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Episode: Talking about the future

Author: BBC Radio
Duration: 00:06:14

Episode Shownotes

Learn how to use 'will', 'going to', 'might' and 'be likely to' to talk about the future.FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️6 Minute English ✔️6

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Full Transcript

00:00:00 Speaker_08
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

00:00:06 Speaker_06
This is a download from BBC Learning English. To find out more, visit our website. Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Catherine. And me, Finn. Hello.

00:00:24 Speaker_07
And today we're talking about six different ways of talking about the future, like will and be going to. And we can also use the present simple and continuous tenses.

00:00:37 Speaker_02
And we're going to share a couple of other ways as well. That's right. And as usual, there'll be a quiz at the end to test what you've learned.

00:00:49 Speaker_05
So, let's get started. First, we'll look at will and be going to.

00:00:55 Speaker_05
They're both very common and a lot of the time they're used in a similar way to talk about predictions – but not always. So, let's hear an example of be going to. And Finn, a question for you. OK.

00:01:02 Speaker_02
What's for dinner tonight? Ooh, hmm. I'm going to cook my favourite meal. I know what that is. That's curry.

00:01:11 Speaker_05
It is, always. I've got all the ingredients already. And you, Catherine, what about you?

00:01:22 Speaker_05
Well, I haven't actually made any plans, so I'll probably just have something simple like tomato soup. Sounds yummy. Yeah. So, Finn is going to cook curry. He already knew his plan at the time of speaking. It's his intention, or his plan, to cook curry.

00:01:35 Speaker_02
And we often use be going to in this way.

00:01:41 Speaker_05
And Catherine, what did you say about tomato soup again?

00:01:42 Speaker_02
I said I'll probably have something simple like tomato soup.

00:01:49 Speaker_05
Yes, so Catherine used I'll or will, I will, but she made her decision at the time of speaking.

00:01:56 Speaker_05
So this is one of the main differences between will and going to. OK, so we have four more ways of talking about the future to look at. We do, and we have to talk some more about your curry, Finn, at this point. So, are you eating alone?

00:02:12 Speaker_02
No, I'm eating with a couple of friends.

00:02:22 Speaker_02
Now, this time my question and Finn's answer are both in the present continuous, but we're using the present continuous to talk about the future. We use the present continuous for arrangements like this. So, Finn has arranged to eat with friends. Yes, I'm eating with friends.

00:02:38 Speaker_05
And you know, we could also use be going to for this as well, but not will. So I could say, I'm going to eat with a couple of friends.

00:02:49 Speaker_05
So, that's three ways and now there's another present tense we can use to talk about the future and that's the present simple. So, curry time again, Finn? Let's talk about curry. When are your friends coming to dinner? Well, my friends are passing through London on a very tight schedule.

00:03:06 Speaker_02
So, they arrive at the station at 5pm, we eat dinner at 6pm and they leave on a plane at 9pm the same night. How exciting!

00:03:19 Speaker_05
And that conveniently demonstrates why we use the present simple for future events. We use it to talk about timetables. Your friends arrive at the station at 5pm,

00:03:30 Speaker_02
We eat dinner at 6pm and they leave on a plane at 9pm the same night. And these are all things that are planned to happen at specific times. Right.

00:03:49 Speaker_02
Now, Catherine, it's your turn to use our next form, be about to, to talk about your dinner plans, OK?

00:03:50 Speaker_05
Yes, and I'm about to say something about tomato soup. You're about to. OK, very good, very clever. Yes. So, we use be about to for things in the very near future. And be about to is followed by the base form of a verb.

00:04:10 Speaker_05
So, the film is about to start or the train is about to leave. Things like that. Great.

00:04:15 Speaker_02
So we've now looked at five ways of talking about the future. What about the sixth? Well, the sixth way isn't actually a tense. It's not even a phrase.

00:04:24 Speaker_05
It's just a group of normal everyday verbs.

00:04:31 Speaker_05
And now it's time to bring in Callum, who's been waiting patiently. Listen carefully for the verbs that Callum uses to talk about the future. I plan to do evening classes in coding. I aim to finish all the preparation by 8pm.

00:04:47 Speaker_02
Wang Chun intends to move to Berlin. We've arranged to meet in person next spring.

00:04:52 Speaker_05
She decided to take the money. Good. So, we heard plan, aim, intend, arrange and decide.

00:05:10 Speaker_08
In fact, lots of verbs can be used like this, followed by to and the base form of a verb to talk about the future. So, listen out for them. Oh, and thank you, Callum. You're welcome. And now it's quiz time. Question one. If you've already made a plan to visit France, which is better?

00:05:29 Speaker_05
A. I will travel to France this year or B. I'm going to travel to France this year. The answer is b – I'm going to travel to France this year. Number two. Which is correct?

00:05:54 Speaker_05
a – we're about to get married next summer or b – we plan to get married next summer? And the correct answer is b – we plan to get married next summer. And that's the end of the quiz. Well done if you got all those right. Well done indeed and that's also the end of the show. There's more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

00:06:09 Speaker_02
Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar. Bye!

00:06:25 Speaker_05
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00:06:30 Speaker_02
It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by.

00:06:34 Speaker_05
And in 2017, Miranda, a university tutor from London, joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation. It felt a really safe and welcoming space. After the yoga classes, I felt amazing.

00:06:57 Speaker_01
But soon, that calm, welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker, a journey that leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation across international borders. I don't have my passport, I don't have my phone, I don't have my bank cards, I have nothing. The passport being taken, the being in a house and not feeling like they can leave.

00:07:11 Speaker_04
World of Secrets is where untold stories are unveiled and hidden realities are exposed.

00:07:18 Speaker_01
In this new series, we're confronting the dark side of the wellness industry, where the hope of a spiritual breakthrough gives way to disturbing accusations. You just get sucked in so gradually.

00:07:32 Speaker_04
and it's done so skillfully that you don't realise. And it's like this, the secret that's there.

00:07:36 Speaker_03
I wanted to believe that, you know, that

00:07:43 Speaker_01
whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me, was for some spiritual reason that I couldn't yet understand. Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network. I feel that I have no other choice.

00:08:02 Speaker_04
The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. I want truth and justice.

00:08:16 Speaker_04
and for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future. To bring it into the light and almost alchemise some of that evil stuff that went on and take back the power.

00:08:31 Speaker_04
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