Unit 7: Future and conditional tenses and passive voice.

Question 1

Name the form for Future “going to”.

Answer 1

Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb

I am going to take the train to London.
Are you going to take a year out after university?
It isn’t going to rain.

Question 2

Name some uses for Future going to.

Answer 2

Expressing an intention, i.e. you have decided, but we do not know if you have made arrangements yet.

Prediction based on evidence. Different from using will, this is more certain because of evidence we have.

Question 3

Name the form for Future simple

Answer 3

(also known as will future)

Subject +will + infinitive verb form

It will rain tomorrow.

Question 4

Name some uses for Future simple (will future)

Answer 4

To express certainty in the future. (I will be 21 next year)

Decision at time of speaking (I’ll have an octopus please)
especially for volunteering, e.g. I’ll do it!

Prediction. But less certain than going to since it is not based on evidence, but experience or knowledge.
(I think it will rain tomorrow)

Expressing varying levels of commitment and determination. (I’ll do it if it kills me / Clean my car and I’ll give you a fiver/Touch my car and I’ll smack you.)

a deduction (ah, that will be the postman, then) after hearing the letterbox.

Question 5

Give the form for Future continuous

Answer 5

Subject + will + be + verb + ing

Shall can be used for I and We

A continuing situation at a particular time.

Question 6

An action in progress at a given time in the future: which tense is used?

Answer 6

Future progressive.

Question 7

She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain a 10 o’clock tomorrow.

What tense is used?

Answer 7

Future progressive

She (subj) will + be + coming (come+ing)

Question 8

How would you convey a fixed arrangement between two people?

Answer 8

Future progressive

I’ll be arriving in town at 4pm.

Question 9

Name three uses for Future progressive.

Answer 9

An action in progress at a given time in the future

A fixed arrangement

Speculation about a present situation

Question 10

What tense uses this form?

Subject + will + have + past participle

Answer 10

Future perfect simple

Completion by a particular future time.

E.g. I will have eaten 3 plates of octopus by the end of the evening.

Question 11

Describe three uses for Future perfect simple

Answer 11

It is generally used for an action finishing before a future time (I will have eaten 3 plates of octopus by the end of the evening.)

Or when the future time is unstated or implied (Whatever happens, we will have given them a good run for their money.)

When we make a deduction about actions that have already taken place (He’ll have finished the octopus by now.)

Question 12

Subj + will + have + been + verb-ing is what tense?

Answer 12

Future perfect continuous

(I will have been eating Octopus for 3 hours.)

Continuity up to a particular future time.

Question 13

When is Future perfect continuous used?

Answer 13

The continuous form is used to emphasise the duration of the action (He will have been eating for 3 hours)

Question 14

Name the four conditionals,

Answer 14

Zero conditional: If you boil water, it evaporates.
First conditional: If it rains, I will stay at home.
Second conditional: If I won the lottery, I would buy a big yacht.
Third conditional: If I had gone to Greece, I would have seen many beautiful places.

Question 15

What is a conditional?

Answer 15

These are statements using if and can refer to the past, present and future.

You do not always need to use if, you can replace it with other words or phrases like Provided, As long as, When etc.

Question 16

Describe the form for Zero conditional.

Answer 16

If + present tense + present tense

This is used to express facts.
If/When you freeze water, it becomes ice.

Question 17

How do you make the first conditional?

Answer 17

If + present tense + future tense

This talks about something that is possible or probable in the future. You can also use may, might, can etc.
If you come over tonight, we will have a party.

Question 18

How is the second conditional formed?

Answer 18

Second Conditional

If + past tense + would/could/might + infinitive verb

Used for when something is very unlikely in the present or future.
If you went into space, you would float about.
If it was snowing, would you build a snowman?

Question 19

What is the third conditional?

Answer 19

Third Conditional

If + past perfect + would/could/might + have + past participle of the verb
This is used to talk about a past action and its result.
If I hadn’t gone to the ceilidh, I would not have met my sweetheart.

Question 20

What are mixed conditionals?

Answer 20

Variations and Mixed conditionals

The conditionals are quite flexible in the form that they can take, so don’t be surprised to see forms such as:

If you don’t go, I’m going to call the police. (going to instead of will)
This is the most common form of mixed conditional.

If I hadn’t eaten that octopus (past), I wouldn’t feel so ill. (present)

Question 21

Give a short description of passive voice

Answer 21

We use the passive voice when we don’t know who did the action or do not really care, or when it is blindingly obvious who did the action, e.g. I was born rather than My mother bore me! The passive voice can also be used to emphasise the result of the action, e.g. Murder on the Orient Express was written rather than who wrote it. Passive voice is also used when we want to sound more formal.
Active = Someone will find the answer soon.
Passive = The answer will be found soon (by someone).

Active = Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express.
Passive = Murder on the Orient Express was written by Agatha Christie.

Question 22

How do you change from active to passive voice?

Answer 22

To change from active voice to the passive voice, use the past participle of the main verb. The object usually moves to the beginning of the sentence. The tense is described by the verb to be.
For example

Active: They speak English in Scotland.

Passive: English is spoken in Scotland.

English is the object.
Is in the present simple (as was the active voice speak)
Spoken is the past participle of speak