Guide to English grammar

The future continuous • 75
The cinema is sold and will be closing in November.

Be to • 76
The cinema is to close in November, it was announced.

The present simple in a sub clause • 77
It will be a sad day when the cinema closes.


Other ways of expressing the future • 78
Mr. Dudley is about to retire.
He might retire soon.
He plans to retire in November.

The future perfect • 79
The cinema will have been in business for sixty years.

Looking forward from the past • 80
Mr. Dudley was going to continue working, but he lost his job.

OVERVIEW: the future • 81

A practical guide to English grammar 79

71 Will and shall

1 We use “will + base form” for the future.
This book will change your life.
Cinema goers will have to travel ten miles to the nearest cinema.
Will you still love me tomorrow?
“Will” has a short form 'II, and “will not” has a short form won't.
We'll know our exam results in August.
This town won't be the same again.

2 In the first person we can use either will or shall in statements about the future. The meaning is the same.

I will be/shall be at home tomorrow.
We will have/shall have another opportunity soon.
Shall is less usual in the USA.
We do not normally use shall with other subjects.
NOT Christine shall be at home tomorrow.

NOTE
Shall not has a short form shan't / a:nt /.

I shan't be here tomorrow.

3 Will often expresses the future as fact, something we cannot control. It expresses a prediction, a definite opinion about the future.

Southern England will stay cloudy and windy tonight.
My father will probably be in hospital for at least two weeks.

4 We can sometimes use I'll/we'll for an instant decision.

It's raining. I'll take an umbrella.
I think I'll have the soup, please.
We decide more or less as the words are spoken. Compare be going to.
I