. 我们会等你的。

Be Going To

Be going to is used to indicate that something is just about to happen, plans that have been previously decided, and predictions based on evidence.

Examples

I'm going to go now. 我现在要去。
She's going to meet us for lunch at 1:00. 她将在1点和我们一起吃午饭。
We're going to study this afternoon. 我们今天下午要学习。
What's going to happen when they get here? 当他们到达这里时会发生什么?
He's never going to do that. 他永远不会那样做。
Dinner is going to be ready in a few minutes. 晚餐将在几分钟内准备好。
Are you going to buy it? 你打算买吗?
When is it going to stop raining? 什么时候停止下雨?
We're going to wait for you in the restaurant. 我们将在餐厅等你。

Present Continuous

The present continuous can be used to indicate a future event when talking about arranged plans with another person or group, and for personal scheduled events.

Examples

I'm planning to see my friend tomorrow.
They're flying to London next week.

Present Simple

The present simple is used to indicate the future with timetables, official schedules, and repeated events.

Examples

The movie starts at 8.
My class begins on Monday.

Expressions of Time

Listen time 时间
Listen year
Listen month
Listen week
Listen day
Listen hour 小时
Listen minute 分钟
Listen second
Listen now 现在
Listen yesterday 昨天
Listen today 今天
Listen tomorrow 明天
Listen this morning 今晨
Listen this afternoon 今天下午
Listen this evening 今天晚上
Listen last week 上个星期
Listen this week 本星期
Listen next week 下周

Story: A New Life in Vancouver

Chapter 4: Granville Island

Vocabulary

shopping district 商圈
marina 散步道
theater 剧院
shops 商店
ice cream 冰淇淋
idea 理念
ice cream cone 冰淇淋甜筒
prepare 预备, 使
inlet 进口, 海洋入口
glistening 闪闪发光
ferry 渡船
view 视图
produce 水果和蔬菜
bag
cashier 出纳员

Ana and Alejandro have been exploring Granville Island, a shopping district that contains a public market, marina, restaurants, theaters and small shops.

As they are walking along the waterfront, Alejandro sees an ice cream shop. “Hey Ana, let’s get some ice cream,” he says.

“That’s a good idea,” she agrees.

They walk into the shop and look at the different types of ice cream on display.

“What kind of ice cream cone are you going to get?” Ana asks her brother.

“I think I’ll get a chocolate cone. How about you?”

“They all look good, but I’m going to get the caramel swirl.”

“Hello,” the lady behind the counter says. “Have you decided what you would like?”

“I’ll have a caramel swirl ice cream cone,” Ana says.

“And I’ll have a chocolate one,” Alejandro adds.

The lady prepares the ice cream cones and hands them to Ana and Alejandro. “That’ll be six dollars,” she says.

They pay the lady and then walk back outside. There are a few small tables in front of the store, but they decide to keep walking. Soon they come to a large open area with several large benches.

“Let’s sit here,” Ana says.

They sit down on one of the benches and watch all the people walking by. In front of them is a small inlet glistening in the sun, and beyond that is Downtown Vancouver. Several people are kayaking on the water. A small pedestrian ferry is slowly approaching.

They sit quietly in the warm sun for a while, eating their ice cream cones. When Alejandro finishes his cone, he says “This is so relaxing. I could sit here all day.”

“It’s a beautiful view of the city from here. I wish I was in one of those sailboats though, slowly sailing away.”

“That would be nice!”

“Let’s go to the market and get some vegetables for tonight’s dinner,” Ana says after a few minutes.

They get up and walk into the market. Inside, the smell of fresh bread and coffee fills the air. People are talking, laughing, and calling out orders. They wander around the crowded market for a while, looking at all the things for sale. Eventually they find a produce vendor.

“What do we need to get?” Alejandro asks.

“We need some carrots, red peppers, onions, strawberries, and blueberries.”

They collect the items and bring them up to the cashier.

“Hello,” says the man at the cash register. “Did you find everything you need?”

“Yes. I think we have everything we need,” Ana replies.

“That’ll be $24.45.”

Ana pays the man and Alejandro picks up the bag with the food in it.

“Thank you,” Ana says as the man hands her the change, “Have a nice day.”

“You, too.”

Ana and Alejandro walk out of the market into the bright, sunny day and head home.

Quiz

Here are some questions to help you practice talking about events that happen in the future.

Progress

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