By Chris Green
INTRODUCTION
The IELTS
Speaking test often has at least one question that asks you to make some
guesses about how the future will be different to today.
These questions are usually in Part 3 but sometimes Part 1 or Part 2 have questions about the future.
Here is a
typical example:
“How do you
think transportation will change in China in the next twenty years?”
(For the word, ‘transportation’, you could substitute any of the
following: ‘education’, ‘housing’, ‘the way people spend their free
time’, ‘work’, ‘entertainment’, ‘shopping’,
‘clothes’, ‘the way people get their news’, ‘communication’,
‘the environment’, ‘society’, ‘families’, ‘medicine’,
‘people’s eating habits’ etc. )
The question
could even be something like, “In what ways do you think
you
will change over the next 20 years?”
Another
variation could be, “What changes would you like to see take place in
(topic area) in China over the next few years?”
And a further
variation (which is not covered very much in this document) could be, “What
plans do you have for the next 5 years?”
Many IELTS
candidates are not very strong at making a variety of sentences to talk about
the future. These notes list some of the main ways to make these sentences.
In
the IELTS Speaking test, you might be able to impress the examiner enough to
move from a Band 5 score to a Band 6, just by making a few good sentences about
the future! In other words, if you are asked a question about the future
and you are NOT prepared, you are unlucky because this kind of question is
one of the most difficult questions in the Speaking test. But if you are asked
this kind of question and you ARE prepared, you are lucky because you have a good opportunity
to impress the examiner.
One kind of
sentence which you really should practice is the sentence using ‘there + be’
in the future tense. (Model 2 in these notes.) This is because ‘there + be’
is widely used in English to make sentences but many people are not very skilled
using ‘there + be’ in the future tense and in the spoken form.
For example, (in
answer to the question about transportation):
“I think
there’ll certainly be many electric cars on the roads twenty years from
now.”
Notice two
things: 1) The contracted form of ‘there will be’ is the most natural way to
speak
this sentence; 2) The sentence is made more accurate by adding an adverb such as
‘certainly’ between the words ‘will’ and ‘be’.
When talking about the future, we most often use the word
“will” but that is not the only way
to talk about the future.
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The following diagram shows how adverbs can express different
degrees of certainty about the future.
Notes:
a) Although ‘certainly’ and
‘definitely’ are interchangeable here,
b) These adverbs can be used either before
or after the word, ‘will’. In other
words, we can say, ‘probably will or ‘will
probably’. However, when we use the word,
‘won't’ (or ‘will not’), we can only put the adverb before the word
‘won't’.
c) These percentages are approximate
values. Some people might
d)
You can think of ‘probably’ as
meaning ‘很可能’
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The following are some different ‘models’ for talking about the future.
(Example question:
“Do you think it will rain tomorrow?”
Models 1 to 13 involve different ways to use the verb ‘will’.
Models 14 to 17 use the Modal Verbs ‘might’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘should’ and ‘ought to’ instead of ‘will’.
Model 18 uses, ‘be certain to/be sure to/be bound to/be likely to/be unlikely to’.
Model 19 uses, ‘There is certain/sure/bound/likely/unlikely to be + noun’.
Model 20 shows some (usually more formal) ways of talking about the future using the nouns, ‘likelihood’, ‘certainty’, ‘probability’ and ‘possibility’.
Model 21 shows three idiomatic expressions used for talking about the future.
Model 22 shows how, ‘going to’ can sometimes mean the same as ‘will’.
Model 23 shows the grammar of ‘hope’ and compares ‘hope’ to ‘wish’. Basically, you should use ‘hope’ when talking about the future and use ‘wish’ when talking about how you would like to change the present or the past (both impossible).
Model 24 shows that ‘can’ should not be used when talking about the future (except when using ‘hope’) – ‘will be able to’ should be used instead.
Model 25 shows that ‘must’ should not be used when talking about the future – ‘will have to’ should be used instead.
Model 26 explains the use of ‘shall’.
Model 27 explains the use of ‘ago’ and ‘in’ when referring to countable time units from now ( relative to now) in the past and the future.
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Do you think it will rain tomorrow?
Models 1 – 13, Using ‘will’
Model 1: will (+ adverb) + verb ( = adverb + will + verb)
1.1
Yes, it’ll rain tomorrow.
= Yes, it’ll
definitely/certainly rain tomorrow.
1.2
Yes, it’ll almost certainly rain tomorrow.
1.3
Yes, I think it’ll probably rain tomorrow.
1.4
Yes, it’ll possibly rain tomorrow. (= Possibly it’ll rain tomorrow.)
1.5
No, it probably won’t rain tomorrow.
1.6
No, it almost certainly won’t rain tomorrow.
1.7 No, it definitely won’t rain tomorrow.
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Model 2: There + will
(+ adverb) + be + noun
2.1 Yes, (I think) there’ll definitely be (lots of) rain tomorrow. (=1.2 almost certainly
will)
NOTE: ‘There
+ be’ (including the future form, ‘there
will be’ and the past
Note that, in place of the word ‘will’ we can substitute the modal verbs, ‘might’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘should’, and ‘ought to’. (We can also substitute the modal, ‘would’ but this is not used when talking about the future.) However, when we use ‘might’ or ‘may’ we cannot use the adverbs, ‘probably’ or ‘possibly’ because ‘might’ and ‘may’ already include the idea of ‘possibly’. On the other hand, we can use ‘certainly’, ‘definitely’ and ‘surely’ with the modals ‘might’ and ‘may’ as a way to emphasize what we are saying.
Examples
There might be rain tomorrow. = There may be rain tomorrow. = There could be rain tomorrow. = 1.4
Less often used: There should be rain tomorrow. = There ought to be rain tomorrow. = 1.3 or 1.2
See also Models 14-17, below.
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Model 3:
We will (+adverb) + have/see + noun
3.1 Yes, (I think) we’ll probably have rain tomorrow. (= 1.3 probably will)
NOTES:
This is another convenient way to express the same idea as ‘there + be’, in Model 2. For example: “We’ll probably have (=see) many electric cars on the roads within ten or twenty years.”
Sometimes the verb, ‘experience’ is suitable instead of, ‘have’ or ‘see’. For example, “I think we’ll experience some very hot weather over the next few years.” However, to ‘experience rain’ is not a very suitable verb-noun combination.
Variations of ‘We will
see’ and ‘We will have’ are:
‘We might see/have’
‘We may see/have’
‘We could see/have’
‘We should see/have’
‘We ought to see/have’
‘We are certain to see/have’
‘We are likely to see/have’
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Model 4:
I’m
sure (= I’m confident = I’m convinced = I’m certain = I’m
4.1 I’m sure it’ll rain tomorrow. (= 1.1 or 1.2, certainly will,
almost certainly
4.2 Yeah, I bet it’ll rain
tomorrow. (= 1.2 almost certainly will)
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Model 5: Be (present tense) + adjective (+ that )+ subject + will + verb
Here, the suitable adjectives
are: certain, definite, sure, probable, likely, possible, improbable,
unlikely, impossible, and doubtful.
NOTE: Model 5 examples are not often
used because there are simpler
5.1 It’s (I’m) certain that
we’ll have rain tomorrow. (= 1.1 certainly will)
5.2 (I think) it’s probable
that it’ll rain. (= 1.2 almost certainly will)
(=
It’s likely to rain tomorrow.)
5.3 It’s possible that
it’ll rain tomorrow. (= 1.3, probably will)
5.4 It’s unlikely that we’ll have rain
tomorrow. (= 1.5 probably won’t)
5.5
I’m very doubtful that it’ll rain tomorrow. (= 1.6 almost
certainly won’t)
(This model not often used. Most people would simply say, “I don’t think
it’ll rain tomorrow.)
5.6
It’s impossible that we’ll have rain tomorrow. (= 1.7
definitely won’t)
(This model not often used. Most people would simply say, “I'm sure it won't
rain tomorrow.)
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Model 6:
I think(=guess/suppose/imagine/expect/predict/foresee) + will + verb
6.1 Yes, I think (that) it’ll
rain tomorrow. (=1.3, probably will)
The words ‘expect’,
‘predict’ and ‘foresee’
can also be followed by a noun. For example: “I predict rain tomorrow”, “I
expect many changes in the future”, “I foresee fast growth in the Chinese
economy over the next few years.”
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Model 7: Maybe
+ will + verb
= Perhaps + will + verb
7.1 Maybe it’ll rain
tomorrow. (= Perhaps it'll rain
tomorrow.)
(= 1.4, Possibly it’ll rain tomorrow.)
Note that “Maybe it'll rain tomorrow.” means the same as, “It may rain tomorrow.” (See Model 14.) However, in the second example, ‘may ’ is a verb which is followed by another verb (including the verb, ‘be’) while ‘maybe’ is an adverb.
An example of ‘may + be’
“That may be the best choice.” = “That might be the best choice.” = “Maybe that's the best choice.” = “Perhaps that's the best choice.”
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Model 8: I
doubt (that) + will + verb
8.1
I doubt it’ll rain tomorrow. (=1.5 probably won’t)
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Model 9:
Will be + 过去分词 (= future simple tense, passive voice = 将来被动语态)
(Note that only the future simple tense and the future perfect tense
normally
9.1
Twenty years from now, China’s economy will be much more developed.
9.2
Hopefully, China’s present-day environmental problems will be solved in
the not-too-distant future.
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Model 10: Will
be + 现在分词
(= future continuous tense = 将来进行时
(Note that all continuous tenses refer to a particular point in time.)
10.1
In twenty
years, people will probably be living on the moon.
10.2
I’m sure
that, within a few years, people in China will be enjoying a high standard of
living.
10.3
People will
probably be driving electric cars (at some point) in the future.
10.4
I predict that,
in the future (= at some point in the future), many people will be working from
home, using the internet to communicate with their workplace.
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Model
11:
Will have +过去分词
(= future
perfect tense =将来完成时)
(Note:
Perfect tenses always refer to ‘before a particular time’.)
11.1
By
2020, China’s standard of living will have reached a high level.
11.2
I’m sure some
Chinese people will have landed on the moon before 2020.
11.3
I’m confident that,
twenty years from now, medical science will have already found a cure for
cancer.
11.4 I believe that, within the next twenty years (= some point within the next twenty years), China will have become the world’s leading country.
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Model 12:
Will
have been +过去分词
(=
future perfect passive =
12.1
I’m sure that many of today’s social and
environmental problems will
12.2
I predict that cures for AIDS and cancer will have
been discovered by
12.3
I’m sure that certain educational reforms will have
come into effect by
12.4
China’s education system will probably have been
reformed somewhat by the year 2020.
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Model 13:
Will
have been +现在分词
(=
future perfect continuous tense
(Note: There are easier ways to express the idea in the following
sentence.)
13.1
I think that, by 2020, people will have already been driving
electric cars
(= I think that, by 2020, people will
already have been driving
electric cars
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Models 14 –17, using the modal
verbs.
Model 14: Might
+ verb = May + verb
14.1 It might rain tomorrow.
= 14.2 It may rain tomorrow.
(= 1.4, possibly will)
‘Might’ and ‘may’ have the same meaning. The difference between the two is that relatively uneducated English speakers never or rarely use ‘may’ while well-educated English speakers use both - sometimes using ‘may’, especially in situations where they want to sound more polite, and sometimes using ‘might’. You should not ONLY use ‘may’ because this will make your speech seem unnatural and pretentious.
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Model 15: Could
+ verb
15.1 It could rain tomorrow. (= 1.4, possibly will)
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Model 16: Should
+ verb
16.1
It
should rain tomorrow. (= 1.3 probably will or 1.2 almost certainly will)
(This implies that the weather forecast predicted an almost 100% chance
for rain tomorrow.)
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Model 17:
Ought
to + verb
17.1
It ought to rain tomorrow. (= 1.3 probably will or 1.2 almost certainly will)
NOTE: Model 17 is not often used for the future.
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Model 18:
Be
(present tense) + certain to/sure to/bound to/likely to/unlikely to + verb
18.1 Yes, it’s certain to rain tomorrow. (= 1.1 certainly will)
18.2 Yes, it’s sure to rain tomorrow. (= 1.1 certainly will)
18.3 Yes, it’s bound to rain tomorrow. (= 1.1 certainly will)
18.4 Yes, it’s likely to rain tomorrow. (= 1.3, probably will)
18.5 No, it’s unlikely to rain tomorrow. (= 1.5 probably won’t)
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Model 19: There is certain/sure/bound/likely/unlikely to be + noun
Note that when speaking about simple topics such as rain, most English speakers would choose simpler ways to speak than these examples. However, when discussing more serious topics, these sentences are suitable.
19.1 Yes, there’s certain to be some rain tomorrow. (=1.1 certainly will.)
19.2 Yes, there’s likely to be rain tomorrow. (= 1.3, probably will)
19.3 No, there’s unlikely to be rain tomorrow. (=1.5 probably won’t)
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Model 20:
Using
the nouns, ‘likelihood’, ‘certainty’, ‘probability’, and
These examples are quite formal language which is frequently used by ‘experts’ in a particular field, for example, by weather forecasters on TV.
20.1 Yes, there’s a strong likelihood of rain. (= 1.3, probably will)
20.2 Yes, rain tomorrow is a certainty. (= 1.1 certainly will)
20.3 There’s a high probability of rain tomorrow. (= 1.2 almost certainly will)
20.4 Yes, there’s a possibility of rain. (= 1.4 possibly will.)
20.5
Yes, it’s a (=
rain tomorrow is a) possibility. (=1.4 possibly will
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Model 21:
Idiomatic expressions about the future.
Certain idioms are frequently used to express ideas about the future. Idiomatic expressions are most suitable for informal, spoken English.
21.1
Yes, rain is on the cards tomorrow. (= 1.3 probably will)
21.2
Yes, rain is a sure thing tomorrow. (= 1.1 certainly will)
21.3
Electric cars are a sure thing in the future. (= 1.1 certainly
will)
21.4
You can bank on seeing electric cars in the future. (= 1.2 almost certainly will)
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Model 22:
Going
to + Verb
‘Going to + verb’ has three different shades of meaning:
1. An Intention or plan (安排)
22.1 I’m going to see my girlfriend this weekend.
2. Saying that something
will happen soon (快要)
22.2
It’s going to
rain soon.
22.3 Look at that car! It’s going to crash!
3. Predicting (预言) This
meaning is the same as 1.1 or 1.2, (will/certainly
22.4
She’s going to have a baby in January. = She’ll have a baby in
January.
22.5
It’s going to
be a hot day tomorrow. = It will be hot tomorrow.
22.6
Unfortunately,
I think there’s going to be a few more wars in the near future.
=
Unfortunately, I think there’ll be a few more wars in the near future.
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Hope and Wish
Model 23:
hope
+ present tense (= expressing a wish/hope for the future).
1) ‘Hope’ (希望) is used to express a
desire for a real possibility in the future. The grammar is, hope + present
tense verb.
NOTE:
Although it is possible to use ‘will’
after the word, ‘hope’, it is best NOT to say or write ‘hope + will’
because
this
sounds incorrect to many English speakers. Therefore, the best idea is to use
the present tense after ‘hope’
most of the time. However, in the
(假设的) situation [see 5) below], ‘hope + will’ sometimes sounds more natural than ‘hope + present
tense’.
Examples:
I hope you have a good time tomorrow.
I hope you get better soon.
I hope you are successful.
I hope I get a good score in this test.
I hope it rains tomorrow.
Hope + 不定式
When the person doing the hoping hopes to do something in the future, then the 不定式 form of the verb can be used. For example:
She hopes she gets the job. = She hopes to get the job.
I hope I see her at the party. = I hope to see her at the party.
Hoping about a present situation
When we express a hope about a present situation, it means that we don't yet know what the present situation really is but that we will find out the real situation in the future, (probably very soon). In other words, this is just a variation of hoping for the future. For example; ‘I hope I'm not late.’ = ‘I hope you will not tell me that I am late.’ Similarly; ‘I hope you like my new hairstyle.’ = ‘I hope you're going to tell me that you like my new hairstyle.’
2)
‘Wish’ can be used with the same meaning as hope, above. However, this meaning
for ‘wish’ is 祝, not 希望 and it is followed by a noun, not a verb.
Examples:
I
wish you a good time tomorrow.
I
wish you a speedy recovery.
I
wish you success.
I
wish you success in this test.
(The
sentence, “I wish us rain tomorrow.” is not usually used.)
3)
‘Wish’ (希望) expresses a desire to change the present or
the past,
but NOT the future.
(Use
‘hope’ for the future. Also see ‘wish for’, below.) It
is hypothetical (假设的)
because it is
impossible to change the past or the present. (If you change the present
situation, it becomes a new present situation.)
Examples:
A
Present Situation that you would like to change:
A
Past Situation that you would like to change:
Note
the grammar (which seems a little strange): “I wish I had more money” uses the past tense but the
meaning is not past tense – it simply expresses a desire to have a different present
situation. Similarly, “I wish I had grown up in a big city” uses the 过去完成时
but the meaning
is that the speaker would like to change the 过去时, not the 过去完成时.
4)‘Make a wish for + noun’ = ‘Wish for + noun’
Or = You are driving too fast now and I would like
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Model 24: Will be able to + verb
IMPORTANT NOTE! DO NOT USE ‘CAN’ WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE. INSTEAD, USE ‘WILL BE ABLE TO’.
24.1
After (=when) I go to Australia next year, I’ll
be able to practice speaking
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Model 25: Will have to + verb
IMPORTANT NOTE! DO NOT USE ‘MUST’ WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE. INSTEAD, USE ‘WILL HAVE TO’.
25.1 After I move to Shanghai, I’ll have to find an apartment.
Some people try to use ‘must’
for the future when their meaning is, 一定是.
In this case, they should not use ‘must’
but should use, ‘certainly
will’
(or, ‘definitely
will’,
‘surely
will’
or simply, ‘will’).
Example:
INCORRECT: “If you eat too
much, you must get fat.”
CORRECT: “If you eat too much you’ll (certainly) get fat.”
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Model 26: ‘I shall’ or ‘We shall’
In Britain, ‘I shall’ and ‘We shall’ mean the same as ‘I will’ and ‘We will’. However, in the other English-speaking countries, ‘shall’ is only used in quite formal situations (such as in an important speech) or when someone wants to sound extra polite. Even this ‘extra polite’ usage is not very common among non-British English speakers.
An example of using ‘shall’ to sound very polite:
“Shall we begin?” = “Would you like to begin?”
=
(informal) “Let’s begin.”
=
“Why don’t we begin?”
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Model 27:
THE TIME LINE
The diagram below shows a ‘time line’. A time line represents countable units of time such as minutes, days, years, etc. Many people make grammatical mistakes when talking about situations on time lines.
The important things to remember are:
When talking about a point in time that is specified as X units of time FROM NOW, use ‘IN’ (for the future) and ‘AGO’ (for the past).
You can use the words ‘later’, ‘after’, ‘before’, ‘previously’ and ‘earlier’ relative to any other time, both future and past, but NOT relative to now.
Notes:
This usage of ‘in’ is completely different to the meaning, 里边.
If you want to say, 之内 in English, use the word, ‘within’. For example, “I'll finish the report within three days.” (= I might finish it tomorrow but I'll certainly finish it by the end of the day after tomorrow.)
In some parts of the U.S.A., for example, Texas, it is acceptable to use ‘later’ or ‘after’ relative to now. However, in British English and among most educated Americans, that is considered to be a grammatical mistake.
For the diagram shown below, correct sentences are:
1. I’ll go to Shanghai in four days and I’ll return three days later.
2. I’ll go to Shanghai in four days and three days after that, I’ll return home.
3. I’ll return from Shanghai in seven days.
4. I’ll come back from Shanghai in seven days after having gone there three days before/earlier/previously. (An unnecessarily complex way to say it.)
5.
I went to Nanjing eight days ago and I came back five days later.
6.
I went to Nanjing eight days ago and, after spending five days there, I
came back home.
7.
I came back from Nanjing three days ago.
8.
I returned from Nanjing three days ago. I had gone there five days
before/earlier/previously. (Unnecessarily complex.)
Actually, “after five
days”, meaning from now, can be used but the meaning is, “anytime
after five days and not including five days or before five days”. This is
shown in the diagram below. So, you could say to someone, “I’ll give you the money I owe
you after five days”, and in fact give them the money five years from now!
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