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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

in (the) future [British & American English]

'Note also British English in future but American English in the future:

Please be more careful in future. (= from now on)

I'll have to be more carefure in the future.'

(Quoted from What You Need to Know about British & American English by George Davidson)

Is the phrase in future only used in British English?

What's the difference between in future and in the future?

By the way, is there any difference between in the future and for the future?

Thank you very much for your repoly.

  

Top answer

I would just like to comment that in general, with increased exposure to mass media, exclusive AmEisms and BrEisms are becoming fewer. I find that I myself often use either or both, as in the present case with in (the) future .

— Mister Micawber

  • I would just like to comment that in general, with increased exposure to mass media, exclusive AmEisms and BrEisms are becoming fewer.
  • I find that I myself often use either or both, as in the present case with in (the) future .
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6 Answers
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I would just like to comment that in general, with increased exposure to mass media, exclusive AmEisms and BrEisms are becoming fewer. I find that I myself often use either or both, as in the present case with in (the) future.
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In American, I only hear "in the future". "In future" is probably an aesthetic choice with the same meaning.

"In the future" is used to describe when something will happen. "The concert will take place in the future."

"For the future" is used to describe preparations. "I'm saving that bottle of wine for the future."

If you replace those with "later", you can see that the
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Is the phrase in future only used in British English?

What's the difference between in future and in the future?

Yes. "in future" is British; "in the future" is American. They both mean the same thing.

Another one is as follows:

"in hospital" is British; "in the hospital" is American. They both mean the same thing.
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In future and in the future are not always quite the same thing.

In future you will leave your dog at home implies that on this (and perhaps previous occasions) you have brought your dog with you, but that the next time you come you should leave it at home.

In the future you will leave your dog at home is more of a prediction than a request.

I
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In future and in the future are not always quite the same thing.
This applies only to British English. In American English in future does not exist, so in the future is pressed into service for both meanings. To rephase the quoted material for American English, we would have to say "in the future has several meanings", possibly adding
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Does the same hold true if we replace the word "future" with "past" in all statements in this thread?
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