We haven’t had a proper winter for years. I can barely remember what snow looks like. I know people generally dislike (gross understatement) snow in cities. Let me quote but a few arguments here:
1. It’s messy, especially when half-melted mixed with industrial salt and dirt.
2. It slows traffic down. Mind you, it’s not the cars or lousy, sorry: inept, drivers – it’s the snow. Curious.
3. You have to shovel it from the pavements and driveways. Which only concerns house-owners, really. Otherwise, and it’s true for most city-dwellers, your janitor does it for you, so why complain?
4. Who needs winter anyway?!
Ok, I’ll give you the slush of melting snow, but… Come on, winter is fun and so is snow! In the mountains, when you’re downing another bombardinio with your mates, you say? I hear ya.
But I love snow and everything that goes with it. It’s probably one of the reasons I quite naturally took to House Stark: hello! …they have a guy called Snow – by far my favourite type of precipitation. Another reason has to be: they have their own personal wolves! And not some ordinary canis lupus. These are Direwolves, people! Can you imagine what it must have been like when canis dirus were walking the Earth? I’m so happy that this magnificent extinct species has been immortalised, albeit in a slightly changed form, in ‘Game of Thrones’. To brush up on your Direwolf knowledge, check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVWgy_NSl8o
Such incredible near-mythical creatures, majestic and huge. Who cares they can tear a human apart in a heartbeat. They kick ass and we all know it! What I mean is, they should not be trifled with. Having your own ‘pet’ Direwolf must be as cool as having your own ‘pet’ Dragon. I’ll dwell on it some other time. But why am I on about awesome pets?
What I really wanted to talk about here, is the quote that has become one of the phrases most widely used on daily basis: ‘Winter is coming.’ It’s cool! (Almost as cool as having your own Direwolf.) It’s simple. And it works on so many levels. That’s why I hear it all the time and I’m going to use it as an excuse to explain how Future is expressed in English.
Why didn’t I use the phrase: ‘future tenses’, you ask? I’m one of those people who believe that modern English doesn’t really have a future tense as such. Of course, we do use terms the Future Simple, the Future Continuous, etc. but – as you know – these ‘tenses’ are formed with the help of will which shows a lot of traits of a modal verb. However, this division gives us a clear idea of what we’re dealing with, so I will refer to those names here as well.
English uses many grammatical structures to convey future meanings. Let’s study them a bit more closely.
PRESENT SIMPLE
– for definite future arrangements, usually formal or impersonal ones:
The film starts at 6 pm on Friday.
The last train leaves soon after midnight. (here, future coincides with the ‘timetable function’ of the Present Simple)
WILL + INFINITIVE / FUTURE SIMPLE
Some grammar gurus make a distinction between the Future Simple as a ‘future tense’ and the structure will + infinitive. And I’m with them on that. So don’t be surprised, if you come across such a division. However, there is a very thin line between the two and it’s not my intention to bore you to death with ‘philosophical’ considerations on the functions of will. So for all intents and purposes, I’ll merge them here. You can thank me later…
– for ‘unpremeditated intentions’ or decisions made at the time of speaking:
At the inn: I’ll have a big tankard of ale, good woman!
– for offers, promises, invitations, and requests, respectively:
A: I’m hungry. B: I’ll make you a sandwich
A: Remember, it’s a secret! B: I won’t (will not) tell a soul.
Will you come to our wedding next year?
Will you lend me your sword?
– for predictions / probable future, when the speaker thinks, assumes, believes, hopes, expects, doubts, thinks etc. that something will happen. Adverbs like probably, perhaps, possibly are often used in such sentences:
He’ll win this fight. / I believe he will win this fight.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
– for definite arrangements or personal plans:
I’m leaving Oldtown tomorrow. (most probably arrangements have already been made)
What are you doing after the wedding?
COMPARE:
At home, to your partner: I’m having drinks with the guys at the inn on Friday. (definite arrangement)
At the inn, on Friday, to a maid: I’ll have a big tankard of ale, good woman! (spontaneous decision)
OR
Planning your holiday, to yourself: Driving to London takes a lot of time. I’ll fly. (spontaneous decision)
Later, to your friend, holding a ticket in your hand: I’m flying to London in June. (definite arrangement)
BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE
– for ‘premeditated intentions’, often implying an already existing plan:
I’ve just bought the new book. I’m not going to leave the house all weekend.
We’ve got flour, eggs, and sugar… we’re going to make a cake.
– for predictions based on some signs or evidence:
Look at those clouds! It’s going to snow. (YAY!!!)
The sea is really rough today. I’m going to be sick.
COMPARE
At the inn: I’ll have a big tankard of ale, good woman! (‘unpremeditated intention’ / spontaneous decision)
At home, to your old woman: I’m going to the inn with the guys. I’m going to have a big tankard of ale. (‘premeditated intention’ / there’s a plan)
Remember: you can use either form depending on what kind of intention or decision you want to convey.
AND
I think he will die in this battle. (my personal prediction / opinion)
The enemy is planning an ambush. He’s going to die in this battle. (prediction based on evidence)
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
– for future actions which started before and probably continue after a certain point in time:
At this time next week, we will be lying on the beach.
You can come over tomorrow – he won’t (will not) be doing anything.
What will you be doing when we arrive?
FUTURE PERFECT
– typically with time expressions beginning with by: by that time, by the 30th, by then:
By the 30th of March I will have worked here for five years.
– for an action which will already be in the past or will have finished at a given future time – sounds a bit complicated, I know, but l hope the examples will help:
A: Would you like to see the new Star Wars film at the cinema tonight?
B: I need to prepare this presentation. Can we go on Friday? I will have finished by then.
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
– typically with time expressions beginning with by: by that time, by the 30th, by then:
By the 30th of March I will have been workinghere for five years.
As you have probably noticed, the Future Perfect Continuous can be used instead of the Future Perfect, except when:
– the action is explicitly continuous
By the end of the year he will have been making shields for thirty years.
BUT
By the end of the year he will have made over five thousand shields. (we are talking about the completed future action with its results.)
It might seem like a lot to take in all at once, but treat it like a point of reference when in doubt. And please share with me some good ‘Game of Thrones’ future quotes!