hi I'm Martin welcome to Oxford online
English in this lesson you can learn how
to talk about the future in English
what are you doing this evening what are
your plans for next year
who will win the next World Cup in this
class you'll learn to answer these and
other questions about the future in
clear natural correct English you'll see
many simple phrases which you can learn
to help you talk about the future in
English in any situation let's start
with a simple question what are you
doing this weekend
what are you doing this weekend I'm
meeting some friends for lunch on
Saturday and then we're going to the
theatre sounds good what about Sunday
not sure don't have plans yet
what about you doing anything fun I'm
going away for the weekend really nice
where are you going
Berlin I find some cheap flights let's
look at some useful language you saw in
this dialogue
what are you doing this weekend this is
a very common question you can change it
and use it in different situations like
this what are you doing tomorrow what
are you doing tonight what are you doing
next Wednesday evening
how could you answer these three
questions here are some possible answers
I'm working in the morning then I'm
playing football in the park with some
friends I'm going for a beer with some
people from work next Wednesday no idea
I haven't made any plans yet can you see
what verb form you need in these
questions and answers you often need the
present continuous tense you can use the
president continue to talk about the
future even though it's a present tense
you can use the present continuous to
talk about plans if you know where or
when something will happen usually you
use it to talk about the near future
however you can also use it for plans
which are further in the future like
holiday plans let's see some examples of
this are you going anywhere next summer
we're going to Como it's the same place
we go every year I've heard it's
beautiful there how long are you staying
there just a week are you going in July
I'm thinking about going just for 2 or 3
days no we're going in August are you
going with I'm going with two old
college friends well if you come in
August we can show you around I'm
working in August unfortunately here
you heard useful questions to ask
someone about their vacation plan
are you going anywhere this summer how
long are you staying there who are you
going with can you answer these three
questions pause the video and make your
own answers now
put your answers together in one
sentence like this I'm going to eat it
for ten days with a group of friends
next add some more details about what
you're planning to do for example I'm
going to eat it for ten days with a
group of friends we're planning to do
some sightseeing around Cairo then we're
going to do a boat trip on the Nile can
you see something different in this
sentence we said we're planning to do
some sightseeing around Cairo we're
going to do a boat trip on the Nile here
you're using two verbs planning to do
and going to do
do you know why let's see the answer
you use the present continuous to talk
about plants if you know where or when
something will happen that means you
often need the present continuous to
talk about plans in the near future
what about plans in the future if you
don't know exactly where or when things
will happen is it true you quit yes I'm
done with this place and it feels great
what are you going to do now you know
first of all I'm planning to take some
time to rest and recover my energy I've
been so stressed the last few months
sure but then how are you going to find
a new job actually I'd like to start my
own business tired of working for other
people really what kind of thing are you
thinking of doing my dream is to have my
own small marketing firm I'm hoping to
start with freelancing and then build up
from there Wow good luck here you saw
useful phrases to talk about plans if
you don't know all the details yet do
you remember any of the questions and
phrases here's some of
language you saw what are you going to
do now I'm planning to take some time to
rest I like to start my own business my
dream is to have my own marketing firm
you can change these sentences to fit
different situations like this what are
you going to do after you graduate I'm
planning to buy an apartment next year
I'd like to learn to scuba dive
one day my dream is to live near the sea
where it's sunny all year round you can
use these to talk about future plans
dreams and ideas what about you what are
your plans dreams and ideas for the
future use these templates and make four
sentences about your life in your plans
say the sentence is out loud or write
them down or both now you know how to
talk about all kinds of feature plans in
English what other things do you need to
talk about in the future
what time does the concert start 8
o'clock so we need to leave at 6:30 is
there a bus yeah I think it leaves at
6:45 and it gets there around 7:30 what
time does it finish it's supposed to end
at 10:00 the last bus back leaves at
10:15 so we'll have to hurry here
you saw us talking about schedules
do you remember what language you heard
you can use the present simple to talk
about future schedules or timetables for
example what time does the concert start
the bus gets there around 7:30 the last
bus leaves at 10:15 you can use this to
talk about public transport class
timetables work schedules events or
anything else which runs on a timetable
for example our class starts at 11:30
what time is your flight the wedding is
at 3:00 now it's your turn
think of three things in your life which
run on a timetable make three sentences
using the present simple want an extra
challenge make questions and answers
like this what time does the train leave
it leaves at 5:30 pause the video and
make your thesis this is now again write
them down if you want some extra
practice oh well you forgot something a
very important question oh what's that
you don't remember at the beginning
who's gonna win the next World Cup
but do you think maybe you said
something like Italy will win
I hope Russia will win but I don't think
they actually will England definitely
won't win it to make predictions about
the future you can use will or won't you
can also use going to you generally use
going to for predictions that are not so
far in the future it's going to rain
look at those clouds what do you think
is going to happen next he's going to be
unhappy when he finds out about this
that said don't worry about the
difference between will and going to
here you can use both freely no one will
notice you can also use many other
phrases to make predictions
let's look so do you think they'll do it
Michele will definitely do it there's no
chance Andy is going to finish he
doesn't look like he can run to the bus
stop so I can't believe he'll run 26
miles I don't know he's been training
hard he's unlikely to get a fast time
but I'm pretty sure he'll do it well
anyway we can agree that Michele is sure
to be much faster yeah of course do you
think she'll do it in under three hours
it's not likely that she'll do it that
fast under three hours for a marathon is
quick but she's bound to get under four
hours that's still a good time there we
were talking about two people running a
marathon and making predictions about
how they would do apart from will and
going to did you notice any other
language we used to make predictions
about the future
firstly you can modify will or going to
by adding an adverb like this she'll
definitely do it there's no chance he's
going to finish I'm pretty sure he'll do
it in this way you can show that you're
more or less sure about your prediction
you also heard some other phrases you
can use to make predictions in the
future he is unlikely to get a fast time
she's sure to be much faster it's not
likely that she'll do it that fast
she's bound to get under four hours
likely has a similar meaning to probable
be careful because likely is an
adjective not an adverb so if you say
he's unlikely to get a fast time you
mean that he'll probably be quite slow
sure - and bang - both mean that you're
absolutely certain about something you
can use them to emphasize how sure you
are these phrases are a little less
common however they are good to know
so you convert variety to your spoken
English let's see how you can use these
phrases in some other ways they're
unlikely to hire you if you have so
little experience it's exactly your kind
of film you're sure to like it it's not
likely that I'll wake up before 9:00
he's a really good cook whatever he
makes it's bound to be delicious note
also that likely can be used with both a
positive and a negative meaning you can
say it's unlikely that or he's not
likely to however sure - and bound - are
always positive now it's your turn pause
the video and make four predictions
about the future you can make
predictions about the weather sport your
life or anything you like make four
sentences say them aloud and write them
down if you want extra practice done
look at one more topic you need to talk
about the future
up to now you've learned how to talk
about things in the future that you are
certain about however the future is
often uncertain how can you express this
when you speak English
let's look so do you have any idea when
you'll have finished everything
it really depends it may be ready next
week if everything goes well we really
need a done sooner the thing is it's
possible that we'll have to replace some
of the artwork but could take a few days
okay I have to ask why are you making
such big changes so late for a project
like this those details should be
finalized by now we had some issues but
anyway let's focus on what we can do now
perhaps we won't need to change anything
in that case it'll definitely be
finished by the end of next week
even that's too late look you need to
sort this out hmm maybe I'll work
overtime this weekend that might help
just do what you have to in this
dialogue I was an employee and I wasn't
very sure about a lot of things I used
different words and phrases to show that
I wasn't sure do you remember any of
them
you can use a modal verb like may might
or could for example it may be ready
next week that could take a few days
that might help you can also use will
with an adverb like perhaps or maybe
this has the same meaning as using verbs
like might or could for example perhaps
we won't need to change anything maybe
I'll work overtime this weekend finally
you can use the phrase it's possible
that like this it's possible that we'll
have to replace some of the artwork as
with all of these sentences you can
change them to express your own ideas
for example I may be away next week
taking a warm coat might be a good idea
perhaps I'll go to the park for a walk
this afternoon it's possible but she
didn't see your message now you
hopefully understand many different ways
to talk about the future in English for
more practice with this topic check out
the full version of the lesson on our
website oxfordonlineenglish.com the full
lesson includes a quiz to help you
practise these ideas thanks for watching
see you next time