Практическая грамматика

The Future Indefinite


§ 3. The use of the Future Indefinite.
The Future Indefinite is used to denote a future action.
I am tired. I shall go and have a nap before dinner.
It will be much cooler up at Fiesole. (Voynich)
Note. – To denote a future action the word combinations to be going + Infinitive, to be about+ Infinitive and to be on the point of + Gerund are often used.
To be going to, to be about to, to be on the point of denote an action, which is, expected to take place in the nearest future. To be going to is colloquial, to be on the point of is literary.
This is going to be a cheerful evening. (Shaw)
The runners are about to start.
The Future Indefinite is rendered in Russian by the future perfective and imperfective.
The Future Indefinite is used:
a) To predict the future or to say what we think will happen:
Tomorrow will be another cold day.
In future, machines will do many of the jobs that people do today.
Who do you think will win the match on Sunday?
We also use will in this way with the adverbs of probability probably, perhaps, certainly:
Perhaps, I’ll see you tomorrow.
b) Will is used to express decision made at the moment of speaking:
«I’m going shopping.»– «Oh, are you? I’ll come with you, then.»
c ) Will also used to make statements of fact about the future:
I’ll be forty next month.
In everyday English we do not normally announce future arrangements about ourselves with will. The Present Continuous is used instead:
I’ll leave England in June. (formal)
I’m leaving England in June. (more natural)
In general the Future Indefinite Tense is seldom used in Modern English. The tendency is to denote a future action either by means of the Present Continuous Tense or, which is most common, by means of the Future Continuous Tense, or by means of the word combination to be going to + Infinitive.