Future Simple Tense
We use the auxiliary verb “will” when we want to form the future simple tense. Because of this, we sometimes call the future simple tense “will” or “will tense”.
How Is The Future Simple Tense Formed?
Study the following table:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | main verb |
| invariable | base | |||
| will | V1 |
When we want to form a question by using the future simple tense, we need to switch the subject and auxiliary verb. If we want to form a negative sentence, we need to add the word “not” between the auxiliary and main verb. Take a look at the following table:
| subject | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
| + | He | will | mow | the grass. | |
| + | I | will | dance | at the party. | |
| – | They | will | not | visit | us tomorrow. |
| – | You | will | not | swim | in the ocean. |
| ? | Will(auxiliary verb) | they(subject) | stay | in touch? | |
| ? | Will(auxiliary verb) | you(subject) | write | your book? |
We commonly connect the subject and the auxiliary verb with a contraction when we talk or write:
| I will | I’ll |
| you will | you’ll |
| he will | he’ll |
| she will | she’ll |
| he will | he’ll |
| we will | we’ll |
| it will | it’ll |
When you want to form a negative sentence, the correct contraction to use is “won’t”. Take a look at the following table:
| I will not | I won’t |
| you will not | you won’t |
| he will not | he won’t |
| she will not | she won’t |
| it will not | it won’t |
| we will not | we won’t |
| they will not | they won’t |
When Should The Future Simple Tense Be Used?
When There Is No Plan
When we speak, the future simple tense is used when we change a plan in the middle of the conversation. We never use it to discuss a plan we have already made in the past. We use it to communicate something that we think of spontaneously. Take a look at the following examples:
- We will need to find out the solution to the problem.
- You will need to stay behind.
- Hopefully, he will meet with me later tonight.
The above examples are examples of when the future simple tense is used when we need to make impulse decisions in a conversation. Take a look at the following examples where we use the common verb “think” in the future simple tense:
- I think I will find a new job.
- They think they will buy a house.
- I don’t think I will buy ice cream.
For Predictions
When we want to make predictions, we use the future simple tense. Even though we don’t know for certain what will happen in the future, we use future simple tense to say what we either want or do not want to happen. Take a look at the following examples:
- I will get in trouble.
- You will be fired if you don’t go to work.
- When will we eat dinner?
The Main Verb Is Be
To express a decision or action we will take, we use the future simple tense with the verb “be”. Take a look at the following examples:
- I will be late if I don’t hurry.
- Will you be home later?
Future Continuous Tense
When we want to describe an event that is happening in the future that will continue for an extended amount of time, we want to use the future continuous tense. This tense is formed by using the words “will” and “be” plus the present participle (when the word ends in -ing).
How do we make the Future Continuous Tense?
Study the following table:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| invariable | invariable | present participle | ||||
| will | be | base + ing |
When we want to form a question using the future continuous tense, we need to switch the subject and the auxiliary verb. We also need to add the word “not” between the words “will” and “be”. Study the following table:
| subject | auxiliary verb | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
| + | They | will | be | singing | at the concert. | |
| + | She | will | be | visiting | me. | |
| – | You | will | not | be | staying | out late. |
| – | They | will | not | be | going | to the movies. |
| ? | Will(auxiliary verb) | you(subject) | be | camping | this weekend? | |
| ? | Will(auxiliary verb) | I(subject) | be | home | in time? |
We commonly connect the subject and the auxiliary verb with a contraction when we talk or write.
| I will | I’ll |
| you will | you’ll |
| he will | he’ll |
| she will | she’ll |
| it will | it’ll |
| we will | we’ll |
| they will | they’ll |
When forming negative sentences, use the contraction “won’t” in place of “will”:
| I will not | I won’t |
| you will not | you won’t |
| he will not | he won’t |
| she will not | she won’t |
| it will not | it won’t |
| we will not | we won’t |
| they will not | they won’t |
How do we use the Future Continuous Tense?
When we want to talk about a specific moment in the future, we will use the future continuous tense. The event will begin before the moment you are talking about and will continue on afterwards. As an example, I will have a dancing competition that begins at 7 pm and will end at 10 pm.
| At 8 pm tomorrow, I will be in a dancing competition. | ||
| past | present | future |
| 7 pm—– 8 pm ——10 pm | ||
| At 8 pm tomorrow, I will be in a dancing competition. | ||
The person we are talking to when we are using the future continuous tense usually understands the intent of our conversation. Take a look at the following examples:
- I will be working until next weekend.
- What movie will we be seeing?
- He will be working on his essay tonight.
- She will not be staying home tomorrow.
- He will not be playing in the football game on Saturday.
- What will you be majoring in?
- I will be studying computer science.
Future Perfect Tense
When we wish to discuss the past, we will use the future perfect tense. It is easy to understand when used correctly. We join the subject and the word “will” with a contraction when we speak or write in the future perfect tense. Sometimes we will combine the subject and the words “will have” when we speak in the future perfect tense. Sometimes, we also use the word “shall” in place of the word “will”. This usually happens when we have “I” or “we” as subjects.
How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?
Study the following table:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
| invariable | invariable | past participle | ||||
| will | have | V3 |
Take a look at the examples below:
| subject | auxiliary verb | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
| + | They | will | have | arrived | by now. | |
| + | He | will | have | written | his essay. | |
| – | We | will | not | have | seen | the show. |
| – | She | will | not | have | texted | me back. |
| ? | Will
(auxiliary verb) |
they
(subject) |
have | danced | yet? | |
| ? | Will
(auxiliary verb) |
she
(subject) |
have | answered | her email? |
We commonly connect the subject and the auxiliary verb with a contraction when we talk or write.
| I will have | I’ll have |
| you will have | you’ll have |
| he will have | he’ll have |
| she will have | she’ll have |
| it will have | it’ll have |
| we will have | we’ll have |
| they will have | they’ll have |
How do we use the Future Perfect Tense?
When we wish to discuss actions in the future that happens before another action in the future, then we need to use future perfect tense. This tense shows the past in the future. Study the following example:
- The concert will start at 7:30 pm. The Foo Fighters will have performed by 9 pm.
| The Foo Fighters will perform. | ||
| past | present | future |
| The concert will start in the future at 7:30pm. | ||
| 7:30 pm 9 pm | ||
| The Foo Fighters will perform in the future at 9 pm. | ||
Take a look at the following examples:
- When will you have moved into your house?
- By this time next year, he will have been a published author for a year.
- Hopefully, I will have graduated from college in four years.
A way to further explain the future perfect tense is by saying that it is similar to the present perfect tense, but the point of view is in the future.
| present perfect tense | future perfect tense | ||||
| have
done > |
will
have done > |
||||
| ___________ | __________ | ||||
| past | now | future | past | now | future
|