AEE 2568: We’ll See What Happens With This English Grammar

Summary

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All Ears English Podcast – Episode 2568: "We’ll See What Happens With This English Grammar"

Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Aubrey Carter
Release Date: February 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Lindsay and Aubrey dive into a common English grammar question: why do native speakers say phrases like “We’ll see what happens”—using present tense in the subordinate clause—rather than “We’ll see what will happen,” even though both refer to the future? They break down this grammar rule, explore when and why present tense is used in future contexts, offer plenty of practical examples, and share a role play to reinforce the lesson. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners, the episode aims to help listeners avoid a frequent ESL mistake and improve their natural-sounding English.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Future Thinking and Listener Question

• Aubrey starts by discussing future planning and references a show recommendation (“Pluribus” on Apple TV).

  [02:38] Lindsay: “Yeah, I do [think about the future frequently]. So when we took Strengths Finder... I do think a lot. I feel like I spend a lot of time thinking about the future.”

• Transition to a listener question from Pay Yao about future tense grammar.

  [03:45] Lindsay: (Reading question) “I wonder why Lindsay said 'we’ll see what happens' instead of 'we’ll see what will happen' on the podcast. Can you please explain?”

2. Grammar Breakdown: Future Tense & Subordinate Clauses

The Rule:

• When the main clause is in the future tense, the subordinate clause (time, conditional, or purpose clause) uses present tense, even when both actions are future events.

  [04:28] Aubrey: “Present tense is used in subordinate clauses when the main clause is in the future tense, even though both actions refer to the future.”

Three Key “Buckets” Where This Happens:

• A. Time Clauses
  • Trigger words: after, before, when, while, as soon as, until.
  • Examples:
    • “I’ll call you when I arrive.” (not “when I will arrive”)

    [06:02] Aubrey: “We would not say, ‘I’ll call you when I will arrive’. Instead, we use the present tense, ‘when I arrive’.”

    • “We’ll start the meeting after everyone gets here.”
    • “She’ll let you know as soon as she finds out.”
• B. Conditional Clauses
  • Trigger words: if, unless, provided that.
  • Examples:
    • “If it rains, we’ll stay home.”

      [07:18] Aubrey: “That would be strange, right? ...Not ‘if it will rain, we’ll stay home’.”

    • “You’ll miss the bus unless you hurry.”
    • “We’ll begin the meeting provided that everyone agrees.”
• C. Purpose Clauses
  • Trigger words: once, in case.
  • Examples:
    • “Once you feel better, we’ll go for a walk.”
    • “I’ll take water bottles in case they allow us to take in drinks.”

    [09:00] Lindsay: “We’re not saying 'once you will feel better', we’re saying 'once you feel better.'”

Why This Rule?

• Native usage & naturalness: It sounds “off” to repeat “will” in both clauses. The present tense in the subordinate clause indicates future by context and grammar convention.

  [08:48] Aubrey: “It does seem like it would make more sense to have them both be in the future, because we’re talking about the future. But that’s not how this works.”

3. Role Play Demonstration

Scenario: Lindsay and Aubrey plan a lunch together.

Key examples—Notice correct use of present tense after time/conditional words:

• Aubrey: "I’ll text you when I’m on my way."
• Lindsay: "We’ll probably wait and order food after everyone arrives."
• Aubrey: "If it rains, we’ll just move inside."
• Aubrey: "It shouldn’t last long. Once it stops, we can still do a fire pit if everyone is up for it."

  [11:17] Lindsay: "I don’t see any 'will' in the second part of that sentence."
  [11:20] Aubrey: "Exactly right...after that, present simple: 'I am on my way.'"

4. Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

• Explicit discussion of the ESL mistake: saying “will” in both parts of the sentence.
• Encouragement to use and practice the correct pattern to sound natural.
• Advice to observe native usage through listening/reading.

  [13:39] Aubrey: “Yes, it’s about knowing grammar, but it’s also about observing language...The more you’re taking in English, the more you’re going to do this correctly.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [04:28] Aubrey: “Present tense is used in subordinate clauses when the main clause is in the future tense, even though both actions refer to the future.”
• [08:48] Aubrey: “It does seem like it would make more sense to have them both be in the future... But that’s not how this works.”
• [13:39] Aubrey: “You might not be making this mistake because you’ve heard it used correctly so many times in the podcasts and TV shows... The more you are taking in English, the more you’re going to do this kind of thing correctly.”
• [14:06] Lindsay: “Through osmosis a little bit, right?”
• [11:17] Lindsay: “I don’t see any will in the second part of that sentence.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:38 – Personal reflections on future-thinking and listener question intro
• 03:45 – Reading the grammar question from listener Pay Yao
• 04:28-09:41 – Grammar deep-dive: The three “buckets” (time clauses, conditional clauses, purpose clauses)
• 10:23-12:26 – Role play demonstrating target grammar in context
• 13:08 – Advice: Listen for and observe correct usage in native materials
• 13:39 – Takeaway: Practice, observe, and internalize through exposure

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Takeaways & Practice Tips

• To speak naturally:
  • Use future tense (“will”) in the main clause.
  • Use present simple tense after time, conditional, or purpose words—even if the whole sentence refers to the future.
• Practice recognizing and using this pattern in your own speaking and writing.
• Improve by listening to native sources and shadowing them.
• Re-listen to the episode for reinforcement and check out related lessons (e.g. Episode 2561 on expanding vocabulary).

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Final Thoughts

The episode answers a common learner question clearly, with humor and lots of actionable examples. Lindsay and Aubrey encourage listeners to immerse themselves in English to develop this and other natural grammar habits—emphasizing the show's motto, “Connection, not perfection!”

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Transcript

[A]

This is an Allers English podcast, episode 2568. We'll see what happens with this English grammar.

[B]

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection. With your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz and Lindsey McMahon, the English adventurer, coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe when you talk about the future, do you sometimes make the mistake of using the word will too often? Find out if you're making this common mistake and how to avoid it.

[A]

Do you feel like you know English but you're always using the same basic words? You can't find the precise or professional phrase when it matters. Maybe you only hear sounds when natives speak without subtitles, you're lost fast. Speech, similar sounds, accents, it all blends together. And when you do speak, you hesitate. You overthink every sentence. You worry people don't understand you or that you don't sound natural. It's not a confidence problem, it's a clarity problem. You can solve it by knowing your current level. Our two minute fluency quiz shows you your current English level for free. So you stop guessing and start improving. Go to allearsenglish.com fluencyscore and find out what's really holding your English back. More time. Go right now to allersenglish.com flu e n c Y S C O R E. Hey Lindsay. How are you?

[B]

Hey there, Aubrey. Doing well, doing well. What about you?

[A]

I've been thinking about the future a little bit lately. Mostly because I watched Pluribus on Apple tv. Have you seen that yet, Lindsay? I know I recommended it.

[B]

Know it's on my list to watch it.

[A]

I haven't told my partner that we watch it.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's. It's on our list. It's on our list.

[A]

But I am wondering, what about you? Do you often think about the future.

[B]

Or do you live in the moment more? Yeah, I do. So when we took Strengths Finder, one of my top five strengths, quote, unquote was. I don't know if it's called futurist or futuristic, but I do think a lot. I feel like I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. Kind of.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting. Some people do and some people less. A little bit. But we got a great question from Pay Yao in our community, one of our amazing students and we're going to dive into grammar a little bit, answering her amazing question.

[B]

Yeah. And by the way, if you're wondering what the community is, when you join any one of our courses, you get automatic access and membership in our community where you can ask questions about your course, connect with other students, find out the schedule for live speaking events and other things like that.

[A]

It's such an amazing community, Supportive, active, so many awesome students. Hopefully all of you out there will have a chance to join, take a course so that you can join the community and get to know all of these amazing members.

[B]

Yeah. And I love that payout asked this question from, I guess based on an ep. Was it based on an episode about.

[A]

An allers English episode?

[B]

Okay, so here's the question. I wonder why Lindsay said we'll see what happens instead of we'll see what will happen on the podcast. Can you please explain? I love this question. I'm not surprised we got this question.

[A]

A great one, Aubrey. Yes. And P is always asking amazing questions, diving into the grammar and the why of things. And this is a great one. So I'm excited to answer this question here today with you guys and give you all of the specifics because we, we do. Whether you taught where you. Whether you think a lot about the future or not, we often use the future tense in this way.

[B]

Oh, for sure. It's a very common chunk.

[A]

Right.

[B]

We'll see what happens. So break down the grammar for us, Aubrey. Let's do the hard part first.

[A]

Yes. Right. So the we need to know line, present tense is used in subordinate clauses when the main clause is in the future tense, even though both actions refer to the future. So that's the bottom line. We're going to give you lots of examples here. And when we do this right, with time clauses, with conditional clauses, because we do this in a lot more than just we'll see what happens. There are lots of phrases where we do this.

[B]

Yeah, let's take a look at this, at how other places we do it so then we can draw those similarities and really understand what we're saying. But before we do any of that, guys, make sure you hit the follow button if you're listening in Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you're over on YouTube, which you might be for this episode, go ahead and hit subscribe. Right. If you prefer to learn visually, that's a valid way to learn in 2026. Okay.

[A]

Yes, absolutely. I've gotten into YouTube a little more lately. There are some awesome French channels. There are so many resources on YouTube. So, yeah, if you're more of a visual lear, go watch the podcast on YouTube.

[B]

For sure. I love that idea. All right, let's break it down. So we have a few different places, things that we need to talk about. First time clauses. Aubrey, tell us about this.

[A]

Yeah, these are all the times where we do this. So time clauses that start with, for example, after, before, when, while, as soon as, or until. So, for example, I'll call you when I arrive. So we would not say, I'll call you when I will arrive. Instead, we use the present tense, when I arrive. Present simple.

[B]

Yep. Though I have heard this mistake quite a lot.

[A]

It's a very common mistake. Yes.

[B]

Not after today's episode, though. Right? We'll start the meeting after everyone gets here. Not after everyone will get here.

[A]

Right, Exactly. So that first main clause is in the future, and then that subordinate clause is in the present tense. Or another example. She'll let you know as soon as she finds out. So of course that contraction means she will let you know. We often squish that together. She'll let you know as soon as. So there's our time clause, sign post word. And then as soon as she finds out would be in present simple tense.

[B]

All right, so time clauses are one of the three buckets where we utilize this. We don't use the will. Right. We don't need it. We just need the present tense for the second part, what would be another bucket of situations? Yeah.

[A]

So the second one is conditional clauses. So our sign post words to trigger this are if, unless, provided that there are more. But those which trigger the conditional, it's conditional on something else.

[B]

Okay, so for example, if it rains, we'll stay home. Right? Not if it will rain, we'll stay home. That would be strange.

[A]

That would be strange. Right. And of course, you can flip this. We'll stay home if it rains. Often with these clauses, the order doesn't matter, but what does matter is which one has the future tense and which one has the present tense.

[B]

Okay, what else?

[A]

All right. You'll miss the bus unless you hurry. Right? Of course, you could say, unless you hurry, you'll miss the bus. Yeah, but it must be, you will miss the bus. That's in future. But you hurry.

[B]

Present tense, present tense. We're not putting a will in there again, Right? It doesn't need to be put in there. Next one, we'll go ahead. Provided that everyone agrees. Right.

[A]

I could hear this at work. Right. All right, we'll begin the meeting provided that everyone is on board that everyone agrees.

[C]

Mm.

[B]

Love it. And then the third bucket is purpose. Right. So what do we mean by purpose?

[A]

Yeah, so these will be triggered by, for example, once. Once something happens. Or in case. In case something happens. So this is all about purpose. They're a clause that's it's condition, like. But the words that are triggering this are once and in case. So, for example, once you feel better, will go for a walk.

[B]

Yeah, we're not saying once you will feel better, we're saying once you feel better. So half the sentence is in present, half the sentence is in future, Right? Yep.

[A]

Or the whole idea. Exactly. Go ahead. Yeah, that's smart.

[B]

Yeah. I was going to say the whole idea is in the future.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

Right. Just because that other part of it isn't in the future. What you're talking about is when you feel better, that's happening in the future.

[A]

Exactly. The grammar is interesting here because really, I definitely understand PE's question. It does seem like it would make more sense to have them both be in the future, because we're talking about the future. But that's not how this works.

[B]

English is never that simple.

[A]

Exactly. So one more example for that one. I'll take water bottles in case they allow us to take in drinks. So my future clause there, I will take water bottles later tomorrow when I go in the future, in case. And then it's going to be followed by present simple. They allow us to take in drinks.

[B]

And what does in case meet? What exactly are we saying? We're not sure if they're going to allow that, but there's a possibility that they will. Right?

[A]

Exactly. Right. So it's still sort of a condition, but it's more about the purpose. Like the purpose. I would bring these water bottles for the purpose of taking them in, if I'm allowed. Right?

[B]

Yes. Love it. So good. All right, so those are the three buckets. When we come back from the break, we'll take a look at a role play. Right?

[A]

Yes.

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[B]

All right, back from break. So what are we doing in this role play? Aubrey, what's happening here?

[A]

All right, you and I Are eating, Meeting up for lunch here, Lindsay. I'll start us out.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'll text you when I'm on my way.

[B]

Perfect. We'll probably wait and order food after everyone arrives, though.

[A]

Sounds good. Are you planning on eating outside? I saw that it might rain.

[B]

Oh, no, I don't think. I didn't think to check the weather. That's okay. If it rains, we'll just move inside.

[A]

Nice. It shouldn't last long once it stops. We can still do a fire pit if everyone is up for it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This reminds me, there's a really fun restaurant here near where I live, where they have fire pits. You can order food and have a drink and your meal surrounding a fire pit. It's really cool. And it's all sand. It's kind of meant to, like, replicate a beach. It's so cool.

[B]

I love that. I love fire pits. I love having fires, campfires. It's the best thing. Yes. Yeah. So, all right. So you say to me, I'll text you when I'm on my way.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So I don't see any will in the second part of that sentence.

[A]

Exactly right. I will text you when is our time. Signpost word. And then after that, present simple. I am on my way.

[B]

Nice. And then I said, perfect. We'll probably wait and order food after everyone arrives, though, so.

[A]

Yeah, but another time post word there. Sign post word after. Yeah, so you have. We will probably wait. We'll probably wait in future. And then after everyone arrives, Present, simple.

[B]

All right, and then what did I say? Talking about rain.

[A]

If it rains, we'll. We'll just move inside. So if it rains. Present, simple. We will move inside. Future.

[B]

And again, not using will twice in that sentence. Only using it once.

[A]

Right, Exactly. And that's the conditional clause triggered by that. If. If it rains, we'll move inside.

[B]

And then you said, nice. It shouldn't last long once it stops. We can still do a fire pit. If everyone is up for it.

[A]

Yes. Yeah, we have that once triggering again. We've got the few. The present there. It stops. And then after the next clause is, in future, we can still do a fire pit or we will still do a fire pit.

[B]

Yeah. That's a good thing about living in the West. It rains rarely, but when it does rain, it rains for a short period of time. It doesn't. Like, we don't have rainy days in the West. Wouldn't you agree with that?

[A]

Usually not. Yeah. In Arizona, unless it's monsoon season. Then sometimes there will be, like, longer periods of Rain, but usually it's like a quick little drizzle and then it's done. Yeah, just wait five minutes and you can go outside and then the sun.

[B]

Comes back out and color. Yeah. I remember when I lived on the east coast, it's like, no, this is a rainy day. That means you wake up, it's raining. It's gonna be raining all day, all night, right?

[A]

Absolutely. New York. If I went to work and it was raining, it was going to be raining when I left, probably. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's true. It's true.

[B]

All right, great role play, Aubry. Where else can our listeners go right now to keep learning with us?

[A]

Yeah. If you missed a recent episode, 2561 was how to blow open your English vocabulary. We did a three part series with these amazing phrasal verbs. There are so many with the verb below, so be sure to check that out if you missed it.

[B]

Yeah. And so for a final takeaway, I mean, first of all, I love that our student payout asked that question. So smart. This is a common mistake I hear frequently. So, guys, listen again to the episode to make sure you're not making this mistake moving forward and anything else our listeners should keep in mind in terms of connection.

[A]

Aubrey? Yeah, this is interesting because, yes, it's about knowing the grammar, but it's also about observing language. You might not be making this mistake because you've heard it correct, used correctly so many times in the podcasts and TV shows that you're listening to. The more you are taking in English, the more you're going to do this kind of thing correctly. Because native speakers don't make this error often, luckily. So you can, just by observing and shadowing language, do this correctly, kind of.

[B]

Through osmosis a little bit. Right? Exactly.

[A]

Soak it in.

[B]

Soak it in. Really good stuff. But again, it comes down consumption to consumption to input. Right. Taking in. And a good way to do that is first of all, start off by hitting follow on the show. So you get allers English five days a week. If you're not already getting that. All right, great. All right, we'll see you next time. Aubry, thanks for being on the show.

[A]

See you next time. Bye. All right, bye.

[B]

Thanks for listening to all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our 2 minute quiz, go to allearsenglish.com fluencyscore and if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.

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