November 4, 2024

Simple present used as simple future

How to Use the Present Simple to Talk about Future Events

Simple present used as simple future

  • Simple present used as fixed programme and fixed plan. It indicates future time. For examples:
  • The Delhi university graduation forms start in May.
  • She goes abroad next week.
  • My father returns from Dubai tomorrow.
  • Mr Kevin resigns next month.
  • The prime minister attends the meeting tomorrow.

Note: future time expressing adverbs:

Next + time (week, month, year, night, day), tomorrow, in April, on Sunday, on Tuesday (next Tuesday or upcoming days).

  • We use present simple tense in expressing future events that are the type of some official arrangements such as a timetable (schedules) or program:
  • Eva arrives at 6 p.m.
  • His secretary meets you tomorrow.
  • We get off the bus in Muzaffarnagar and continue by taxi to go to our conference.
  • Our next meeting is on May 5th.

Note: personal plans or any prediction is not used with the simple present tense. It suggests that plans or arrangements are fixed and definite.

  • We use will, going to or the present continuous for personal plans or predictions.         ( see unit present continuous and future indefinite)
  • I think she will leave the job soon.
  • I am really worried; I’m going to see my mother on Saturday.
  • It is drastically spreading fear in Rome due to the blast of the oldest church in the world; I believe it will affect the rest of Italy soon. (not … I think it affects the rest). 

However, we use the present simple tense if we have specific predictions:

  • There is a Dhoom Ketu star rises at 9 P.M. tomorrow.
  • The sun sets at 6: 45 tomorrow.
  • conditional sentences generally start with two clauses. One of them is a principal clause and another one is a sub-ordinate clause.

Sub-ordinate clause(Simple present used as simple future):

“if, when, before, after, till, until, unless, as soon as, as long as and in case” are the conjunctions; simple present indefinite tense is used with them. And simple future tense is used with the principal clause.

If you come here,                                     I will lend you money.

Sub-ordinate clause                                     principal clause

Simple present tense                                   simple future tense

Sub + M.V1/M.V5+ Obj                                sub + shall/will + M.V.1 + obj

 

There are following conjunctions are used with present indefinite tense are given below:

Time conjunctions of adverbial clauses(Simple present used as simple future):

after, before, when, and until.

Let’s have look following examples of simple present used as simple future:

  • After you reach the station, you’ll see my cab on the opposite side of the station.
  • Wait here until she completes her work.
  • When you go to her, she will help you.
  • He will have reached there before you go.
  • Conditional clauses with if, unless, in case, provided (as long as, so long as also means on condition that or provided that). It is used to set limits in a given situation.
  • He will get success in his interview tomorrow, provided that he speaks English with confidence.
  • I’ll bring you another ball pen in case you don’t like this one.
  • If you say nothing, I won’t let you go outside.
  • Don’t need to give his car back unless he returns your money.
  • You will score good marks as long as you study smartly.
  • As long as I  go across this country I will find your brother’s killer.
  • Present simple is used in that and wh- clauses when both main clause and that/wh-clause refer to the future. We don’t use will/shall in that/wh-clause in this type of sentence:
Main clause That/wh-clause
I’m damn sure. that you are selected for this post.
I will tell you Where she comes there. (not she will come there.
I’ll ask her When she gets (goes) here. (not she will get here.

 

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