Futuro imediato
Formação
Quando nos referimos ao futuro imediato, podemos utilizar uma construção composta por três elementos:
o verbo "to be" conjugado no presente + "about" + o infinitivo do verbo principal.
| Sujeito | + to be | + about (ou "just about") | + infinitivo |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | am | about | to be sick. |
| They | are | about | to arrive. |
| It | is | just about | to explode. |
To leave no futuro imediato
| Afirmativa | Negativa | Interrogativa | Interrogativa Negativa |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am about to leave. | I am not about to leave. | Am I about to leave? | Am I not about to leave? |
| You are about to leave. | You are not about to leave. | Are you about to leave? | Aren't you about to leave? |
| He is about to leave. | He is not about to leave. | Is he about to leave? | Isn't he about to leave? |
| We are about to leave. | We aren't about to leave. | Are we about to leave? | Aren't we about to leave? |
| They are about to leave. | They aren't about to leave. | Are they about to leave? | Aren't they about to leave? |
Funções
Essa construção é utilizada para se referir a um período de tempo imediatamente posterior à fala e enfatiza o fato de que o evento ou ação ocorrerá muito em breve. Frequentemente incluímos o termo just antes da palavra about, o que reforça a característica imediata da ação.
Exemplos
- She is about to cry.
- You are about to see something very unusual.
- I am about to go to a meeting.
- We are just about to go inside.
- Sally is just about to jump off that diving board.
Esse padrão também pode ser utilizado com o "simple past" do verbo "to be" no lugar do presente, para se referir a uma ação ou evento iminentes, mas que foram interrompidos. Nesse caso, geralmente acrescenta-se em seguida uma oração introduzida pelo termo "when".
Exemplos
- She was about to leave when Jim arrived.
- When it started to rain, I was about to go out for a walk.
- I was just about to call her when she walked in.
- The car was just about to flip over when he regained control.