Future Tense.
The future tense is used to describe something that will happen or is expected to happen in the future. To describe something happening in the future, you cannot use the present tense. For example, to describe running in the future, “I run later” is not correct.
How can you express running in the future tense? There are multiple ways to do this. The first way is to use the words “will” and “going to”. This is called the simple future tense. Both “will” and “going to” describe future actions.
Using will: (will + verb) I will run later.
I will not run later.
Using going to: (am/is/are + going to + verb) I am going to run later.
I am not going to run later.
Both forms can be used in question form too. Will you run later?
Are you going to run later?
Note that when using “going to” there is a “to be” verb before it. Before using “going to,” there needs to be one of the following words: “am, are, is
Examples:
- Never believe any war will be smooth and easy
- I will be back.
- I am going to eat a lot of vegetables.
- We will play fun games.
- I am going to the movies today.
When using a time expression (when, while, before, after, if, as soon as, etc.), the future tense is not used. The future is only used when you are speaking about an action that a person is going to do.
When I come to your house we can eat dinner.
This is not correct: When I will come to your house we can eat dinner.
The present continuous tense can also be used in talking about future meetings. A “to be” verb is followed by an “-ing” verb in present tense.
We are visiting with our family.
I am having people over dinner.
There is also another form of the future tense called the future continuous tense. This is used to describe something that will be ongoing in the future.
I will be going to the game tonight.
I am going to be away from home tomorrow.
Notice that in this tense both “will” and “going to” can be used and are interchangeable. The format for the future continuous tense has the word “be” after “will/am going to.” The simple future tense, the first tense you learned, specifies a time when an event will happen. In the future continuous tense, a specific event or time interrupts the action.
Simple Future: I am going to watch television.
Future Continuous: I am going to be watching television when my parents come home.
In the second example it says I will be in the process of watching television, and another action interrupts that. This tense is not used as much as the simple future tense, but is still used.
There is a third future tense called the future perfect. This is used to show an event that is expected to finish at some time in the future. The format for this tense is [will + have + past participle].
I will have left the house when Jack comes back.
In the sentence above, Jack coming back to the house is the time in the future, and me leaving the house is the event expected to finish by that time. “Will” is usually used rather than “am going to” in the future perfect.
This has been a quick introduction on the future tense. It is used heavily in both writing and speaking.