D. Shall I ...? Shall we ...?
Shall is used mostly in the questions shall I ...?/shall we ...?
We use shall I ...?/shall we ...? to ask somebody's opinion (especially in offers or suggestions):
* Shall I open the window? (= do you want me to open the window?)
* I've got no money. What shall I do? (= what do you suggest?)
* 'Shall we go?' 'Just a minute. I'm not ready yet.'
* Where shall we go this evening?
Compare shall I ...? and will you ...?:
* Shall I shut the door? (= do you want me to shut it?)
* Will you shut the door? (= I want you to shut it)
EXERCISES
21.1 Complete the sentences with I'll + a suitable verb.
1. I'm too tired to walk home. I think I'll get a taxi.
2. 'It's a bit cold in this room.' 'Is It? --- on the heating then.'
3. 'We haven't got any milk.' 'Oh, haven't we? --- and get some.'
4. 'Do you want me to do the washing-up?' 'No, it's all right. --- it.'
5. 'I don't know how to use this computer.' 'OK, --- you.'
6. 'Would you like tea or coffee? '--- coffee, please.'
7. 'Goodbye! Have a nice holiday.' 'Thanks. --- you a postcard.'
8. Thank you for lending me your camera. --- it back to you on Monday, OK?
9. 'Are you coming with us?' 'No, I think --- here.'
21.2 Read the situations and write sentences with I think I'll ... or I don't think I'll ...
1. It's a bit cold. You decide to close the window. You say: I think I'll close the window.
2. You are feeling tired and it's quite late. You decide to go to bed. You say: I think ---
3. A friend of yours offers you a lift in his car but you decide to walk. You say: Thank you but ---
4. You arranged to play tennis today. Now you decide that you don't want to play. You say: I don't think ---
5. You were going to go swimming. Now you decide that you don't want to go. ---
21.3 Which is correct? (If necessary, study Units 19-20 first.)
1. 'Did you phone Ruth?' 'Oh no, I forgot. _I phone (X)/I'll phone (O)_ her now.' (I'll phone is correct)
2. I can't meet you tomorrow afternoon. _I'm playing (O)/I'll play (X)_ tennis. (I'm playing is correct)
3. _'I meet/I'll meet_ you outside the hotel in half an hour, OK?' 'Yes, that's fine.'
4. 'I need some money.' 'OK, _I'm lending/I'll lend_ you some. How much do you need?'
5. _I'm having/I'll have_ a party next Saturday. I hope you can come.
6. 'Remember to buy a newspaper when you go out.' 'OK. _I don't forget/I won't forget.'_
7. What time _does your train leave/will your train leave_ tomorrow?
8. I asked Sue what happened but she _doesn't tell/won't tell_ me.
9. _'Are you doing/Will you do_ anything tomorrow evening?' 'No, I'm free. Why?'
10. I don't want to go out alone. _Do you come/Will you come_ with me?
11. It's a secret between us. I promise _I don't tell/I won't tell_ anybody.
21.4 What do you say in these situations? Write sentences with shall I ...? or shall we ...?
1. You and a friend want to do something this evening but you don't know what. You ask your friend. What shall we do this evening?
2. You try on a jacket in a shop. You are not sure whether to buy it or not. You ask a friend for advice. --- it?
3. It's Ann's birthday next week. You want to give her a present but you don't know what. You ask a friend for advice. What ---
4. You and a friend are going on holiday together but you haven't decided where. You ask him/her. ---
5. You and a friend are going out. You haven't decided whether to go by car or to walk. You ask him/her ---
6. Your friend wants you to phone later. You don't know what time to phone. You ask him/her ---
UNIT 22. Will/shall (2)
A. We do not use will to say what somebody has already arranged or decided to do in the future:
* Ann is working next week. (not 'Ann will work')
* Are you going to watch television this evening? (not 'will you watch')
For 'I'm working ...' and 'Are you going to ...?, see Units 19-20.
But often, when we talk about the future, we are not talking about what somebody has decided to do. For example:
CHRIS: Do you think Ann will pass the exam?
JOE: Yes, she'll pass easily.
'She'll pass' does not mean 'she has decided to pass'. Joe is saying what he knows or thinks will happen. He is predicting the future.
When we predict a future happening or situation, we use will/won't.
* Jill has been away a long time. When she returns, she'll find a lot of changes.
* 'Where will you be this time next year)' 'I'll be in Japan.'
* That plate is very hot. If you touch it, you'll burn yourself.
* Tom won't pass the examination. He hasn't worked hard enough for it.
* When will you know your exam results?
B. We often use will ('ll) with:
probably: I'll probably be home late this evening.
I expect: I haven't seen Carol today. I expect she'll phone this evening.
(I'm) sure: Don't worry about the exam. I'm sure you'll pass.
(I) think: Do you think Sarah will like the present we bought her?
(I) don't think: I don't think the exam will be very difficult.
I wonder: I wonder what will happen.
After (I) hope, we generally use the present:
* I hope Carol phones this evening.
* I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
C. Generally we use will to talk about the future, but sometimes we use will to talk about now. For example:
* Don't phone Ann now. She'll be busy. (= I know she'll be busy now)
D. I shall .../we shall ...
Normally we use shall only with I and we.
You can say I shall or I will (I'll), we shall or we will (we'll):
* I shall be tired this evening. (or I will be ...)
* We shall probably go to Scotland for our holiday. (or We will probably go ...)
In spoken English we normally use I'll and we'll:
* We'll probably go to Scotland.
The negative of shall is shall not or shan't:
* I shan't be here tomorrow. (or I won't be ...)
Do not use shall with he/she/it/you/they:
* She will be very angry. (not 'she shall be')
EXERCISES
22.1 Which form of the verb is correct (or more natural) in these sentences? The verbs are underlined.
1. Ann isn't free on Saturday. _She'll work (X)/She's working (O)._ (She's working is correct)
2. _I'll go/I'm going_ to a party tomorrow night. Would you like to come too?
3. I think Jane _will get/is getting_ the job. She has a lot of experience.
4. I can't meet you this evening. A friend of mine _will come/is coming_ to see me.
5. A: Have you decided where to go for your holidays?
B: Yes, _we will go/we are going_ to Italy.
6. There's no need to be afraid of the dog. _It won't hurt/It isn't hurting_ you.
22.2 Complete the sentences with will ('ll) + one of these verbs:
be be come get like look meet pass
1. Don't worry about your exam. I'm sure you I'll pass.
2. Why don't you try on this jacket? It --- nice on you.
3. You must meet George sometime. I think you --- him.
4. It's raining. Don't go out. You --- wet.
5. They've invited me to their house. They --- offended if I don't go.
6. Goodbye. I expect we --- again before long.
7. I've invited Sue to the party but I don't think she ---.
8. I wonder where I --- 20 years from now.
22.3 Put in will ('ll) or won't.
1. Can you wait for me? I won't be very long.
2. There's no need to take an umbrella with you. It --- rain.
3. If you don't eat anything now, you --- be hungry later.
4. I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. It --- happen again.
5. I've got some incredible news! You --- never believe what's happened.
6. Don't ask Margaret for advice. She --- know what to do.
22.4 Where will you be at these times? Write true sentences about yourself. Use one of these:
I'll be ... or I expect I'll be... or I'll probably be ... or I don't know where I'll be. or I'm not sure. I might be ... (For might see Unit 30.)
1. (next Monday evening at 7.45) I'll probably be at home.
or I'm not sure. I might be at the cinema.
or I don't know where I'll be. (etc.)
2. (at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning) ---
3. (at 10.30 tomorrow morning) ---
4. (next Saturday afternoon at 4.15) ---
5. (this time next year) ---
22.5 Write questions using do you think ... will ...? + one of these verbs:
be back cost finish get married happen like rain
1. I've bought Mary a present. Do you think she'll like it?
2. The weather doesn't look very good. Do you ---
3. The meeting is still going on. When do you ---
4. My car needs to be repaired. How much ---
5. Sally and David are in love. Do ---
6. 'I'm going out now.' 'OK. What time ---'
7. The future situation is uncertain. What ---
UNIT 23. I will and I'm going to
A. Future actions
Study the difference between will and going to:
Sue is talking to Helen:
SUE: Let's have a party
HELLEN: That's a great idea. We'll invite lots of people.
will ('ll): We use will when we decide to do something at the time of speaking. The speaker has not decided before. The party is a new idea.
Later that day, Helen meets Dave:
HELLEN: Sue and I have decided to have a party. We're going to invite lots of people.
going to: We use (be) going to when we have already decided to do something. Helen had already decided to Invite lots of people before she spoke to Dave.
Compare:
* 'George phoned while you were out.' 'OK. I'll phone him back.'
but * 'George phoned while you were out.' 'Yes, I know. I'm going to phone him back.'
* 'Ann is in hospital.' 'Oh really? I didn't know. I'll go and visit her.'
but * 'Ann is in hospital.' 'Yes, I know. I'm going to visit her tomorrow.'
B. Future happenings and situations (predicting the future)
Sometimes there is not much difference between will and going to. For example, you can say:
* I think the weather will be nice later.
* I think the weather is going to be nice later.
When we say 'something is going to happen', we know (or think) this because of the situation now. For example:
* Look at those black clouds. It's going to rain. (not 'it will rain' - we can see the clouds now)
* I feel terrible. I think I'm going to be sick. (not 'I think I'll be sick' - I feel terrible now)
Do not use will in situations like these. (See also Unit 20C.)
In other situations, it is safer to use will:
* Tom will probably arrive at about 8 o'clock.
* I think Ann will like the present we bought for her.
EXERCISES
23.1 Complete the sentences using will ('ll) or going to.
1. A: Why are you turning on the television?
B: I'm going to watch the news. (I/watch)
2. A: Oh, I've just realised. I haven't got any money.
B: Haven't you? Well, don't worry. --- you some. (I/lend)
3. A: I've got a headache.
B: Have you? Wait there and --- an aspirin for you. (I/get)
4. A: Why are you filling that bucket with water?
B: --- the car. (I/wash)
5. A: I've decided to repaint this room.
B: Oh, have you? What colour --- it? (you/paint)
6. A: Where are you going? Are you going shopping?
B: Yes, --- something for dinner. (I/buy)
7. A: I don't know how to use this camera.
B: It's quite easy. --- you. (I/show)
8. A: What would you like to eat?
B: --- a sandwich, please. (I/have)
9. A: Did you post that letter for me?
B: Oh, I'm sorry. I completely forgot --- it now. (I/do)
10. A: The ceiling in this room doesn't took very safe, does it?
B: No, it looks as if --- down. (it/fall)
11. A: Has George decided what to do when he leaves school?
B: Oh, yes. Everything is planned. --- a holiday for a few weeks and then --- a computer programming course. (he/have, he/do)
23.2 Read the situations and complete the sentences using will ('ll) or going to.
1. The phone rings and you answer. Somebody wants to speak to Jim.
CALLER: Hello. Can I speak to Jim, please?
YOU: Just a moment. --- him. (I/get)
2. It's a nice day. You've decided to sit in the garden. Before going outside, you tell your friend.
YOU: The weather's too nice to stay indoors. --- in the garden. (I/sit)
FRIEND: That's a good idea. I think --- you. (I/join)
3. Your friend is worried because she has lost an important letter.
YOU: Don't worry about the letter. I'm sure --- it. (you/find)
FRIEND: I hope so.
4. There was a job advertised in the paper recently. At first you were interested but then you decided not to apply.
FRIEND: Have you decided what to do about that job that was advertised?
YOU: Yes, --- for it. (I/not/apply)
5. You and a friend come home very late. Other people in the house are asleep. Your friend is noisy.
You: Shhh! Don't make so much noise. --- everybody up. (you/wake)
6. John has to go to the airport to catch a plane tomorrow morning.
JOHN: Ann, I need somebody to take me to the airport tomorrow morning.
ANN: That's no problem. --- you. (I/take) What time is your flight?
JOHN: 10.50.
ANN: OK. --- at about 9 o'clock then. (we/leave)
Later that day, Joe offers to take John to the airport.
JOE: John, do you want me to take you to the airport?
JOHN: No thanks, Joe. --- me. (Ann/take)
UNIT 24. Will be doing and will have done
A. Study this example situation:
Kevin loves football and this evening there is a big football match on television. The match begins at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. Paul wants to see Kevin the same evening and wants to know what time to come to his house.
PAUL: Is it all right if I come at about 8.30?
KEVIN: No, I'll be watching the football then.
PAUL: Well, what about 9.30?
KEVIN: Fine. The match will have finished by then.
B. 'I will be doing something' (future continuous) = I will be in the middle of doing something. The football match begins at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. So during this time, for example at 8.30, Kevin will be watching the match. Another example:
* I'm going on holiday on Saturday. This time next week I'll be lying on a beach or
swimming in the sea.
Compare will be (do)ing and will (do):
* Don't phone me between 7 and 8. We'll be having dinner then.
* Let's wait for Mary to arrive and then we'll have dinner.
Compare will be ~ing with other continuous forms:
* At 10 o'clock yesterday, Sally was in her office. She was working. (past)
It's 10 o'clock now. She is in her office. She is working. (present)
At 10 o'clock tomorrow, she will be in her office. She will be working.
C. We also use will be doing in a different way: to talk about complete actions in the future:
* A: If you see Sally, can you ask her to phone me?
B: Sure. I'll be seeing her this evening, so I'll tell her then.
* What time will your friends be arriving tomorrow?
In these examples will be ~ing is similar to the present continuous for the future. (See Unit 19A.)
You can use Will you be ~ing ...? to ask about somebody's plans, especially if you want something or want them to do something. For example:
* A: Will you be passing the post office when you're out?
B: Probably. Why?
A: I need some stamps. Could you get me some?
* A: Will you be using your bicycle this evening?
B: No. Do you want to borrow it?
D. We use will have (done) (future perfect) to say that something will already be complete. Kevin's football match ends at 9.15. So after this time, for example at 9.30, the match will have finished. Some more examples:
* Sally always leaves for work at 8.30 in the morning, so she won't be at home at 9
o'clock. She'll have gone to work.