22. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct past tense.

A bit of grammar

Future Tenses

Future Simple (will + bare infinitive) is used:

• for predictions about the future, based on what we think, believe or imagine, using the verbs think, believe, expect, etc the expressions be sure, be afraid etc, and adverbs probably, certainly, perhaps, etc. e.g. I’m sure, Bill will get the job.

• for decisions made at the moment of speaking. E.g. We’ve run out of milk. I’ll go to the supermarket and get some.

• for promises, threats, warnings, requests, hopes and offers. E.g. Will you help me with my history essay?

• for actions, events, situations which will definitely happen in the future and which we cannot control. E.g. Ben will be five years old in August.

BE GOING TO is used:

• for plans, intentions or ambitions for the future. E.g. I’m going to India one day.

• actions we have already decided to do in the near future. E.g. Nick is going to visit his friends in London next week.

• predictions based on what we can see or what we know, especially when there is evidence that something will happen. E.g. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. It’s going to be a beautiful day.

Time expressions used with the future simple and be going to:

tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, tonight, soon, next week/ month/ year/ summer, etc, in a week/ month etc.

Future Continuous (will be + present participle) is used:

• for actions which will be in progress at a stated future time. E.g. I’m going on holiday to Spain. This time next week I’ll be lying in the sun.

• for actions which will definitely happen in the future as the result of a routine or arrangement. E.g. I will be playing tennis with Andy tomorrow morning.

• to ask politely about someone’s plans for the near future. E.g. Will you be driving to the party tonight? Would you be able to give me a lift?

Future Perfect (will have + past participle) is used:

• for an action which will be finished before a stated time in the future. E.g. They will have arrived in London by 5 p.m.

Time expressions used with the future perfect:

before, by, by then, by the time, until/ till

Until/ till are only used in negative sentences: She will not have finished the report until/ till 5 p.m.

Future Perfect Continuous ( will have been + present participle) is used:

• to emphasize the duration of an action up to a certain time in the future. E.g. By June, he will have been teaching in this school for fifteen years.

!!! The future perfect continuous is used with by … for.

Present Continuous (am/ is/ are + present participle) is used

for actions we have decided and arranged to do in the near future. E.g. I’m flying to Lisbon tomorrow morning.

Present Simple is used:

• for future actions when we refer to timetables, programs etc. e.g. The bus arrives in Liverpool at 7:30.

• in subordinate clauses following words like if, unless, in case, before, after, when, while, till/ until, as, whenever, suppose/ supposing, once, as soon as, as long as, on condition that etc. e.g. Call me as soon as you get back.

• in subordinate clauses following words like what/ who/ which/ whatever/ wherever etc. e.g. I don’t care what happens next year. Don’t forget to email me, wherever you are.

!!! We use future forms with:

when – if it is a used as a question word. E.g. When will you be seeing Mike next?

If/ whether - after the expressions showing uncertainty, ignorance, etc. such as I don’t know, I doubt, I’m not sure, I wonder, etc. e.g. I doubt whether she will come today.

Other Ways of Expressing Future

to be + Infinitive for actions which are officially arranged. E.g. The Prime Minister is to visit Pakistan early next year.

To be about to do/ on the point of doing/ on the verge of doing to talk about something that is going to happen very soon. E.g. Jo is about to give up/ on the point/ verge of giving up her university studies, because she really hates it.

To be (un)likely to do is used for making predictions. E.g. Mass space travel is unlikely to become a reality.

To be due to do is used for actions planned to happen at a particular time. E.g. The

game is due to start 8pm.

To be sure/ to be certain / to be bound to do are used to express certainty about the future. E.g. This plan is sure to succeed.

Future in the Past

• If we talk about plans or intentions in the past, we use the past continuous or was/ were going to. E.g. we had to go to bed early, as we were all getting up at 6 the following morning.

• We often talk about things which were planned in the past but didn’t take place. E.g. I was about to say when you interrupted me.

• We use would or was/ were to talk about an action which did take place, but it was still in the future and not anticipated at that time. E.g. Who would have believed that this unknown teenager was to become one of the world’s greatest movie stars