Welcoming Class — Upper Intermediate
22 September 2026
We’ll explore different predictions, practise ways of talking about the future, and discuss the best, worst and most likely futures.
1. Opening discussion
Five years from now …
Which predictions do you agree with? Share your reasons.
2. Reading: Three visions of the future
Read three contrasting viewpoints, check your understanding and explore the language.
- “Life will carry on, more or less.” — A relaxed view of a familiar future.
- “We’ll finally have time to live!” — An excited vision of life without jobs.
- “Look up. They’re already coming.” — A dark vision of technology and power.
3. Language practice
Work through these four activities:
- Predictions: opinions and present evidence — Will and going to.
- Future continuous: what will be happening? — Activities in progress at a future time.
- Future perfect: completed by a future point — Actions completed by a future deadline.
- Mixed practice: four ways of looking ahead — Bring the forms together.
4. Speaking: Three possible futures
Open your group’s topic. Discuss the best possible, worst possible and most likely future in twenty years.
You can discuss an imaginary society. You do not need to share personal plans or experiences.
5. Report back
Prepare a short group report. Explain your predictions and give reasons.
- In the best possible future, people will …
- In the worst possible future, people will be …
- In the most likely future, society will have …
- We think this is most likely because …
Homework: Meet Elio — a voice from 2046
Speak to Elio, a friendly visitor from an imagined, optimistic future. Spend about five minutes discovering five things about life in 2046:
- Work and machines.
- Free time.
- Homes, food and everyday needs.
- A major problem society has solved.
- Something people in 2026 did not expect.
Ask follow-up questions—especially if Elio uses unfamiliar futuristic slang!
Then leave a comment on the homework page with your five discoveries. Use will, will be + -ing and will have + past participle. Finish by explaining which prediction you find most or least believable.