Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Thanks and Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Tasks
- Introductory unit
- 1 Language standards and rules
- 2 Varieties of English
- 3 Types of grammar
- 4 Language systems and syllabuses
- 5 Forms and functions
- 6 An introduction to phonology
- 7 The consonants
- 8 The vowels
- 9 Rhythm and connected speech
- 10 Sentence stress and intonation
- 11 Word formation, spelling and word stress
- 12 Lexical meaning
- 13 Word classes and phrases
- 14 Sentence structure: the simple sentence
- 15 Sentence structure: the complex sentence
- 16 Negatives and questions
- 17 The verb phrase
- 18 Time and tense
- 19 Aspect: progressive
- 20 Aspect: perfect
- 21 Modality
- 22 Futurity
- 23 Hypothetical meaning and conditionals
- 24 The noun phrase
- 25 Determiners
- 26 Adjectives and adverbs
- 27 Prepositions and phrasal verbs
- 28 Cohesion
- 29 Texts
- 30 Conversation
- Key and commentaries
- Introductory unit
- 1 Language standards and rules
- 2 Varieties of English
- 3 Types of grammar
- 4 Language systems and syllabuses
- 5 Forms and functions
- 6 An introduction to phonology
- 7 The consonants
- 8 The vowels
- 9 Rhythm and connected speech
- 10 Sentence stress and intonation
- 11 Word formation, spelling and word stress
- 12 Lexical meaning
- 13 Word classes and phrases
- 14 Sentence structure: the simple sentence
- 15 Sentence structure: the complex sentence
- 16 Negatives and questions
- 17 The verb phrase
- 18 Time and tense
- 19 Aspect: progressive
- 20 Aspect: perfect
- 21 Modality
- 22 Futurity
- 23 Hypothetical meaning and conditionals
- 24 The noun phrase
- 25 Determiners
- 26 Adjectives and adverbs
- 27 Prepositions and phrasal verbs
- 28 Cohesion
- 29 Texts
- 30 Conversation
- References
- Index
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Thanks and Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Tasks
- Introductory unit
- 1 Language standards and rules
- 2 Varieties of English
- 3 Types of grammar
- 4 Language systems and syllabuses
- 5 Forms and functions
- 6 An introduction to phonology
- 7 The consonants
- 8 The vowels
- 9 Rhythm and connected speech
- 10 Sentence stress and intonation
- 11 Word formation, spelling and word stress
- 12 Lexical meaning
- 13 Word classes and phrases
- 14 Sentence structure: the simple sentence
- 15 Sentence structure: the complex sentence
- 16 Negatives and questions
- 17 The verb phrase
- 18 Time and tense
- 19 Aspect: progressive
- 20 Aspect: perfect
- 21 Modality
- 22 Futurity
- 23 Hypothetical meaning and conditionals
- 24 The noun phrase
- 25 Determiners
- 26 Adjectives and adverbs
- 27 Prepositions and phrasal verbs
- 28 Cohesion
- 29 Texts
- 30 Conversation
- Key and commentaries
- Introductory unit
- 1 Language standards and rules
- 2 Varieties of English
- 3 Types of grammar
- 4 Language systems and syllabuses
- 5 Forms and functions
- 6 An introduction to phonology
- 7 The consonants
- 8 The vowels
- 9 Rhythm and connected speech
- 10 Sentence stress and intonation
- 11 Word formation, spelling and word stress
- 12 Lexical meaning
- 13 Word classes and phrases
- 14 Sentence structure: the simple sentence
- 15 Sentence structure: the complex sentence
- 16 Negatives and questions
- 17 The verb phrase
- 18 Time and tense
- 19 Aspect: progressive
- 20 Aspect: perfect
- 21 Modality
- 22 Futurity
- 23 Hypothetical meaning and conditionals
- 24 The noun phrase
- 25 Determiners
- 26 Adjectives and adverbs
- 27 Prepositions and phrasal verbs
- 28 Cohesion
- 29 Texts
- 30 Conversation
- References
- Index
Summary
Introduction
This unit looks at the ways that futurity is expressed in English, with special attention to the modal auxiliary will and the modal phrase going to.
Tasks
1 Future tense
There is no future tense verb inflection in English. Futurity is expressed in a number of different ways, some of which are exemplified in these emails. Can you identify the verb forms that have future reference?
2 Choice of future form
Given the number of future forms, what determines their choice? Two common assumptions are that the choice of future form is determined by:
a how certain the future event is;
b how soon it will occur.
To which two more reasons could be added:
c what caused it? i.e. what is the perceived origin or agent of the future event, e.g. is it arranged, scheduled, planned, desired, predicted, or does it simply happen as a matter of course?; and
d the style or register of the context, e.g. spoken vs. written, formal vs informal.
Which of these reasons (a, b, c or d) do you think best explains the differences between all of the following:
1 I’ll take you to the hotel.
2 I’ll be taking you to the hotel.
3 I’m going to take you to the hotel.
4 I’m taking you to the hotel.
5 I take you to the hotel.
3 Future forms
Like most expressions of modality, future forms can express two kinds of meaning: logical and personal (see Unit 21). Now, complete this chart, using examples from the above emails, and filling in the other missing details:
4 Will
The modal auxiliary will is considered by many learners (and a number of grammarians) to be the nearest thing to a ‘pure’ future in English. But will does not always express futurity. In each of the following examples decide whether will/won’t is used with future reference. Can you explain what will/won’t means in those instances where it does not have future reference?
a After the 17th, although you will still be active, you will also feel more introspective. Keep your spending to a minimum.
b It’s difficult. Deb won’t speak to me or see our children. Oliver’s mother blames me and won’t meet me.
- Type
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- Information
- About LanguageTasks for Teachers of English, pp. 138 - 143Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2017