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PREPARING TO TEACH ... Future time clauses

John Potts looks into his crystal ball.
A Ill give you the new contract when I see you at the meeting tomorrow. B Youll meet your new colleagues while Im showing you round the building. C As soon as youve received your password, youll be able to log into the intranet. D Youll feel more at home after youve been working here for a while. E Were a bit late. By the time we get there, the presentation will have started.

MEANING

USE

All these sentences refer to the future, even though the verb in the subordinate clause is in a present form. A Ill see you tomorrow at the meeting + then Ill give you the new contract B Ill show you round the building + during that time, youll meet your new colleagues C first youll receive your password + then you will be able to log in D first youll work here for a while + then youll feel at more home E first the presentation will start + then well arrive Note that any present simple forms in the subordinate clause dont have the meaning of timetabled or scheduled future events which is often associated with the present simple as future (eg The new semester starts in September ).

Future time clauses are used widely in both spoken and written English. In informal spoken and written language, the contracted form of auxiliary verbs is normally used.

FUNCTION

Future time clauses have a wide range of functional applications, including expressing promises, offers, reassurance, warnings, intentions, plans, expectations and predictions.

FORM

TIME FRAMES

All the examples employ a subordinating conjunction when, after, while, etc. A main clause = will future; subordinate time clause = present simple B main clause = will future; subordinate time clause = present continuous C main clause = will future; subordinate time clause = present perfect D main clause = will future; subordinate time clause = present perfect continuous E main clause = future perfect; subordinate time clause = present simple The time clause can come either before (C and E) or after (A, B and D) the main clause.

Some future time clauses operate in the same future frame: sentences A and B. Others relate two different future frames: sentences C, D and E.

PRONUNCIATION

PROBLEMS

In some languages, the subordinate future time clause uses an appropriate future form, generating incorrect sentences like Ill tell her when Ill see her. Some learners may confuse the conjunctions when and if. Learners may assume that the form in the subordinate clause must always be a present simple form. Sentences using a co-ordinating conjunction (eg and ) contain two future forms: Ill see you at the meeting tomorrow and Ill give you the new contract then.

Note the contractions Ill, Im (etc) in spoken and informal written English. The verb forms are often quite weak. However, when the sentence functions as a warning or criticism, for example, the verbs may be stressed (eg sentence E).

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Issue 64 September 2009 ENGLISH TEACHING professional www.etprofessional.com

D E S I G N E D

T O

P H O T O C O P Y

PREPARING TO TEACH ... Future time clauses

CONCEPT QUESTIONS

A Ill give you the new contract when I see you at the meeting tomorrow. When will I see you? (Tomorrow.) When will I give you the new contract? (Tomorrow.) C As soon as youve received your password, youll be able to log into the intranet. Are you able to log in at the moment? (No.) Why not? (Because you havent received your password yet.) Will you receive it at some point? (Yes.) And then? (Then youll be able to log in.)

E By the time we get there, the presentation will have started. Has the presentation already started? (No.) Have we got there yet? (No.) What will happen first? (The presentation will start.) What will happen second? (Well get there.) So will we miss the start? (Yes.)

SITUATIONS

Combinations Make a worksheet with two columns, each containing eight short sentences, all using a future form. First, ask the learners to make a pair with a sentence chosen from each column. Then, tell them to combine the two sentences into one, using a future time clause for one of the original sentences. By the time we get there Make flashcards with key words and/or visuals (eg cinema, theatre, restaurant, party, station, the sales, school, beach, airport, etc). Show each card in turn and ask the learners to make a suitable sentence, eg By the time we get to the station, the train will have left. Procrastinator Create some short situations where things need doing (eg the laundry, the ironing, cleaning the oven, homework, making a reservation, etc you can revise the vocabulary of household chores). Put each on a card use key words and/or

visuals and put the cards in a deck face down. Ask the students to work in pairs. Student A turns over the top card and asks, for example, Have you done the laundry yet? Student B replies No, I havent. Ill do it when/after/as soon as ... etc. They then change roles. Ask Anna Create some short letters to a newspaper/magazine advice column, each describing a problem situation. Get the learners to give appropriate advice. For example: Dear Anna, Ive just moved here from the UK, and Im so lonely and homesick. I cant speak (Italian, Mandarin, etc) and have no friends. What should I do? Yours, Tina Dear Tina, First of all, try to learn a little (Italian, Mandarin, etc). When you can say a few words, youll feel more self-confident ... etc.
John Potts is a teacher and teacher trainer based in Zrich, Switzerland. He has written and co-written several adult coursebooks, and is a CELTA assessor. He is also a presenter for Cambridge ESOL Examinations. johnpotts@swissonline.ch

COMPETITION RESULTS
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Congratulations to all those readers who successfully completed our Prize Crossword 34. The winners, who will each receive a copy of the Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners, are: Linda Balistreri, Gdansk, Poland Vera Bremer, London, UK Gerti Brindlmayer, Vienna, Austria
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