The Future in IELTS Writing

The future in IELTS Writing

What verb forms (tenses, future verb forms, etc) might you use to write about each thing below in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 and IELTS Writing Task 2? (Often more than one is possible).

 

IELTS Academic Writing Task One

• Future data in IELTS Writing Task One (line graph, table, pie chart, bar graph, etc)
• A line graph showing a repeated trend (every year, every day, etc)
• A process that is always the same (e.g. the nitrogen cycle or use of containers)
• A map with no time given
• A map showing future construction

 

IELTS Writing Task Two

• The background to the question (an optional sentence at the start of the introduction saying why the topic is relevant, important, etc, followed by rephrasing the question)
• Predicting changes in the situation in the future (for example at the beginning of the final paragraph, to lead to a conclusion)
• Giving a recommendation for future actions by government, the public, etc (e.g. as the last sentence of a summary, after giving your opinion)

 

Match the forms below to the points above. Some can match with more than one. Some points above are not future and so have no examples below.

• could possibly
• has to/ have to
• in predicted to
• is expected to
• is forecast to
• is projected to
• may well
• might
• must
• need to
• should
• will
• will probably
• future perfect (will + have + PP)
• future continuous (will + be +v+ing)

 

Look at a line graph including the future and try to find data that you could describe with Future Perfect and Future Continuous. Then discuss if that information should be included in an answer to that question or not (when you select and summarise the data).

 

Do the same with a line graph with past, present and future data, trying to use a wide range of forms and then discussing which you would include in your essay.