Grammar unit 6
Future tenses
To talk about future events we can use be + going to or the future simple.
The final is going to take place at Wembley stadium.
I’ll get frustrated if you don’t call me Thibaut.
! To stress the idea of intention, we often use be + going to.
I am going to eat more fruit next year.
! To make a prediction based on a sign or on evidence you can see, we often use be + going to.
I think it’s safe to say that we are going to win today.
! After to hope, to expect,… be +going to is rarely used.
I hope they won’t be late.
! Sometimes, in spoken language, be + going to is pronounced be + gonna. Although it is common in
iiinformal speech, the written form should be avoided.
Future continuous
You can also use the structure will be + -ing form to talk about the future. We call this tense the
future continuous.
You will be putting this in a document.
Text types
Different (parts of) texts have different functions.
- A narrative text is a text that tells a story to entertain you.
- An informative text is a non-fictional text that wants to give you information about something.
- A persuasive text is a text that wants to convince the reader of something.
The verb ‘can’
To talk about abilities, we use can (can’t, cannot) or (not) be able to.
I can’t stand crying children.
I am able to run 5 minutes.
We use the verb can in the present simple and could in the past simple. For other tenses, we always
use a form of to be able to (ability) or to be allowed to (permission).
Student workers will be able to / are allowed to work more hours this year.
1
Future tenses
To talk about future events we can use be + going to or the future simple.
The final is going to take place at Wembley stadium.
I’ll get frustrated if you don’t call me Thibaut.
! To stress the idea of intention, we often use be + going to.
I am going to eat more fruit next year.
! To make a prediction based on a sign or on evidence you can see, we often use be + going to.
I think it’s safe to say that we are going to win today.
! After to hope, to expect,… be +going to is rarely used.
I hope they won’t be late.
! Sometimes, in spoken language, be + going to is pronounced be + gonna. Although it is common in
iiinformal speech, the written form should be avoided.
Future continuous
You can also use the structure will be + -ing form to talk about the future. We call this tense the
future continuous.
You will be putting this in a document.
Text types
Different (parts of) texts have different functions.
- A narrative text is a text that tells a story to entertain you.
- An informative text is a non-fictional text that wants to give you information about something.
- A persuasive text is a text that wants to convince the reader of something.
The verb ‘can’
To talk about abilities, we use can (can’t, cannot) or (not) be able to.
I can’t stand crying children.
I am able to run 5 minutes.
We use the verb can in the present simple and could in the past simple. For other tenses, we always
use a form of to be able to (ability) or to be allowed to (permission).
Student workers will be able to / are allowed to work more hours this year.
1
