Grammar Lesson B [B1+]

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:

  • plan to 
  • intend to

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. 


 

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