AMBITIONS & GOALS
We often speak about our career and the future together – what work would please us and plans we make. To do this we use:
- future tenses
- sentences with “like”
Some expressions can become confused with other expressions that have a different meaning, so let us look at these forms so it is clear:
Discussing the future
Simple future with ‘will’:
EXAMPLES
- I will specialise in Trauma Care.
- I’ll specialise in Trauma Care.
- I think I’ll enjoy private practice.
Simple future with ‘going to’:
EXAMPLES
- I am going to register for more medical conferences this year.
- He is going to be one of the conference presenters.
Also, for something you think seriously about doing in the future:
EXAMPLES
- He plans to apply for a fellowship in London.
- She intends to specialise in Trauma Care.
- They intend to open the new pediatric unit by year-end.
Note the different expression
- tend to = to prefer to do something, to do something more often OR to have something happen more often
EXAMPLES
- There tend to be more female pediatricians than male.
- I tend to work with a lot of sport injury patients, and I want to specialise in this area.
What would please us
would like = more polite or refined way to say “I want”
EXAMPLES
- I would like to get that fellowship in London next year.
- He’d like to eventually go into private practice.
There are other expressions with ‘like’, but they have different meanings.
like (verb) – when something pleases you
EXAMPLES
- I like working with athletes, so I think I’ll specialise in sports injuries.
- I like the fast pace in the Emergency Room.
like (preposition) – when comparing one thing to another
EXAMPLES
- I enjoyed my studies in the past just like I enjoy my work now.
- I didn’t expect to enjoy surgery like I do!
SPEAKING PRACTICE. EXERCISE B
Practice repeating ALOUD each example sentence in the lesson above until they flow smoothly and naturally.