Talking about things that are going to happen (the future tense)

Why is this important?
Children need to be able to explain routines and events that they know will happen, either soon or over a longer timescale. They also need to be able to predict circumstances and events that might happen. For any or all of these, the future tense is important.

What to do

• Gather together some food items and play a shopping game together.
• Give the child a list of items (in picture format) that he/she needs to buy from the shop. Ask: ‘What are you going to buy from the shop?’
• Expect the child to use the lead in phrase … ‘I’m going to buy …’
• Encourage the child to remember the items he/she needs and ask the shopkeeper (adult) for it.
• Repeat the sequence until the child has collected all the items on the ‘list’.