Module Four (based on New Headway & PET reading and writing tests) THE FUTURE Usually, if we are talking about timetables, such as trains, planes, TV programmes, etc., we use the simple present tense (see Module 1): e.g. What time does the local news start? I want to watch it. It starts at 7.35. The early train for Venice leaves at 6.30 a.m. For planned future arrangements, such as holidays, dinners, appointments, etc., we use the present continuous (see Module 1): e.g. I m meeting Tom for lunch later. Where are you going for Christmas? What time are they meeting the parents? We re having a little party on Saturday night. Would you like to come? TO TALK ABOUT FUTURE INTENTIONS WE TEND TO USE will / going to WILL - USE - We use will: 1 to express a future decision or intention made at the moment of speaking It s Jane s birthday. Is it? I ll buy her some flowers. I ll give you my phone number. Which do you want, the blue or the red? I ll take the red, thank you. 2 to express an offer. I ll carry that suitcase for you, it looks heavy. We ll do the washing up; you go and have a rest. GOING TO - USE - We use going to: 1 to express a future decision, intention or plan made before the moment of speaking How long are they going to stay in Rome? She isn t going to have a birthday party this year. Note: As we mentioned above, we can also use the present continuous in a similar way for a plan or arrangement, especially for the verbs come and go: She s coming on Friday night. I m going home early tonight. 2 when we can see or feel now that something is certain to happen in the future Look at those clouds! It s going to rain. Watch out! That box is going to fall. will or going to? Look at the use of will and going to in the following sentences: I m going to make a Chicken casserole for dinner. (= I decided this morning and bought everything I need to make it.)
What shall I make for dinner? Er.I know! I ll make chicken casserole! That s a good idea! (= I decided at the moment of speaking.) EXERCISES Choose the best alternative in brackets. 1. A: What are the lads doing this afternoon? B: (They re going to watch / They ll watch) a football match. Arsenal are playing at home. 2. A: Damn! I ve dropped one. B: (I m going to pick it up / I ll pick it up) for you. 3. A: What s Alison doing next year? B: (She s going to travel / She ll travel) around the world. 4. A The phone s ringing. B: It s ok, (I m going to answer it / I ll answer it). I m expecting a call. 5. A: I haven t got any money. B: Don t worry, (I m going to lend you some / I ll lend you some). A: Thanks, (I m going to pay you back/i ll pay you back) later. 6. A: What are you and Pete doing tonight? B: (We re going to go out/we will go out /We re going out) to have a meal, it s his birthday. Now let s look at another important past tense: THE PRESENT PERFECT FORM have/has + -ed (the past participle)* The past participle of regular verbs ends in ed, however there are many common irregular verbs. *N.B. In English ALL verbs are conjugated with have/has, including those which in Italian take the verb essere. Sono stata in America. = I have been to America. E appena ritornato dalla Germania. = He has just come back from Germany. I ragazzi sono usciti con il nonno. = The children have gone out with their grandfather. USE 1 To look back from the present into the past, and express what has happened before now. The action happened at an indefinite time in the past: I ve met a lot of people (before now). She s written twenty books (up to now). The action can continue to the present and probably into the future. She s lived here for twenty years (=she still lives here). 2 The present perfect expresses an experience as part of someone s life: I ve travelled a lot in Africa. She s lived all over the world.
Ever and never are common with this use: Have you ever been in a car crash? I ve never done this kind of work before. 3 This tense expresses an action or state which began in the past and continues to the present: I ve known Alice for six years. How long have you worked as a teacher? FOR and SINCE We use for with a period of time and since with a point in time: We ve lived here for two years (a period of time). I ve had a beard since I left the army (a point in time). NOTE: In Italian this use is expressed by a present tense. In English we say: Peter has been a teacher for ten years NOT Peter is a teacher for ten years. 4 We use the present perfect to express a past action with results in the present. It is often a recent past action: I ve lost my wallet (so I haven t got it now). The taxi s arrived (It s outside the door). The adverbs already, just and yet are common with this use. Yet is used in questions and negatives: She s just had some good news. I ve already had breakfast. Has the postman been yet? It s 11.00 and she hasn t got up yet. EXERCISES Let s look at two novelists who are distantly related: Anthony Trollope (24 April 1815 6 December 1882) was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Joanna Trollope OBE (born 9 December 1943, in her grandfather's rectory in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire), is an English novelist.
1. Complete the sentences with he or she. 1. wrote novels about Victorian life. writes novels about modern people and their relationships. 2. wrote 47 novels, travel books, biographies and short stories. has written over twenty novels. started writing in her thirties. 3. has lived in the west of England for forty years. went to live in Ireland in 1841. 4. has been married twice, and has two daughters. married for the first time in 1966. was married and had two sons. 2. Put the verbs in the Present Perfect or Past simple. 1. Anthony Trollope (travel) to South Africa, Australia, Egypt and the West Indies. Joanna Trollope (travel) to many parts of the world. 2. She (win) many awards, and several of her stories (appear) on TV. 3. Her first book (come) out in 1980. Since then, she (sell) more than 5 million copies. 4. She (go) to school in the south of England and (study) English at Oxford University, but she (live) in the country for most of her life. 5. She writes her books by hand. She (have) the same pen since 1995. 3. Here are the answers to some questions about Joanna. What are the questions? 1 For forty years.. 2 More than twenty.. 3 English... 4 Over five million.. 5 In 1980. 6 Twice... 7 Yes, two daughters. 8 Since 1995.. SOME IMPORTANT MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS: should and must FORM should / must + infinitive without to
The forms of should / must are the same for all persons. USE Should is used to express what the speaker thinks is right or the best thing to do. It expresses mild obligation or advice. (dovrei, non dovresti, dovrebbero, etc.) I / you should do more work (this is my opinion). You shouldn t sit too close to the TV. It s bad for your eyes. I think politicians should listen more. Must expresses strong obligation, an obligation which generally comes from inside the speaker. It also expresses a strong suggestion. (devo proprio, devi, etc.) I must get my hair cut (I think this is necessary). You must help me (I am giving you an order). You must see the Monet exhibition / you must come and see me when you are next in town (strong suggestion). the use of have to - FORM - has /have + to + infinitive don t /doesn t have + to+ infinitive do /does + subject + have + to + infinitive I have to work hard. She doesn t have to leave until tomorrow. Do you have to wear a uniform to school in Italy? No, we don t. The past tense is had to, with did and didn t in the question and the negative. I had to get up early this morning. Why did you have to work last weekend? They liked the hotel because they didn t have to do any cooking. N.B. We often say have got to + infinitive with the same meaning. I ve got to go now. USE - 1 have to expresses a strong obligation. The obligation usually comes from outside, perhaps a law, a rule or someone in authority. You have to have a driving license if you want to drive a car (that s the law). I have to start work at 8.00 (My company says I must). The doctor says I ve got to do more exercise. don t have to is not the same as must not. don t have to expresses absence of obligation (= it isn t necessary). You don t have to do the washing-up. I ve got a dishwasher. She doesn t have to work on Monday. It s her day off. So, we could say : must = have to BUT must not don t have to EXERCISES 4. Complete the advice for these problems using should or shouldn t. 1 A: I get about four colds every winter.
B: You eat lots of oranges to increase your intake of vitamin C. And you close all the windows because you need some fresh air. 2 A: I sit at the desk all day and my back hurts. B: You stay in the same position for too long because your body needs to move. You get up and stretch every 20 minutes. 3 A: I have two jobs, which means I have to work from six in the morning till midnight. B: You work so late, you need more sleep. You try and rearrange your schedule so that you work fewer hours. 5. Complete these sentences using must not or don t/doesn t have to. 1 You study law to become a forensic scientist. 2 You have a passport to travel to Germany nowadays. 3 You bring your English book into the exam room, the teacher will confiscate it! 4 You touch anything at the scene of a crime. 5 You use your mobile phone, you can use the office phone instead. 6. A Listening exercise: listen to the three recordings of people giving advice about visiting their country in the month of January. Complete the chart. PART 2: Practice for PET Tests Type 1 - Transformations Example: Answer: Courses are organised by Brettan holidays. Brettan holidays.. abroad. organise courses. 1. Students must be at least sixteen years old. Students have.. least sixteen years old. 2. Each course lasts two weeks. Each course is... 3. Every tenth student goes free. There is no charge.. student. 4. Students will visit museums and galleries. There.. to museums and galleries for the students. 5. Food and transport are included in the price. The price.. transport. Type 2 - Matching (reading multiple tests for specific information and detailed comprehension).the people below are at an airport and looking for somewhere to eat. On the next page there are descriptions of eight eating places.decide which place would be the most suitable for each person.
Type 3 True / False Look at the sentences below about a journey to the Arctic on board a ship. Read the text on the next page to decide if each statement is correct or incorrect.