TAS K TYPE 1 Sentence Completion

You r job i s to listen and complete t�.e gaps.

,i:MlliL.._, � -
Gentoo penguins heading to sea, Falkland Islands

A About the task

1 Read the information about the task type. Then look at and correct the notes a student
made about the task. The student has made four mistakes.

The Sentence Completion task tests your ability to locate and record specific information from a recording. It's
often used to test your understanding of a lecture or talk about a specific subject. You usually hear facts about a
subject. and you may be asked to write words or numbers. Some of the information you hear is already written
on the question paper, your job is to listen and complete the gaps. On the question paper, you see a set of
sentences that report the information you hear on the recording. In each sentence, some key words are missing.
You listen and write the missing words i n the gap.
Here are the basic rules for the Sentence Completion task:
• The spoken instructions tell you about the speaker(s) and the topic.
• The written instructions tell you how many words to write in each gap.
• The sentences come in the same order as the information in the recording.
• You don't hear the same sentences that you read on the question paper, but you do hear the same information.
• When you listen, you hear the words that you need to write.
• You write the words i n the same form as you hear them on the recording (e.g. singular/plural) - you don't
need to change them in any way.
• Spelling counts! The words you write must be spelled correctly.
• You hear the recording ONCE only.
It's especially important to read through the sentences before you listen, and think about the type of information
you're listening for. You hear different words that could fit logically into each gap. You have to listen carefully to
choose the correct information, so that the sentence reports the meaning of the recording exactly.
Sometimes you see the set of sentences presented as a summary (a piece of continuous text) but the rules of
the task are the same. (See I E LTS Practice Tas k Questions 5-10 on page 15.)

Notes:
I Vou always: hear one !:pe<iker:
2 Vou are li!:tening for fact!: and figure!:.
3 Vou alway'> have to write three word!:.
4 The que'>tion'> am in the '>ame order a'> the infor mation on the recording.
5 Vou hear the !:entences: re<ld out on the recording.
6 Vou have to s:pell the words: correctly.
7 Vou can li!:te11 again if you don't Lt11der!:ta11d the firs:t time.

12 LISTENING
 +41311;11¥M·¥i+i·.1.1m1.1.y
B Sample questions
2 05 Listen a n d complete t h e sentences. Use the rules about the task from Section A
to help you. Then check your answers. Which questions did you find difficult?

IELTS PRACTIC E TASK

Questions 1-5

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

THE SPORT OF SQUASH

1 The name of the country where squash was first played is ......................................................... .

2 The name 'squash' was first used to describe the ......................................................... which is used in the game.
3 The material used to make the first squash racquets was ......................................................... .
4 The colour used to indicate an advanced level ball is ...................................... .
5 In an advanced squash match, the ball generally travels at ...................... . .................... kilometres per hour.

C Tips and tactics

3 Work in pairs. Read the tips and tactics and discuss these questions.
a Which tips and tactics do you think are the most useful?
b Did you use any of these tips and tactics when you answered the sample questions
in Section B?
c Which tips will you use in the future?
Before you listen, you have time to read the heading and the sentences and think about
what you're going to hear.
2 Think about the type of i nformation that's missing in each sentence. For example, are you
listening for a name. a number, a specific term or something else?
3 Look for clues in the sentence that tell you what to listen for, e.g. 'a total of' and 'what's
called a'.
4 Sometimes the sentence tells you what to listen for, e.g. 'A beaver is ... in colour'. But
you may hear a number of colours in the recording. Listen carefully to know which one is
correct.
5 Most of the missing information is facts about the topic, so the words you need to write
are mostly either numbers or nouns. If they are nouns, think about whether your answer
needs to be singular or plural. The sentence may help you to decide.
6 The word or words you need to write are on the recording. Don't try to put the
information you hear into your own words.
7 The instructions tell you how many words to write - if you write more, your answer will
be marked wrong. Most answers are single nouns, e.g. 'water'. or compound nouns that

-
include two words, e.g. 'water quality'.
8 There's no need to write words that are already in the sentence.
9 Write numbers as figures, e.g. '104' !1Q1 as words, e.g. 'one hundred and four'.
10 The sentences follow the order of information in the recording.
11 When you listen to the recording, you hear some words or ideas from the sentence.
These tell you that the words you need to write are coming.
12 You won't hear exactly the same sentences that you read on the question paper. This task
isn't a dictation. Think about the meaning and listen for the information.
13 Don't just write down the first word you hear that fits the gap - keep listening and keep
thinking about the meaning.
14 You should think about your spelling. If you spell a word incorrectly, your answer will be
marked wrong. But the words you need to write are words which you know, and which
are easy to spell.
15 If you aren't sure, always write something. No marks are taken ott for wrong answers.
16 Remember, you hear the recording ONCE only.

LISTENING 13
 TASKTYPE 1 Sentence Completion

Q FOCUS D Skil ls-building exercises

Identifying the
4 Read the sentences ( 1 -4). What type of information is missing in each of the gaps?
target information
1 You could see a total of motorcycles at the museum when it first opened.
......................................

2 There was a ...................................... at the museum i n the year 2003.

3 The speaker mentions the up-to-date ...................................... facilities in the conference centre.
4 The museun1's oldest two-wheeled bike was built in the year ..................... .

5 06 Listen to a short talk about about a motorcycle museum and make a note of
this information:
You hear information about the number of motorcycles in the museum at different
times. Write down the numbers you hear.
2 You hear three dates when things happened at the museum. Write down the things
that happened.
3 You hear about different facilities for visitors at the museum. Which three facilities do
you hear about?
4 You hear about old motorcycles in the museum and when they were built. Write down
three years you hear.

6 06 Look at the sentences (1-4). Listen again and complete the sentences. Use
your answers from Exercise 5 to help you. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/
OR A NUMBER for each answer.
1 You could see a total of ...................................... motorcycles at the museum when it first opened.
2 There was a ...................................... at the museum in the year 2003.
3 The speaker mentions the up-to-date ...................................... facilities in the conference centre.
4 The museum's oldest two-wheeled bike was built in the year ..

7 06 Listen again and look at the audioscript on the DVD-ROM. Think about why
the answers to the questions in Exercise 6 are correct, and why other words and
numbers you hear are not the correct answers.

8 Work in pairs. Look at the sentences and photo below. What type of information is
missing in each of the gaps?

The Brough Superior

1 The Brough Superior on show in the museum dates from the year
2 In his first race, Brough established a new ...................................... at the Brooklands track.
3 Brough won a total of .... ...... . ....... ............ races on the Brough Superior.
4 Approximately ....... . ....... of the Brough Superiors ever built still survive.
5 Each Brough Superior was designed to match the ........ , height and riding style
of its owner.
6 In its pre-delivery test drive, the SS100 model reached at least .... .. . ... .. kilometres
per hour.
14 LISTENING
 '41$AHJMN4fii..!.j@!.1.1

9 07 Listen to a tour guide talking about the motorcycle museum and complete the
sentences in Exercise 8. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for
each answer.

10 07 Listen again and look at the audioscript on the DVD-ROM. Discuss these
questions.
How did the sentences on the question paper help you to find the correct information?
2 Why do some words you hear fit the gaps and others do not?

1 1 Work in pairs. Look at this student's answers. Why were they marked wrong?

1 nineteen thirty eight

2 52
3 a new record
4 around a third
5 wait
6 130

IELTS PRACTIC E TASK

08 Questions 1-10
Questions 1-4
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

SCOTIISH BEAVER TRIAL

1 There have been no beavers in the U K since the ...... .............................. century.
2 Because they make . ................................... better, beavers are regarded as a 'keynote' species.
3 A total of ......................... ........... families of beavers are now living in Knapdale Forest.
4 What's called a ....... ............................. will tell scientists how the beavers affect the local environment.

Questions 5-10
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Eileen is spending a short period at the Scottish Beaver Trial on what is called an 5 She is ................ . ..................... .

actually a post-graduate student and her particular area of research is 6 . . . which is why she
............. .... ...................

finds the beaver project so interesting. On the project, Eileen has the job of studying the 7 ..................................... .

behaviours of the beavers. Eileen was fortunate enough to see some beavers when she went out on a
8. . on her first evening in Knapdale. Eileen's particular task is to 9 ..
....... ............................. ... ... ....... . the dams and . ........... ...... . ...

other things that the beavers make, and she has set up what's called a 10 . ...... . .. .. ... so that she can...... ... . .. ........ ...

observe them more closely.

Which statement best describes how you feel about Sentence Completion tasks?

I feel confident about doing Sentence Completion tasks.

I did OK, but I still need to do more work on Sentence Completion tasks.
I need more practice with Sentence Completion tasks. I need to focus on . . .

LISTENING 15
 A climber o n limestone pinnacles, Madagascar

A About the task

1 Read the information about the task.

This version of Task 1 tests your ability to look at and identify the most important information in a table, and then
report the information in your own words.
On the question paper, you see a table with a title. The instructions for writing your response appear in a box
above the table. There is also a brief description of the information in the table in the box. You r job is to look at
the table and select, summarise and describe the most important information.
The columns and rows in the table may represent different time periods, different types of people, different
countries and so on. Each box in the table contains numbers. There may be certain trends (a general direction in
which something is developing or changing). sharp increases or decreases, or exceptions. Your task is to identify
the most important and interesting points, and write a well-organised overview, comparing and contrasting
where appropriate.
Here are the basic rules for writing about a table:
• Look at the table carefully and decide what the most important information and striking features are.
• Write a well-organised overview.
• Include data to support the key points.
• Use an academic register or style.
• Write at least 1 50 words.
• Complete the task in about 20 minutes.
• Include only the key points. Minor details or irrelevant data can be left out.
• Don't do any calculations or give your opinion about the information.

2 Work in pairs. Look at the table on page 203 and answer the questions.
1What information does the table provide?
2Look at the text shaded in darker blue across the top of the table. What information does
this give you?
3 Look at the text shaded i n darker blue in the left-hand colunrn. What information does this
give you?
4 What trends can you see in the table?
5 What exceptions to the trends can you see in the table?
6 How much time would you have to write about a table like this in an I ELTS exam?
7 How long (how many words) should your answer be ?

202 ACADEMIC WRITING

 Monthly mobile phone usage by age in one Australian city

2007 2012

IiI
Age group Minutes used Texts
sent/received
Minutes
used
Texts
sent/received
I
I younger than 1 8 760 1004 322 1 898

i 1 8-24 728 705 401 1 392

�
25-34 640 530 633 854

1
I 35--44 5 16 252 502 590

45-54 577 134 568 304

1
---1! 55-64 478 103 442 202

l older than 64 405 32 578 18

B Sample question
3 Read the instructions and answer t h e question. Use the rules about the task from
Section A to help you. Then look at the sample answer on page 335. Which aspects of
the task did you find difficult?

IELTS PRACTICETASK
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below gives information about passenger arrivals and departures at the six main airports
serving London for the year 2012.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.

Write at least 1 50 words.

Passengers in and out of London's a i rports, 2012

Airport Number of Change % of total Distance

passengers from 2011 passengers from central London
(in millions)

Heathrow 70.0 + 0.9% 52% 22km

Gatwick 34.2 + 1.7% 25% 48km

Stansted 17.4 - 3.2% 13% 64km

Luton 9.6 + 1 .1 % 7% 57km

London City 3.0 + 0.8% 2% 1 1 krn

Southend 1.2 + 135% 1% 64km

Total 1 35.0 + 1.0%

ACADEMIC WRITING 203

 C Tips and tactics
4 Work in pairs. Read the tips and tactics and discuss these questions.
a Which tips and tactics do you think are the most useful?
b Did you use any of these tips and tactics when you answered the sample question
in Section B?
c Which tips will you use in the future?
The first step is to look carefully at the information in the table. Don't rush through this
step. Make sure you understand the table before you start to write.
2 Underline important words in the question and circle important information in the table.
3 Identify what key information is being presented in the table and which important figures
or striking features you'll need to write about.
4 Plan your writing. You can usually divide it into three paragraphs: introduction, first main
paragraph and second main paragraph.
5 Look carefully at the tin1eframe that the table covers and work out what tenses you need
to use (past, present, present perfect or future).
6 Begin with a n i ntroductory sentence that describes the table i n general terms, but don't
repeat the exact wording of the question.
7 Then describe one or two general trends or features shown in the table. Don't go into
detail; just report the most important features you see when you look at the table.
8 I n the main paragraph, select and write about the features that are most important and
interesting, and include relevant data to support the points you make.
9 When selecting key information, look for the highest and the lowest figures in each set of
figures, a n d the range between them.
10 Look for similarities and differences i n the information i n the table and try to divide the
information in the table into groups. Write about each main point.
11 Don't try t o write about all the data i n the table and don't include details that are irrelevant
to the main trends.
12 Remember, don't try to analyse or explain the information i n the table, or do any
calculations; just describe and report it.
13 Keep track of the time. Don't spend more than 20 minutes o n Task 1 .
14 Make sure your handwriting is clear a nd legible.
15 Keep i n mind t h e criteria that the examiners use t o mark your response. (For marking
criteria, see About the Academic Writing Test, page 1 80.)

D Skills-building exercises
Q FOCUS 5 Look at the table on page 205 about sources for films. Then look at the sentences
(1-5). Choose the best option to complete the sentences.
Using the correct
wording to describe Based on original screenplay I Films based on an original screenplay had the highest
the categories or per cent I percentage of market share.
figures in a table 2 Films based on books or plays I Books and plays represented about a third of all the films
made during this period.
3 There were slightly more based on fact I movies based on fact made than on TVI movies
based on TV shows, and based on fact I films based on fact had a higher total gross.
4 Legend and fairy tale I Films that were based on legends and fairy tales represented just
under two per cent of all movies made in this period.
5 Theme park rides I Movies based on theme park rides had the lowest percentage of
market share I market share per cent but had by far the highest average gross.

The table shows the source material on which Hollywood movies were based
from 1995 to 2013.

204 ACADEMIC WRITING

 Movies Total gross ($ billions) Average gross ($ millions) Market share (%)
1 Original screenplay 4,972 77.5 1 5.6 47.2
2 Based on books/plays 1 ,087 49.2 1 1 6.2 29.9
3 Remake 264 10.9 36.4 5.8
4 Based on TV 1 80 8.8 48.7 5.3
5 Based on fact 1 88 11.2 41.3 6.8
6 Based on legend and fairy tale 43 1.7 40. 1 1.1
7 Based on theme park ride 7 1.4 1 96.0 0.8

6 Write four more sentences based on the information in the table. Make sure you
correctly identify the category you are writing about.

USINGTHE CORRECTTENSE

Present simple: I f no definite time periods are given, you should use the present simple.
People over the age of 65 send and receive the lowest number of text messages.

Past simple: When a table gives definite past time periods, you should use the past tense.
In the 1950s, about half the population of the United States lived in urban areas.

Present perfect: If you are looking back from now to actions or situations a t a n earlier
time in the past that are in some way connected to the present, you should use the
present perfect tense. The number of internet users has increased significantly since 1998.
Past perfect: You can use the past perfect tense when you are talking about two periods
of time in the past. Only about 15% of the population lived in cities in 1850, but by 2000,
that number had reached nearly 70% .

Possibility in the future: I f the table involves projections about the future, use verb forms
that express possibility in the future. The urban population may reach 70% by 2025.

Q FOCUS 1 Read the box above about using the correct tense. Then look at the two tables below
about car colours and answer the questions.
Identifying the
timeframe to help 1 Write five sentences about the information in the first table.
you choose the 2 Write five sentences about the information in the second table. Use the correct verb
correct tense tense in each sentence.

Overall preference White Black Silver Blue Grey Red Green Other
for car colours in
four countries/
North America 20 17 17 13 12 11 3 7
regions (% of total Brazil 11 25 31 3 16 8 2 4
new cars sold) Europe 10 26 20 13 18 7 2 4
South Korea 18 26 44 2 8 1 0 1

Preference for car 1994 2004 2014 2024 (estimated)

colours globally
(% of total new cars White 21 20 27 25
sold) Black 11 13 16 15
Silver 15 25 20 25
Blue 9 9 8 9
Grey 10 6 13 8
Red 12 7 4 15
Green 8 6 4 1
Other 14 14 8 3

ACADEMIC WRITING 205

 Q FOCUS 8 Rewrite the following sentences. Replace the underlined words using words or
expressions with a similar meaning.
Using synonyms to
demonstrate a wide 1 The amount of goods moved by rail has increased over the years.
range of vocabulary 2 According to the table, more bicycles are made in China than in the European Union.
3 About $ 1 0 million of luxury goods are imported every year.
4 The data shows that more types of materials are being recycled.
5 The income from oil exports went down in 2012 and then again in 2014.
6 The data from the year 1 995 is quite interesting.
7 Farmers in this province grow fruit and vegetables.
8 Some of these changes were important, but others were less so.
9 These n u mbers changed radically in the early 1900s.
10 Brazil's performances in World C u p matches have generally been verygood.

Q FOCUS 9 Look at the table below about milk production in Australia and answer the questions.
(3-5 minutes)
Identifying the
important points 1 What is the main point of the table?
and key features in 2 What overall trend do you see?
a table 3 Are there any exceptions to this general trend?
4 What are one or two important points about Australian milk production in 2001/2002?
5 What about in 2010/201 1 ?
6 What points of comparison can you make between these two years?

The table below provides information about mill< production in Australia in

millions o f litres.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
ma/ce comparisons where relevant.

Australian milk production

2001/2002 2010/2011

July 590 590

August 630 710

September 830 1050

October 920 1350

November 840 1 1 20

December 790 1060

January 730 970

February 550 740

March 570 730

April 580 690

May 590 640

June 610 590

206 ACADEMIC WRITING

 1 0 Now write your a nswer. (10-15 minutes)
Write an introductory statement (based on the information in the text box above the
table) and describe the overall idea or main trend shown in the table in paragraph 1 .
2 Give details about 2001/2002 and 2010/2011 in paragraph 2 .
3 Compare statistics about milk production during these two periods.

1 1 Check your work. Look for mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Make sure
that you have used the correct tenses, and used a good variety of language for tables.
(3-5 minutes)

1 2 Work in pairs. After you have finished, look at the model answer on the DVD-ROM.
Compare your answers with the model answer and think about the marking criteria.
(See page 180 for marking criteria.)

IELTS PRACTICETASK
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below gives information about the languages that high school students spealc at
home in one school district in the USA.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and malce
comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 1 50 words.

Languages which high school students speak at home

Number of students 2008 Number of students 2014

Spanish 1 5, 1 1 0 28, 8 1 6
Korean 3,029 2,735
Vietnamese 2,557 1 ,467
Chinese 1 ,875 4,670
Arabic 430 1 ,302
Russian 414 1 ,656
Hindi 375 430
Tagalog 138 512
Polish 110 82
Nepalese 95 439

Which statement best describes how you feel about Task 1 Tables?
I feel confident about writing responses for Task 1 Tables.
I did OK, but I still need to do more work on writing responses for Task 1 Tables.
I need more practice with writing responses for Task 1 Tables. I need to focus on . . .

ACADEMIC WRITING 207

 GRAMMAR RESOURCE BANK

We use the past conti nuous:

2 Past tenses • in contrast with the past simple, to talk about an activity in
progress when something happened.
Past simple They were driving to London when they heard the news.

Affirmative Negative
• to describe situations in the past.
l/You/He/She/lt/We!They l/You/He/She/lt/We!They In California, they were researching and developing a new
lived here. didn't live here. (didn't = did
operating system.
not)

Question Short answer Exercises

Did I/you/he/she/it/we/they Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/they 1 Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs.
live here? did.
No, I/you/he/she/it/we/they (not) be bring come continue go interrupt
didn't. establish invade laOO lay leave start

We use the past simple:

When the Romans 1 landed in Britain in 43 AD, they
• to talk about completed actions and events in the past.
2 . ...... ....... . ...... .. ..... with them schools and education. When
While at university, she played bass guitar in a band.
they 3 ... . ... nearly 400 years later, education
We went sightseeing in Rome.
4. . ........... with them. With invasions from the
There is often a clear reference to a time in the past. When
Saxons and other groups, there 5 ....... .. .. .. . ... .. ...... .. .. any formal
there is no stated time, it is usually implied or understood.
education until almost 200 years later. Then the state
Used with: yesterday, last week/month/year, two days ago, etc. 6 .. .. ..... ... ................. a system of education known as grammar
schools. This system 7 . .... ........... ..... .. .. .. .. to develop over the
• to list a series of events in the past in a sequence.
next 250 years but it was 8 ...... .. .. ..... once more, this
He had a coffee, brushed his teeth, combed his hair and left.
time by the Vikings. In 1066 the Normans 9 ..
Sequence words can be used to show the order in which
Britain and shortly afterwards schools 10 ............................ .
something happened.
springing up all over the country. Then 11 .......
First. he had a coffee. Then he brushed his teeth. After that,
the first universities, at Oxford and Cambridge. These
he combed his hair and finally, he left the house.
universities 12 .... ..... the foundations for the system
Used with: first, then, next, after that, finally which exists today.

2 Write complete sentences. Use the past simple and

Irregular verbs the past continuous in each sentence.
1 you/have lunch/when I/call?
Although most verbs are regular and end in -d or -ed in the
Were you having lunch when I called?
past, some verbs have an irregular affirmative form.
2 what/they/do/when you/arrive?
be -7 was/were do -7 did go -7 went write -7 wrote
For more irregular verbs see page 329.
3 we/cancel/the game/because it/rain

used to and would 4 when we/get off the plane/they/wait for us

We often use used to + infinitive to talk about past habitual
actions or states, or for an action that no longer occurs. 5 she/not listen/when I/tell her/how to do it
We used to go to our grandparents' house every Christmas.
6 you sleep/when they/take/your bike?
Did you use to have curly hair?
When we talk about repeated actions in the past (but not past 7 when I/say ' No'/l/not talk/to you
states). we use would + infinitive.

3 Future forms ( 1 )
We would walk for hours along the beach.

Past continuous

Affirmative Negative We use various forms in English to express different functions

---
when referring to the future.
I/He/She/It was sleeping. I/He/She/It wasn't sleeping.
(wasn't = was not) Present continuous
You/We!They were sleeping. You/We{They weren't I 'm meeting Jo at 6:00.
sleeping. (weren't = were
You/We/They aren't meeting Jo at 6:00.
not)
Is he/she/it meeting Jo at 6.00?
Question Short answer For present continuous form, see page 303.
Was I/he/she/it sleeping? Yes, I/he/she/it was. We use the present continuous to talk about future plans and
No, I/he/she/it wasn't. arrangements.

Were you/we/they sleeping? Yes, you/we/they were. Often used with: a tim e (at 2p.m., on 19th April) o r a place (in the
No, you/we/they weren't. city centre, at the cinema)

304 GRAMMAR RESOURCE BA N K

 i§;tjMf.tj;l;lf{elll@!:W!i
going to Exercise
Affirmative Negative Read the situations and choose the best answer
(a or b).
I'm going to move to I'm not going to move to 1 The doorbell rings.
Germany. Germany. a Don't worry, I'm going to answer it.
You/We/They're going to You/We{They aren't going to b Don't worry, I'll answer it.
move to Germany. move to Germany. 2 You intend to answer an email.
a Don't worry, I'm going to answer the email today.
He/She/It's going to move to He/She/It isn't going to move
b Don't worry, I'll answer the email today.
Germany. t o G e rm a ny.
3 A friend invites you out but you already have an
Question Short answer arrangement with another friend.
- ·---- a Sorry, I'm meeting Ruby tonight.
Am I going to move to Yes, I am. b Sorry, I'll meet Ruby tonight.
Germany? No, I'm not 4 You have bought a ticket to go to Rome.
Are you/we/they going to move Yes, you/we/they are. a I think I'll go to Rome.
to G ermany? No, you/we/they aren't. b I'm flying to Rome next week.
5 You see a film poster and immediately decide to
Is he/she/it going to move to Yes, he/she/it is.
go.
G ermany? No, he/she/it isn't.
a I'll see the film today.
We use be + going to: b I ' m going to see the film today.
• t o talk about things we have thought about and intend to 6 You notice there is no bread so decide to buy some.
do in the future. a I'm going to get some bread.
He's going to live in Venezuela. b I'll get some bread.
• to make predictions based on present evidence. 7 You are standing on a wobbly chair and don't feel safe.
Based on curren t sales, we're going to make a loss t/Jis year. a I ' m going to fall off the chair.
We can also use going to to talk about future plans and b I ' l l fall off the chair.
arrangements, but more often use the present continuous as 8 You haven't completely made up your mind where to
it is understood that the present continuous is used to denote go for your next holiday.
arrangement. In a situation where A invites B out for coffee, a I ' m going to Rome.
compare the two responses: b I think I ' l l go to Rome.
1 Sorry. I can't. I'm going to meet a friend. 9 You have planned to visit a friend this evening.
2 Sorry. I can't. I'm meeting a friend. a I ' m going to visit Jack tonight.
Both responses are acceptable, but response 2 is better b I'll visit Jack tonight.
because it tells us that the meeting with the friend has
already been arranged (and therefore can't be broken).
4 Future forms (2)
will
Present simple
Affirmative Negative
...---- We use the present simple:
• to talk about timetabled or scheduled events in the future.
l/You/He/She/lt/We{They'll 1/You/He/She/It/We{They
arrive on time. ('II = will) won't arrive on time. (won't = The course starts next Friday.

Often used with: a ti m e (at 3 p.m., 011 Mo11day), a ti m e period (in/

will not)

for te11 mi11utes, two days)

Question Short answer

[Used with: whe11, �

• for a future event after certain time clauses.
Will I/you/we/they/he/she/it Yes, I/you/we/they/he/she/
arrive on time? it wil l . I will feel more relaxed once I start the talk.

We use will: as /011g/soo11 as, after, before, 011ce, u11til

• to make predictions based on experience or subj ective
view. be about to
You must meet Ewan, you'll love /Jim.

Often used with: think, expect, imagine, (be) sure Affirmative Negative

•
I'm about to go. I'm not about to go.
to talk about a decision made at the moment of speaking.
I'll help you. I won't forget this. I'll get him for this! You/We/They're about to go. You/We{They aren't about
These are often requests, offers, promises or threats. to go.
• to state facts about the future.
He/She/It's about to go. He/She/It isn't about to go.
T/Je government will make more cuts in t/Je months ahead.

Often modified with: probably or possibly Question Short answer

Am I about to go? Yes, I am.

No, I'm not.

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We use the ruture perfect continuou s:

Are you/we/they about to go? Yes, you/we/they are.
o to talk about an action in progress leading up to a point in
No, you/we/they aren't.
the future.
In a week's time, we'll have been working here for two years.
Is h e/she/it about to go? Yes, he/she/it is.
No, he/she/it isn't. Exercise
1 Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets in
We use be about to: the correct form.
• when we want to talk about something which is going to 1 By 2020, the student population .............................. ...... (rise)
happen very soon. by ten per cent.
I'm about to leave now. I'll see you in an hour. 2 The number of road traffic accidents ....... ............................ .

(decrease) significantly by 2025.

Future continuous 3 The bar chart shows that this time next year,

l
the growth rate ... . .................. (level) out but it
will/won't + be + -ing
..... (not yet reach) the desired target.
4 The graph shows that the use of motor vehicles
Affirmative Negative
--------
...................................... (not decrease) until there
I/You/He/She/It/We/They'll be I/You/He/She/It/We/They ...................................... (be) a satisfactory alternative available.
working in Dubai. won't be working in Dubai.
5 The decline ................ . . . (be) steady as long as the
interest rate ........................... .. . .. (remain) stable.
Question Short answer
--- 6 As soon as deforestation .. ..... .... (reach) a
Will I/you/he/she/it/we/they Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/they critical peak, nothing ......... .. . (be) able to stop
b e working in Dubai? will. the extinction of the orangutans.
No, I/you/he/she/it/we/they
won't.

We use the future conti nuous: 5 Th e perfect aspect

o to talk about an activity which will be in progress at a
We use the perfect aspect to describe an action or state that
specific point in the future.
takes place in time leading up to a point in the past, present
This time next week we'll be flying to Shanghai.
or future. The perfect aspect looks back from one point i n
time t o an earlier time.
Future perfect simple There are two different forms, the simple and the continuous.
will have + past participle Each form has a different emphasis.
We use the simple form when we want to emphasise that
Affirmative Negative the action is completed.
Have you been to Africa?
I/You/He/She/It/We/They'll I/You/He/She/It/We/They
When we arrived, they had already left.
Call me at 2:00, I'll have finished it by then.
have finished by next week. won't have finished by next
week.

Question Short answer Present perfect simple

Will I/you/he/she/it/we/they Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/they have/has + past participle
have finished by next week? will.
No, I/you/he/she/it/we/they Affirmative Negative
won't.
I/You/We/They've seen him I/You/We/They haven't seen
We use the future perfect simple: before. ('ve = have) him before. (haven't = have
o to talk about something that is going to be completed by a not)
certain point in the future. He/She/It's seen him before. He/She/It hasn't seen him
By this time next week. I'll have finished painting the house. ('s = has) before. (hasn't = has n ot)

Future perfect continuous Question Short answer

---

will have been + -ing Have I/you/we/they seen him Yes, I/you/we/they have.
before? No, I/you/we/they haven't.
Affirmative Negative

By next Monday, I/you/he/ By next Monday, I/you/he/ Has he/she/it seen him Yes, he/she/it has.
she/it/we/they'll have been she/it/we/they won't have before? No, he/she/it hasn't.
living here for ten years. been living here for ten
years. The present perfect looks back from now to actions or
situations in the past that are in some way connected to the
Question Short answer present. We use the present pe1feet simple:
• to talk about a life experience.
By next Monday w i l l I/you/ Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/they
Have you ever climbed a mountain?
he/she/it/we/they have been will.
o to talk about recent events.
living here for ten years? No, I/you/he/she/it/we/they
Have you heard the news about Susanna?
won't.

306 GRAMMAR RESOURCE BANK