Future Tense – Examples |
Simple Future Tense |
| | Rules & Examples |
| 1 | The simple Future tense is used to talk about things which we can not control. It expresses the future as fact. |
| | ♦ I shall be twenty next Saturday. |
| | ♦ We will know our exam results in May. |
| | ♦ It will be Diwali in a week. |
| 2 | We use this tense to talk about what we think or believe will happen in the future. |
| | ♦ I think Pakistan will win the match. |
| | ♦ I’am sure Helen will get a first class. |
| | As in the above sentences, we often us this tense with I think, and I’am sure. We also say I expect ……. I believe ……. Probably …. Etc. |
| 3 | We can use this tense when we decide to do somethin at the time of speaking. |
| | ♦ It is raining. I will take an umbrella. |
| | ♦ “Mr.Sinha is very busy at the moment.” – “All right. I’ll wait.” |
| | Going to |
| | We use the going to form (be going to + base of the verb) when we have decided to do somethin before taking about it. |
| | ♦ “Have you decided what to do?” – “Yes. I am going to resign the job.” |
| | ♦ “Why do you want to sell your motor bike>” – “I am going to buy a car.” |
| | Remember that an action is already decided upon and preparations have been made, we should use going to form, not the simple future tense. The simple future tense is used to form an instant decision. |
| | We also use the going to form to talk about what seems likely or certain, when there is something in the present which tells us about the future. |
| | ♦ It is going to rain; look at those clouds. |
| | ♦ The boat is fullof water. It is going to sink. |
| | ♦ She is going to have a baby. |
| | ♦ The going to form may also express an action which is on the point of happening. |
| | ♦ Let’s get into the train. It’s going to leave. |
| | ♦ Look! The craker is going to explode. |
| | Be about to |
| | Be about to + base form can also be used for the immediate future. |
| | ♦ Let’s get into the train. It’s about to leave. |
| | ♦ Don’t go out now. We are about to have lunch. |
| | Simple Present Tense |
| | The Simple Present Tense is used for official programmes and time tables. |
| | ♦ The college opens on 23rd June. |
| | ♦ The film starts at 6.30 and finishes at 9.00. |
| | ♦ When does the next train leave for Chennai ?. |
| | The Simple Present Tense is often used for future time in clauses with if, unless, when, while, as (=while) before, after, until, by the time and as soon as. |
| | The simple future tense is not used in such cases. |
| | ♦ I don’t go out of if it rains. (not: will rain). |
| | ♦ Can I have milk before I go to bed. |
| | ♦ Let’s wait till he finishes his work. |
| | ♦ Please ring me up as soon as he comes. |
| | Present Continuous Tense |
| | We use the Present Continuous Tense when we talk about something that we have planned to do in the future. |
| | ♦ I am going to Shimla tomorrow. |
| | ♦ We are eating out tonight. |
| | ♦ Mr Abdul Rehman is arriving this morning. |
| | You are advised to use the Present Continuous for Personal arrangements. |
Future Continuous Tense |
| 1 | We use the Future Continuous Tense when we talk about actions which will be in progress at a time in the future. |
| | ♦ I suppose it will be raining when we start. |
| | ♦ This time tomorrow I will be sitting on the bench in Singapore. |
| | ♦ “Can I see you at 5 o’clock?” Please don’t come then.”I will be watching the tennis match on TV.” |
| | We also use this tense to talk about actions in the future which are already planned or which are expected to happen in the normal course of things. |
| | ♦ I will be staying here till Sunday. |
| | ♦ The postman will be coming soon. |
| | ♦ He will be meeting us next week. |
| | Be to |
| | We use be to + base form to talk about official plans and arrangements. |
| | ♦ The prime minister is to visit America next month. |
| | ♦ The conference is to discuss “Nuclear Test”. |
| | Be to is used in a formal style, often in news reports, Be is usually left out in head lines, e.g. “Prime Minister to visit America”. |
Future Perfect Tense |
| 1 | The Future Perfect Tense is used to talk about actions that will be completed by a certain future time. |
| | ♦ I shall have written my exercise by the. |
| | ♦ He will have left before you go to see him. |
| | ♦ By the end of this month I will have worked here for five years. |
Future Perfect Continuous Tense |
| | The future perfect continuous tense is used for actions which will be in progress over a period of time that will end in the future. |
| | ♦ By next March we shall have been living here for four years. |
| | ♦ I’ll have been teaching for twenty years next July. |
| | This tense is not very common. |
