Future time in English: a challenging Future Simple

The English system of times is considered one of the most logical in the world. Of course, there are subtleties and nuances, but in order to competently use the times, you do not need to graduate from the profile university. It's enough just to read good books on this topic. It is best to use sources, which students of linguistic universities study. The theme "Future time in English" is well described in the fundamental textbooks. The problem is that these textbooks are often written entirely in English, so I bring here a partial translation of the textbook, which is used in my Alma Mater.

Although the "official" Future forms in English are as large as 4, in practice, native speakers in 98% of cases use only Future Simple. If you happen to have any other time, you can think that you are lucky with the interviewee - this is a very educated and competent person. More often, "uneasy" forms of the future can be found in the press, where very literate people also work. But we will limit ourselves to the consideration of the question "a simple future time in the English language".

Before you can stand two tasks - how to identify in the speech the future time or how to talk about the future yourself.

You can learn the time by the verb shall (nowadays it's rare, although in old texts it is used with "We" or "I") or the verb will (currently used with absolutely all personal pronouns). Just need to know that these verbs in modern speech look like an abbreviation 'll, attached to a pronoun or noun-subject. And you can even be more categorical - if you see will and shall in full form - it is very possible, before you even not the future time, but the ancient meaning of these verbs "want, desire, have intention." So you have to build guesses, based on the context. If you see I'll - breathe a sigh of relief: it's exactly about the future. Together with the marker of the future will, the main verb is used, which indicates exactly what will happen. Example: She ' ll study modern languages next year. - Translation: Next year she will study modern languages

So, you can learn the future in a speech. But in which cases should I use a simple future time in English?

• Events that can be predicted and that will occur regardless of someone's will. For example: Uncle John will be 45 next week. Uncle John will turn 45 next week. The rain season will begin in 2 days. The rainy season will begin in two days

• In the first case, it was about events caused by natural causes. But the second case, when we use the future time in English, is connected with the predictions that we make for the future. That is, we need to use Future Simple if we consider some event possible or probable. We think that such an event will occur in the near or distant future. And use our Future Simple. For example: (I think) Manchester United will win it. (I think) Manchester United will win this match.

• We will also use Future Simple if we impulsively make a decision about the near future and bring it to the attention of the interlocutor. For example: - It's stuffy in the room. - I will open the windows. - It's stuffy in the room. - I'll open the windows.
• Future time is also sometimes used when a person asks for advice about actions at the moment. In this case, only the form shall be used for himself. For example: Shall I buy this ticket? Should I buy this ticket?

• Also sometimes Future Simple is used in emotionally colored situations, strictly speaking, to the future not relevant: when something does not work properly or about irritating behavior of a person. For example: This program will not work. This program does not work. He will always complain about homework. He always complains about his homework.

As you can see, future time in English is easy to express. Of course, after reading this article an "advanced user" of English can not be - but to solve everyday issues, the information you need is useful. Try to buy at least one good book about the system of times, better published in a Russian-speaking country, this will help you better understand the subtleties.