Future

The future is not a tense, it’s many possible degrees.

The bus will leave soon The bus leaves soon The bus is living soon The bus is to leave soon The bus is set to leave soon The bus is about to leave The bus is on the point of leaving

Would is the past form of Will, so past of future: Talk about a time in the past that was in future time, relative to an earlier time in the past.

Past in future time meaning.

The future as defined when is was said. Future in the past.

They told me at 7:55 that the bus would leave at 8:05, and it’s now 8:15

Types of future

Type of future meaning	Sentence	Construction	Explanation
Neutral / predictive future	The bus will leave soon	will + plain form	Uses the modal will to express a simple prediction or statement about the future, without implying a schedule or special immediacy.
Scheduled / timetable future	The bus leaves soon	Present simple	The present simple is commonly used for fixed schedules or timetables, especially with transport, events, or programms.
Arranged / planned future	The bus is leaving soon	Present progressive	The progressive expresses a planned or arranged future event, suggesting that preparations or arrangements already exist.
Officially arranged / scheduled future	The bus is to leave soon	be to + infinitive	Often used for formal schedules, instructions, or official plans, frequently in announcements or news reports.
Expected / anticipated future	The bus is set to leave soon	be set to + infinitive	Indicates something expected or very likely to occur, usually because plans or preparations are already in place.
Immediate / imminent future	The bus is about to leave	be about to + infinitive	Expresses that the event will happen very soon, often within moments.
Immediate / imminent future (formal)	The bus is on the point of leaving	be on the point of + gerund	A more formal or literary expression meaning the event is just about to happen, very similar to about to.