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I think that in 10 years' time, there'll be a lot more technology, a lot more things like artificial intelligence, and that will change everything.
I think AI is going to change everything.
Hello and welcome to Learning English Grammar.
I'm Beth.
And I'm Phil.
We've just heard some predictions about the future, especially around AI and how that could change everything.
Predictions are guesses about the future.
And predictions can be based on facts and evidence or on opinions or hopes.
We'll learn different ways to talk about predictions using will and going to, but also more complex ways like the future.
Perfect tense.
You can read along with this podcast using the transcript on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
So, Phil, how do you think the world will change in 10 years' time?
Well, I think the climate will keep changing and I think the weather will get hotter and a bit more extreme.
Yeah, that's true.
I agree.
It's definitely already getting hotter and wetter, so I think it'll carry on doing that.
Well, we'll find out.
That's true.
That's true.
OK, I've been speaking to Pippa and Neil about what they think the future might be like.
Earlier, we had them both talking about AI.
But they also discussed the impact of climate change on the future and how their own lives may be different.
Let's listen to that now.
And as you listen, pay attention to the language they use for predicting the future.
I think that climate change is going to have a very big impact on the future and I think that we will need to be used to having very different weather in the UK lots more hot weather, lots more rainy weather.
I think a lot of places it's going to be impossible to live in, and I think that's going to mean that lots of people around the world will move Because they have to, because it's too hot or too wet.
And that will put pressure on places where the weather isn't so extreme.
By 2035, I think I will have moved to a slightly bigger house with a nice garden and a big tree.
That's what I'd like.
I think that by 2035 I'll have a lot more free time because my kids will have left home and I won't need to be around for them.
So I will have to develop new ways of wasting my time.
So to talk about the future, you probably heard going to.
Pippa said she thinks climate change is going to have a very big impact on the future.
And you also probably heard will.
Neil said he thinks lots of people around the world will move because of extreme weather.
So what's the difference between will and going to for predictions?
Here to explain it is Georgie, our resident grammar guru.
Hi, you two.
I've come to help our listeners with some grammar we use for making predictions.
Yes.
Why don't we start with the difference between going to and will for predicting?
Good question.
Now, they're often used interchangeably, but let's have a look at what Neil and Pippa have said.
They used going to when something seems certain because of current evidence.
So Neil said a lot of places are going to be impossible to live in.
He predicts this because of climate change evidence.
And Pippa said she thinks climate change is going to have a very big impact on the future.
This is also an evidence-based prediction and a logical consequence of what we know about climate change.
OK, so what about Will?
Well, we can use will for general predictions, beliefs and often effects of something.
So Neil said people around the world will move because they have to.
He says we'll move.
That is the effect of climate change on those people.
And he then says people moving will put pressure on places where weather isn't as extreme.
OK, so we can use will to make a prediction about what people or situations will be like in response to something.
But as you said, Georgie, will and going to can be used interchangeably.
And also people naturally try to change their language to not be repetitive.
So that's why they're quite often both used.
Exactly right.
OK, let's move on to the more personal predictions.
By 2035, I think I will have moved to a slightly bigger house.
Right, what's going on with the grammar here?
I heard will again.
Yes, will have moved is a great example of the future perfect tense.
We use this to describe an action that you predict will be completed at some point in the future.
So Pippa predicts that between now and the year 2035, she will move house.
She doesn't know when, but by 2035, that action will be complete.
Exactly.
She will have moved.
Georgie, what can you tell us about the structure?
So we form it with will plus have plus the past participle – will have moved.
And it's used with by and a time or date to say when that action will be complete.
I think that by 2035 I'll have a lot more free time because my kids will have left home.
So we just heard the future perfect tense again.
Neil said that by 2035, his kids will have left home.
He predicts that between now and the year 2035, his kids will move away.
That action will be complete.
And just a note about pronunciation.
The words are will have, but we often contract these and say will've.
Because my kids will have left home.
Well, by the end of this podcast, I think we'll all have learnt a lot of ways to make future predictions.
Nice one, Phil.
See you both soon.
Bye.
Bye.
OK, we're going to play a game to practice this language for making predictions.
I'm going to start a prediction and you can try to finish the prediction before Phil.
OK, Phil, are you ready?
I think so.
OK, so by the end of this year... I will have learnt how to play a song on the guitar.
Oh, very nice.
OK, next year... Aliens will make contact with Earth.
Oh, do you really believe that?
Next year?
I'm just guessing.
In the next 20 years?
I'm going to have some amazing holidays.
That sounds good.
What are your predictions about the future?
Email us at learningenglish at bbc.co.uk to let us know.
That's it for this episode.
We've learnt that Pippa wants a new house.
And we've learnt that often will and going to can both be used for predictions.
We'll be back next week to learn some more grammar tips.
In the meantime, you can test what you've learnt in this episode with the worksheet on our website.
And if you enjoyed learning about the future, why not watch Tenses with Georgie on our website for even more?
Goodbye for now.
Bye.
At the BBC, we go further so you see clearer.
With a subscription to bbccom, you get unlimited articles and videos, hundreds of ad-free podcasts and the BBC News Channel streaming live 24-7.
From less than a dollar a week for your first year.
Read, watch and listen to trusted independent journalism and storytelling.
It all starts with a subscription to bbc.com.
Find out more at bbc.com slash unlimited.
