EL FUTURO SIMPLE

La forma ms comn de expresar el futuro es con el auxiliar WILL delante del

verbo (en infinitivo sin to) para las oraciones afirmativas y WONT para las negativas.
El futuro simple se usa para expresar:
Un hecho futuro:
She will be nine years old tomorrow.
Una prediccin:
That man will be a millionaire one of these days.
Opiniones acerca del futuro: (especialmente tras verbos como think, expect,
suppose, doubt if, y tras probably y perhaps).
I expect well be tired after the journey.
I suppose youll have to change trains.
I doubt if hell have time to speak to you.
Nota: El futuro de can es will be able to y el futuro de must es will have to.
Si no estamos muy seguros de lo que va a ocurrir podemos usar may, might y could.
Exercise: Haz predicciones de tu opinin acerca de los temas siguientes:
Ejemplo: Education: I think computers will replace teachers in the future. There probably
wont be any schools by 2020.
Transport

Entertainment

The Third World

Nuclear power

Working hours

The weather

Population

Mira este ejemplo:

Have we run out of coffee? Ill go out and buy some.
El futuro simple tambin podemos usarlo para expresar una decisin repentina, que
se decide en el momento y es normalmente un ofrecimiento para hacer algo.
El futuro simple tambin se usa para expresar:
Eva Mara Ortiz Egea
1

 Ofrecimientos:
Shall I post that letter for you?
Ill pay, if you like.
Sugerencias:
Shall we go to Scotland this summer?
Promesas:
(I promise) Ill never do it again.
Amenazas:
Dont tell that joke again or Ill scream!
Exercise: Completa las siguientes oraciones con un verbo adecuado en futuro simple. En
cada caso di si es una decisin repentina, un ofrecimiento, una sugerencia, una promesa o
una amenaza.
a) Its very hot in here, isnt it? ...?
b) Doesnt anybody know what this word means? I know, I
c) For the last time, turn that record player down! If you dont,
.!
d) The dogs looking very thirsty. .?
e) Oh, Ive split coffee on your jacket! Dont worry I
f) I think theres someone knocking at the door. ?
g) The children have made a terrible mess in your living room. Never mind I
..
h) Im sure I can see smoke coming from the window of the house opposite.
.
i) 5$ for a 5 minute taxi ride! If you dont tell me the correct fare, I ..
.!
j) Are you going to drive back tonight, or hotel for
you?

Hay ms posibilidades de expresar acciones futuras, no slo con WILL.

Mira estos ejemplos y subraya la forma verbal usada para hablar del futuro:
A Be careful! I think that car is going to pull out in front of you.
B What time is your flight leaving?
El uso ms comn del futuro cercano es el de la expresin going to. Que se
corresponde con el ir a espaol.
De la misma forma podemos usar el presente continuo de cualquier verbo
expresando acciones futuras prximas o cercanas en el tiempo. El nico matiz o diferencia
entre ambos es que cuando usamos el going to tendemos a sugerir una intencin personal.
Tambin lo usaremos con acciones que estamos ms o menos seguros de que van a ocurrir
por las evidencias que vemos, omos, sentimos o notamos. Por ejemplo:
Look at the sky! Im afraid its going to rain at any minute.
If she continues working like this, Im afraid shes going to be ill.
Exercise: Completa las siguientes oraciones usando el going to future.
a. Listen to that thunder! It sounds as if there
...
b. Youd better buy another suitcase. The handle on that one
before long.
Eva Mara Ortiz Egea
2

c. That dog doesnt sound very friendly. I hope it .

d. Cars come round this bend much too fast. One of these days there .
.
e. Look at the petrol gauge. I think we .. petrol
any minute.
f. Have you got a paper handkerchief? I think I ..
..
g. No goals and only five minutes of the match left. Im afraid the result

h. The government is refusing to give the teachers any more money. I hope there ..
.

Exercise: Completa los espacios en las oraciones siguientes con un verbo adecuado en
present continuous o con going to future.
a. Which dress ..................................................................... for the party tonight?
b. Im afraid I cant give you a lift tomorrow because I
. my car repaired.
c. I feel nervous already and I .. my driving test till
tomorrow!
d. We .. dinner at 8 oclock. Is that allright?
e. . anything special tonight, or would you like to
call round and see us?
f. Why .. to work tomorrow? Is it a holiday?
g. A friend of mine the guitar in a
concert tonight.
h. When . your homework? Its almost 9 oclock already!

WILL VERSUS BE GOING TO

To express a PREDICTION either WILL or BE GOING TO is used:
(a)
According to the weather
report, it will be cloudy tomorrow.
(b)
According to the weather
report, it is going to be cloudy tomorrow.
(c)
Be careful! Youll
hurt
yourself!
(d)
Watch out! Youre going to
hurt yourself!

When the speaker is making a prediction (a

statement about something s/he thinks will
be true or will occur in the future), either
will or be going to is possible.
There is no difference in meaning between
(a) and (b).
There is no difference in meaning between
(c) and (d).

To express a PRIOR PLAN only BE GOING TO is used:

(e)
paint?

A: why did you buy this When the speaker is expressing a prior plan
(something the speaker intends to do in the
B: Im going to paint my bedroom future because in the past s/he has made a
tomorrow.
plan or decision to do it), only be going to is
used. In (e): Speaker B has made a prior
plan. She decided to paint her bedroom last
week. She intends to paint her bedroom
tomorrow.
Eva Mara Ortiz Egea
3

In (f): the speaker knows bobs intention to

(f)
I talked to Bob yesterday. buy a car. Bob made the decision in the past
He is tired of taking the bus to work. Hes and he intends to act on this decision in the
going to buy a car. Thats what he told me.
future. Will is not appropriate in (e) and (f).
To express WILLINGNESS only WILL is used:
(g)

A: The phones ringing.

B: Ill get it.

In (g): speaker B is saying: I am willing, I

am happy to get the phone. He is not making
a prediction. He has made no prior plan to
answer the phone. He is, instead,
volunteering to answer the phone and uses
will to show his willingness.
(h)
A: I dont understand this In (h): Speaker B feels sure about the
problem.
teachers willingness to help.
B: Ask your teacher about it. Shell Be going to is not appropriate in (g) and (h).
help you.
Exercise: Use WILL and/or BE GOING TO with the verb in parentheses.
PART I: EXPRESSING PREDICTIONS
1. Sue (graduate) will graduate / is going to graduate in June. After that, she
(begin) will begin / is going to begin work at an electronics firm.
2. Fred (be) at the meeting
tomorrow. I think Jane (come) . too.
3. A: Can you give Ed a message for me?
B: Sure: I (see, probably) . him
at the meeting this evening.
4. The damage we do to our environment today (affect)
.. the quality of life of future generations.
5. A: Mr. Swan (be, not) .. here next
term. He has resigned. Who (be) . the new
teacher? Do you know?
B: Yes. Mary Jefferson (teach) the
same courses Mr. Swan taught: English, algebra, and geometry. I (be) .
.. in her algebra class. Do you know which algebra class you (be)
. in next term?
PART II: EXPRESSING PRIOR PLAN Vs. WILLINGNESS:
Use be going to if you think the speaker is expressing a prior plan. If you think there is no
prior plan, use will.
6. A: This letter is in French, and I dont speak a word of French. Can you help me?
B: Sure. I (translate) will translate it for you.
7. A: Do you want to go shopping with me? I (go) am going to go to the shopping
mall downtown.
B: Sure. What time do you want to leave?
8. A: this light doesnt work. The bulb is probably burned out. Where are the new
light bulbs?
B: I (get) . one for you.
Eva Mara Ortiz Egea
4

9. A: Its cold in here.

B: I agree. I (turn) the heater on.
A: Thats a good idea.
10. A: I (enroll) .. in the community college
next spring.
B: Oh? I didnt know you wanted to go back to school.
A: I need to sharpen my skills so I can get a better job. I (take) ..
. a course in word processing.
11. A: Brrr. Who turned up the air conditioner? Its really cold in here. My nose is cold
and my fingers are cold.
B: I (make) . you a hot cup of tea.
A: Thanks. That sounds good.
12. A: Oh, oh! Ive spilled coffee on my shirt.
B: Just a minute. I (get) a damp cloth for you.
13. A: What do you want to be when you grow up?
B: I (be) an astronaut.
A: Good for you!
14. A: Do you mind if I turn the TV off? I (place) .
. A long distance call, and its hard to hear if the TV is on.
B: No, thats fine. I wasnt watching it anyway.
15. A: Who wants to erase the board? Are there any volunteers?
B: I (do) it!
C: I (do) it!
D: No, no! I (do) ..................................................................... it!
16. A: why do you have an eraser in your hand?
B: I (erase) the board.

MS EJERCICIOS PARA PRACTICAR

1. All the sentences in this exercise are about the future. Put the verbs into the
correct form: Will / wont or the present simple (I do).
Example: When I see (see) Tom tomorrow, I ll invite (invite) him to our party.

Before you . (leave), dont forget to shut the windows.

I . (phone) you as soon as I .. (arrive) in London.
Please dont touch anything before the police (come).
Everyone . (be) very surprised if he (pass)
the examination.
When you . (see) Brian again, you ..
(not/recognise) him.
We (not start) dinner until Jack .
(arrive).
.. (you/be) lonely without me while I
(be) away?
If I . (need) any help, I (ask) you.
Come on! Hurry up! Ann (be) annoyed if we .
(be) late.

2. This time you have to make one sentence from two sentences.
Eva Mara Ortiz Egea
5

Example: You are going to leave soon. You must visit the museum before that. You
must visit the museum before you leave.

Ill find somewhere to live. Then Ill give you my address.

I when
Its going to start raining. Lets go out before that.
Lets . before ..
Im going to do the shopping. Then Ill come straight back home.
.
after
..
Youll be in London next month. You must come and see me then.
.
when

Im going to finish reading this book. Then Ill get the dinner ready.
.. when .
Well make our decision. Then well let you know.
.. as soon as

3. In this exercise you have to say when you are going to do something.
Examples: Have you cleaned the car? (tomorrow) Not yet. Im going to clean it
tomorrow.
Have you made the coffee? (just) Not yet. Im just going to make it.

Have you phoned Tom? (after lunch)

..
Have you had dinner? (just)

Have you painted your flat? (soon) .

Have you repaired my bicycle? (just) ..

4. In this exercise you have to write questions with going to.

Example: Ive won a lot of money. (what/with it?) What are you going to do with it?

Im going to a party tonight. (what/wear?) ..

Tom has just bought a painting. (where/hang it?) .

Ive decided to have a party. (who/invite?) ..

5. In this exercise you have to use was/were going to.

Example: Did you travel by train?
No, I was going to travel by train but I changed my mind.
Did you buy that jacket you saw in the shop window? No, I ..
. But I changed my mind.
Did Sue get married? No, she but she .

Eva Mara Ortiz Egea

6

Did Tom resign from his job? No, .

but ..
Did Wayne and Sharon go to Greece for their holidays? No, ..
.
Did you play tennis yesterday? No, ..
..
Did you invite Ann to the party? No,

6. Now you have to say what you think is going to happen in these situations.
Example: The sky is full of black clouds. (rain) Its going to rain.

Terry is doing his examinations tomorrow. He hasnt done any work for them and he
is not very intelligent. (fail)
It is 8.30. Tom is leaving his house. He has to be at work at 8.45 but the journey
takes 30 minutes. (be late) .
There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. It is filling up with water very quickly.
(sink) .
Ann is driving. There is very little petrol left in the tank. The nearest petrol
station is a long away. (run out of petrol)

Eva Mara Ortiz Egea

7