Hello once again, this is our third and final look at the tense system. Let’s look at the future tenses that are used in English. The future tense is used primarily to tell one about what is going to happen in the future.
Let's dive in.
Future simple
First off we can see the future simple tense is used in the following situations and there are a few of these.
Future facts and certainties -
Promises -
Predictions (Based on no present evidence, as opposed to 'be going to')
Assumptions/speculations
Spontaneous decisions (contrast with 'be going to' for planned decisions)
Threats
If you are wanting to use this tense in an affirmative look below.
Affirmative
I shall/will
You will
He/she/it will + verb
We shall/will
They will
We shall eat some lobster tonight.
Negative: (I will not/shall not, you will not etc.)
You will not be running tomorrow.
Question (Shall /will I? Will you? etc. )
Shall I get you a cookie?
Negative Question (Will/shall I not? Will you not? / Won't /shan't I? )
Won't you be coming in tonight?
Future Continuous
Next, let's look at the future continuous. This tense is used in the following situations.
To say that something will be in progress at a particular moment in the future.
To 'predict the present' to say what we think or guess might be happening now.
For polite inquiries referring to other people's plans, but not to influence the listener's intentions.
To refer to future events which are fixed or decided.
Look below to see how it is formed.
Affirmative - (subject + will + be + verb +ing)
We’ll be thinking of you.
Yes/ no questions -
Person A “Will you be wearing a red dress?”
Person B “Yes, I will. / No, I won’t."
Negatives - (subject + won't + be + verb +ing)
I won't be wearing a tie.
Future Perfect
The future perfect tense is used to say that something will have been done, completed or achieved by a certain time in the future. In it's simplest it is formed in this way.
Affirmative - (Subject + will + have + past participle )
I will have studied here for 4 years.
Yes/no questions - (will + Subject + have + past participle )
Person A “Will you have lived here for three years?”
Person B “Yes, I will. /No, I won’t."
Negatives - Subject + will not + have + past participle
He will not have swam it before.
Future Perfect Continuous
We can use the future perfect continuous to say how long something will have continued by a certain time.
Affirmative - (will+have+been+verb+ing)
I will have been living here in France for two years.
Yes/no questions - (will+subject+have+been+verb+ing)
Person A “Will you have been dancing for three hours by midnight?
Person B “Yes, I will./ No, I won’t."
Negatives - (will not+have+been+verb+ing)
I will not have been sleeping 8 hours by noon.
So that about it. Now I just want to let you know much of this information can be found if you enroll in ITTT’s online TEFL course.
