difference between "in future" and "in the future"

Hi,

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Is it acceptable if I use "in future" instead of "in the future"?

Yes. In fact, it's better and more standard. It makes the statement seem 'more general'.

Best wishes, Clive

in future is British; in the future is American.

CJ

Thank goodness you said that Jim! I never knew this was another one of the differences. I thought Clive had gone off the deep end for a moment - I should have known better.

GG,

Another similar one: BrE in hospital AmE in the hospital.

Another:

-- Did John work extra hours this past weekend?
-- I'm not sure; he may have. (AmE)
-- I'm not sure; he may have done. (BrE)

CJ

The are quite different.

"The future" means the time that has not yet come.

"In future" means from now on.

For example:

1) At some time in the future, we will all eat pills instead of food.

2) In future, you'll have to be more careful.

That's certainly the British English interpretation.

0 01blockquote

01cite10CalifJim12cite11i10in future12i10 is British; 11i10in the future12i10 is American.12br
12blockquote

10I'm not so sure about this any more:02br
02br
00 At Google, from the BBC sites: 02br
00 19,000 from bbc.co.uk for "in future

0Of course we do use 'in the future' in British English, but with a different meaning to the British English 'in future' or the American English 'in the future'.02br
02br
00British English02br
02br
00in future - from this moment onwards.02br
02br
00in the future - at some point in the future, but it could be millions of years away.0-

0 So, in BrE "in future" refers to a time interval (from now to eternity) and "in the future" — to a moment of time inside that interval. Right?02br
02br
00And could you please tell one more time about the American English in this relation? 0-