The Future in IELTS Writing

The Future in IELTS Writing

What verb forms might you use to do each thing below in IELTS Writing Parts One and

Two? Note that some things described below are not the future and so need other tenses.

IELTS Academic Writing Part One

 Future data in IELTS Writing Part 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 Part Two

 The background to the question that you will then paraphrase and answer (often the

first sentence in the introduction)

 Stating your personal preferences (and/ or preferences of people you know and know

about) to support your arguments

 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 the conclusion, 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

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2019

p. 1

 might

 must

 need to

 should

 will

 will be + PP (= future passive)

 will probably

 would like

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.

Describe the (probable/ likely/ possible) future of these topics from real IELTS Writing Part

Two questions.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2019

p. 2