Tonight’s song is a Christmas song, but a sad one at first. The singer’s relationship has ended at Christmas time. But she looks forward: this time next year, she says, I’ll be lighting candles, buying presents, having dinner with friends.
Learn from Songs · Unit 4: The future · B1
This Time Next Year
Toni Braxton’s Christmas song of a broken heart and a better future: the future continuous (this time next year I’ll be buying presents), hope + will, get over / get on with, and talking about next year, with Philo, Sophia, Marcos and Demetria.
SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
So she’ll be happy again.
SOPHIA
That’s her hope. And notice the grammar: this time next year I’ll be doing something. That is the future continuous: an action in progress at a time in the future.
MARCOS
This time next year I’ll be running in the games.
Before you listen: the song
Los Angeles, 2001
Toni Braxton is an American singer with a deep, smoky voice, famous for ballads such as “Breathe Again” and “Un-Break My Heart”. She won several Grammy Awards in the 1990s.
Snowflakes (2001) was her first Christmas album, with old favourites and new songs. “This Time Next Year” was written by Toni Braxton with two of the great songwriters and producers of pop music, Babyface and David Foster.
In the song, she is sad this Christmas. But this time next year, she will be lighting candles at home, buying presents and having dinner with friends, and she hopes she will have got over the hurt.
This year’s sorrow can become next year’s joy.
Listen: next year
PHILO
Listen once. What will she be doing this time next year? How does she feel now?
SOPHIA
Then answer Section A.
🕯️ Listen to the song: “This Time Next Year” (Babyface, David Foster and Toni Braxton, 2001), sung by Toni Braxton.Listen to the recording →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “This Time Next Year”, Toni Braxton.Read the lyrics →
The future continuous
MARCOS
This time next year I’ll be lighting candles. At eight tonight I’ll be having dinner. Don’t call at nine: I’ll be sleeping.
SOPHIA
will be + -ing = an action in progress at a particular time in the future: This time tomorrow I’ll be flying to Rome. Compare the future perfect: finished by then.
This time next year, hope + will
DEMETRIA
This time next year I’ll be home. I hope I’ll be happier. I hope it won’t rain.
SOPHIA
this time next week / month / year = at the same time in the future. hope + will / present for a possible future: I hope you get better soon.
Get over, get on with
PHILO
She wants to get over the hurt. She’s trying to get on with her life. She’ll get through Christmas.
SOPHIA
get over = recover from (a sadness, an illness). get on with = continue, or have a good relationship with. get through = survive a difficult time.
Sophia’s comparison: the Psalm and Persephone
PHILO
The Psalm says: weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning. And: those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
SOPHIA
And every winter, the Greeks say, Persephone goes down to the underworld and her mother Demeter mourns, and nothing grows. But every spring she comes back, and the world turns green again. Next year always comes.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| will be + -ing | future continuous: in progress then | This time next year I’ll be lighting candles. |
| this time next year / tomorrow | a point in the future | This time tomorrow I’ll be flying. |
| hope + will / present | hoping for the future | I hope you get better soon. |
| get over / get through | recover / survive | She’ll get over it. |
| get on with | continue | She’s getting on with her life. |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. When is the song set?
2. How does she feel now?
3. What will she be doing this time next year?
4. Which album is it on?
5. Who wrote it with her?
6. Which famous ballad did Toni Braxton sing?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. This time next year I’ll lighting candles.
8. Don’t call at nine. I’ll be . (sleep)
9. I hope you better soon. (get)
10. She wants to get the hurt. (recover from)
11. She’s trying to get on her life.
12. This time year, I’ll be home.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “This time next year I’ll lying on a beach.”
14. “I hope you’ll feel better soon.”
15. “She’ll get over from it.”
16. “At eight o’clock tomorrow I’ll be having breakfast.”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
This time next year. Tell a partner what you’ll be doing this time tomorrow, this time next week and this time next year.
Discuss. 1. Is it hard to be sad at a happy time of year? 2. How do people get over a disappointment? 3. Why do we make plans for “next year” at Christmas and New Year?
Write (100–120 words). This time next year. Imagine your life a year from now. Use the future continuous, hope, and get over / get on with.
Now play the gamebook: a broken leg, and next year’s games.Play the gamebook →