The English Future Tense: Progress or decay?

[sveta774]

My dear friends,

My name is Sveta, and I'm writting you from Moscow. And I need your help. I'm writting my diploma work on the topic: The English Future Tense: Progress or decay? The only question I have is: is there any Future Tense in English? Could you be so kind and answer me. I'll give you a sentene where you have to fill the gaps with the right Tense (Future): My friends and me ....(to go) to Spain in Summer 2010. Could you answer me as soon as possible. Thanks in advance.

Sincerely yours,

Sveta

[Linguist__]

Technically there is no future 'tense' in English grammatically. That is, there are no morphemes that signal or create future. Many grammarians will say then that with regards to tense, English has two - past and present.

Of course, the future exists, and so we need to be able to talk about it, however we do this using adverbials and auxiliaries, not by changing the verb as languages which do have future tense would.

Examples of future tense expressed in various ways:

"Tomorrow, I leave for London." - Future is indicated by adverbial tomorrow.

"I will leave for London." - Future is indicated by the auxiliary will.

"I am going to leave for London." Future is indicate by auxiliary and progressive aspect.

As for your example:

"My friends and me will go/are going to Spain in Summer 2010." - either 'will go' or 'are going' is correct.

I should point out that it should be 'My friends and I', and also that summer is not capitalised. Thus:

"My friends and I will go/are going to Spain in summer 2010."

[sveta774]

Thank you very much for your help.

[Linguist__]

Of course, the future exists, and so we need to be able to talk about it, however we do this using adverbials and auxiliaries, not by changing the verb as languages which do have future tense would.

That sounds a lot like something I would say!

[Williamyh]

My dear friends,

My name is Sveta, and I'm writting you from Moscow. And I need your help. I'm writting my diploma work on the topic: The English Future Tense: Progress or decay? The only question I have is: is there any Future Tense in English? Could you be so kind and answer me. I'll give you a sentene where you have to fill the gaps with the right Tense (Future): My friends and me ....(to go) to Spain in Summer 2010. Could you answer me as soon as possible. Thanks in advance.

Sincerely yours,

Sveta

According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5 Edition:




progress
SIMPLE FORM

Present I, you, we, they progress
he, she progresses

Past I, you, he, she, we, they progressed

Present perfect I, you, we, they have progressed
he, she has progressed

Past perfect I, you, he, she, we, they had progressed

Future I, you, he, she, we, they will progress

Future perfect I, you, he, she, we, they will have progressed

CONTINUOUS FORM

Present I am progressing
he, she is progressing
you, we, they are progressing

Past I, he, she was progressing
you, we, they were progressing
Present perfect I, you, we, they have been progressing
he, she has been progressing
Past perfect I, you, he, she, we, they had been progressing
Future I, you, he, she, we, they will be progressing
Future perfect I, you, he, she, we, they will have been progressing










decay

SIMPLE FORM



Present I, you, we, they decay
he, she decays Past I, you, he, she, we, they decayed Present perfect I, you, we, they have decayed
he, she has decayed Past perfect I, you, he, she, we, they had decayed Future I, you, he, she, we, they will decay Future perfect I, you, he, she, we, they will have decayed


CONTINUOUS FORM

Present I am decaying
he, she is decaying
you, we, they are decaying Past I, he, she was decaying
you, we, they were decaying Present perfect I, you, we, they have been decaying
he, she has been decaying Past perfect I, you, he, she, we, they had been decaying Future I, you, he, she, we, they will be decaying Future perfect I, you, he, she, we, they will have been decaying

[Williamyh]

Technically there is no future 'tense' in English grammatically. That is, there are no morphemes that signal or create future. Many grammarians will say then that with regards to tense, English has two - past and present.

Of course, the future exists, and so we need to be able to talk about it, however we do this using adverbials and auxiliaries, not by changing the verb as languages which do have future tense would.

Examples of future tense expressed in various ways:

"Tomorrow, I leave for London." - Future is indicated by adverbial tomorrow.

"I will leave for London." - Future is indicated by the auxiliary will.

"I am going to leave for London." Future is indicate by auxiliary and progressive aspect.

As for your example:

"My friends and me will go/are going to Spain in Summer 2010." - either 'will go' or 'are going' is correct.

I should point out that it should be 'My friends and I', and also that summer is not capitalised. Thus:

"My friends and I will go/are going to Spain in summer 2010."

I agree with you, there is no future tense in English, only present tense and past tense. 15 years ago, one english tutor also said that in the TV...

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