Considering the vital role in articulating future plans, make forecasts, and clarify intentions, a complete guide to learn future tense is much necessary. Unlike past and present tenses, which describe actions that have already occurred or are currently happening, future tense focuses on what is yet to come. The future tense can be categorized into four types, each serving distinct purposes. These forms include simple future, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous tense. Through this article, you will learn everything about future tense including meaning, formation, usages, and examples.
- Simple future
- Continuous future
- Perfect future
- Perfect continuous future
He will travel tomorrow with his mother.
They will be studying at 8 PM.
He will have finished the report by Friday.
By next year, I will have been working here for a decade.
A step by step complete guide to learn future tense
First, the simple future tense is primarily used for spontaneous decisions, predictions, or promises.
Second, the future continuous tense describes actions that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future.
Third, the future perfect tense indicates actions that will be completed before a certain point in the future.
Lastly, the future perfect continuous tense focuses on the duration of activities up to a specific moment in the future. Now, let’s begin to learn each form of future tense in systematic manner.
A. The simple future tense: meaning, usages, formation and examples
The simple future tense is formed using the modal verb “will” followed by the base form of the verb. This tense is commonly applied for spontaneous decisions, predictions based on opinion, or any action expected to happen in the future.
Rules for forming of Simple future tense
Generally, simple future tense is formed with will/shall with main action verbs. But, shall is rarely used and will dominate the formation.
Subject + will/shall + main verb + object
- Marry will enjoy her holidays in Durban.
Though it is not compulsory to use point of time but better to have for more natural sense.
- Jennifer will begin her practice tomorrow.
Sometimes, Present tense expression are used to convey future tense like —
- We are going to leave for Sydney next week.
- ICC is changing new rules for white ball cricket soon.
- Laura is going to participate in world chess competition at Paris next Friday.
In this example, present tense auxiliary verb “are” + going to equation is used to convey future tense sense.
Apart from these, simple present tense and present continuous tense are used for the formation of simple future tense.
- The game starts within an hour.
- NATO is planning to attack Taliban.
- President is going to contest elections this time.
Explaining Role of simple future tense
As I mentioned earlier that simple future tense is used to predict, promise, and describe whatever happens in future.
1. Simple future tense to describe future activities
- G-20 countries will sign a pact on sustainable development and green technology exchange.
- Federal bank will present its rate cut minutes on first Monday of this month.
- OPEC countries will discuss decisions on supply issue tomorrow.
- Minister for roadway and transport will lay the corner stone for new express way next week.
- Election commission will declare date for assembly elections in next week.
All the above examples are used to describe future activities.
2. Simple future tense to predict things
- Definitely, our cops will catch them soon.
- Surely, I will crack GMAT this time.
- Our team will make history in FIFA World Cup.
- US will lift lockdown after full vaccination.
Each of these examples are about the prediction going to happen in future.
3. Simple Future tense to promise something
- Don’t worry. You will get money on time.
- I will not let you down. We will be there together.
- Be sure. Nobody will face any type of difficulty at this time.
- Believe me. You will get my help on time.
- We assure you that we will plant hundred trees in this season.
These are some important usages of simple future tense.
Examples of simple future tense
The construction typically follows the format: subject + will/shall + base form of the verb.
- I will attend the meeting tomorrow.”
- She will start her new job next month.
- They will visit the museum this weekend
- We will finish the project by Friday.”
B. The continuous future tense: meaning, formation, usages and examples
To describe incomplete continuous action whether it is started in present or future, progressive future tense is used. Besides, assumed future happenings or future predictions are also expressed by progressive future tense.
- Rocky will be enjoying new movie tomorrow.
- UNESCO will be commemorating “Biodiversity week” from next Monday.
Rules of formation of future continuous tense
In the process of forming progressive future, apart from simple future, second auxiliary “Be” after will/shall is taken to signal progressive action.
- I am so excited now. I will be meeting my parents after a year.
- Don’t go outside. I will be reaching there in 15 minutes.
Secondly, in simple future, base form of main verb was preferred to express action. But, here in the continuous future, –ing suffix is added to main verb to make Present participle.
- Williams will be address + ing election rally day after tomorrow
- Our Principal will be declar(e) +ing schedule of annual gathering this evening.
Third, in simple future, there were no compulsion to take specific point of time. But, here, in progressive future, specific point of time is necessity to make natural sense.
- Hurry up. Our time will be running out soon.
Like, simple future, progressive future too use is/are going to be form to express future incomplete actions.
- Finally, we are going to be leaving for long holiday within a week.
Usages of continuous future tense
1. Progressive future for incomplete future activities
- Be ready. Our plane will be landing within half an hour.
- Wrap up everything. Boss will be reaching at the office right now.
- I am so excited now. I will be meeting my parents after a year.
- Don’t go outside. I will be reaching there in 15 minutes.
All the above examples indicates incomplete actions going to happen in future in a specific point of time.
2. Assumed future happenings or future predictions
It means that you are predicting about something that is all set to happen in future.
- I think the weather is changing rapidly. It will be raining after sometime.
- Now, the infections are declining rapidly. Very soon, our government will be lifting lockdown.
Both Examples are expressing the possibility of something that is going to happen as per prediction
3. Progressive future for continuous action begin in present.
- The prices of crude is rising and it will be continue for next year.
- We all are together and we will be working together for a week.
- I don’t think there is any respite for consumers. The prices will be marching on for two months.
4. Continuous future in the present tense format
- Are you sure that you are not going to be working after weekend?
- It is my decision that I am going to be married her soon.
C. Perfect future tense: meaning, formation, usages, and examples
The perfect future tense is used to articulate actions that will be completed by a specific time in the future. This tense is essential for conveying predictions, plans, and expectations. Apart from this, it is used to express not just any future action, but specifically those actions that are expected to be finished at a defined interval prior to another future event.
- By next year, I will have completed my degree.
- By the time we launch the product, we will have finalized all marketing strategies.
Rules of forming perfect future tense
To form the perfect future tense, the structure can be outlined as follows: Subject + will have + Past Participle of the Main Verb.
The auxiliary verbs “will have” indicate the future aspect of the action, suggesting that it begins now and will continue until a defined future moment
- She will have completed her degree by next year.
- We will have developed our land before next monsoon arrives.
- We will have finished our task before the movie begins
The time reference is essential while forming perfect future tense.
- By,
- by the time,
- by next year,
- Before.
- Tiger will have left by the time forest guard arrives.
- By next year, my investment will have increased by 10 percent.
Usages and examples of perfect future tense
One of the primary usages of the perfect future tense is to show that an action will have been completed before another specified future time. This tense helps emphasize an action’s completion in relation to another future event.
1. The perfect future tense is used to make predictions about present and future time.
- Come on! Hurry up! Time is running out. The match will have started.
- By the end of this month, she will have finished her project.
- They will have traveled to six different countries by the time the summer ends.
- He will have learned to speak Spanish fluently by the time he moves to Spain.
- We will have saved enough money for our vacation by next spring.
- By the time you arrive, I will have prepared dinner.
D. Perfect continuous future tense: meaning, formation, usages and examples
This aspect of future tense is used to describes actions that will have been continuing up to a certain point in the future. This tense emphasizes the duration of an action that was ongoing and will still be in progress as of a future time reference. The perfect continuous future tense is the fourth aspect of future time frame of verb tense. Mainly, it is used to make predictions, set expectations, and make forecast.
Formation of perfect continuous future tense
To form the perfect continuous future tense, we use the structure: will have been + verb-ing. Here’s a breakdown of its components:
- Will: This auxiliary verb indicates the future.
- Have: This auxiliary verb signals the perfect aspect.
- Been: This is the past participle of ‘be’ and is used to indicate the continuous aspect.
- Verb-ing: This indicates the action that will be continuously happening.
The perfect future continuous tense as well can’t be possible without appreciate time reference.
- By,
- By next,
- By the time,
- For – period of time
- Since – point of time
Usages and examples of perfect continuous future tense
1. Perfect continuous future tense is used to plan events or making predictions in future time.
- “By this time next year, I will have been working on this project for over six months.
2. Further, the perfect continuous future tense allows speakers to set expectations regarding future responsibilities or commitments.
- “Next month, we will have been preparing for this presentation for weeks.
3.Apart from this, the perfect future tense is useful in forecasting future scenarios.
- By December end, Roy will have been teaching at the national college for ten years”.
Some useful examples of perfect continuous future tense
- By next year, I will have been working in this company for five years.
- At this time tomorrow, she will have been studying for her exams all day.
- In two weeks, they will have been traveling across Europe for a month.
So far, I have explained each and every aspect of future tense. I have provided detailed information of four aspects of future tense: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. I hope, complete guide to learn future tense will help you to learn and master future tense.