The future and what is happening now
Plans with 要, 会, 想 and 打算 and a time word, and what is happening now with 在 and 正在. At Higher, 准备, and "about to" with 快 ... 了 and 要 ... 了.
Learn
The future and what is happening now, explained point by point
Everything the GCSE specification expects you to be able to do, and how to actually do it - the same lesson a signed-in student studies from.
Talk about the future with a time word
The verb doesn't change for the future: a time word does the work. 我明天去伦敦。 (I'm going to London tomorrow.) 下星期我们有考试。
Say what is going to happen with 要
要 before a verb says something is planned or on its way: 我下星期要考试。 (I have an exam next week.) 我要去中国旅游。
Say what will probably happen with 会
会 makes a prediction, will: 明天会下雨吗？ 我以后会去大学。 (I'll go to university later on.)
Give your plans with 打算 and 想
打算 means plan to: 暑假我打算去中国。 想 means would like to, for hopes: 将来我想做医生。 (In the future I'd like to be a doctor.) With a time word as well, your plans are clear.
Say what is happening now with 在 or 正在
在 or 正在 before a verb says the action is going on: 我在做作业。 (I'm doing my homework.) 妈妈正在做饭。 正在 stresses right at this moment. The negative is 没在: 我没在看电视。
Say what was happening at a time in the past
With a time word, 在 covers the past too: 昨天八点我在看电视。 (At eight yesterday I was watching TV.) 你打电话的时候，我正在吃晚饭。 (When you phoned, I was having dinner.)
Talk about plans with 准备Higher only
准备 means get ready to, or intend to: 我准备明年去中国。 我们正在准备考试。 (We're getting ready for the exams.)
Say something is about to happen with 快…了 and 要…了Higher only
快 or 要 before the verb and 了 at the end mean about to: 快下雨了。 (It's about to rain.) 火车要开了！ (The train is about to leave!) 我们快考试了。
The future and what is happening now key terms
The words the specification and the mark schemes use, each defined the way an examiner wants it.
- Time word
- A word such as 明天 or 下星期 that puts a sentence in the future, with no change to the verb.
- 要
- Going to, for what is planned: 我要去.
- 会
- Will, for a prediction of what is likely: 明天会下雨.
- 打算
- To plan to, before the verb for the plan: 我打算学汉语.
- 将来
- In the future, for plans further ahead: 将来我想做医生.
- 在 and 正在
- Before a verb: in the middle of doing it: 我在看书.
- 准备Higher only
- To get ready, or to intend to: 我准备去.
- 快…了Higher only
- About to, very soon, with 了 at the end: 快下雨了.
Common mistakes in The future and what is happening now
The slips that cost marks year after year, and what to do instead.
Using 了 for the future, as in 明天我去了.
了 marks a finished action. For the future, use a time word, 明天我去, or 要: 明天我要去.
Putting the future time word at the end, as in 我要去中国明年.
The time word comes before the verb, never at the end: 我明年要去中国.
Adding 了 after 在 or 正在, as in 我正在吃了.
An action going on now takes no 了: 我正在吃晚饭.
Making an action in progress negative with 不, as in 我不在看电视.
An action that isn't going on takes 没: 我没在看电视.
Putting a time word with 快…了, as in 明天快考试了.Higher only
快…了 means very soon and takes no time word. With a time, use 要…了: 明天要考试了.
Practice
Try a The future and what is happening now question
A GCSE-style original question from this topic. Have a go before you open the working - deciding on an answer first is what makes the working stick.
What does 昨天晚上八点我在看电视。 mean?
- I watched TV for eight hours last night.
- I'm going to watch TV at eight tonight.
- At eight last night I wasn't watching TV.
- At eight last night I was watching TV.
Show the answer and the working
Answer: At eight last night I was watching TV.
在 + verb shows an action in progress at any time, the past included: at eight last night I was watching TV.
- 昨天晚上八点: at eight last night.
- 在看电视: watching TV.
- So I was watching TV then.