Everything You Need to Know about Future Tenses

Introduction

In English, talking about the future may look much easier compared to the past or the present. Basically, it is commonly used the word ”will” for creating future expressions. In addition, there are also 4 tenses in the future which include; the simple future, the perfect future, the future continuous, and the future perfect continuous. However, native English don’t use all those 4 tenses in their daily English conversations. Therefore, there is something very important you should focus on in this article.

Using the Simple Future

Structure: will + root form of the verb.

In general, we use the simple future to form an action that will happen in the future. for example:

• I will post this article tomorrow.
• I will not post this article tomorrow.
• Will I post this article tomorrow?

As you can see in the example, the simple future is straightforward and is used to talk about actions that haven’t happened yet but are expected to happen in the future.

However, there is another way to convey the simple future without the word “will”.

Structure: am/is/are + going to + root form of the verb

Examples:

• I am going to post this article tomorrow.
• I am not going to post this article tomorrow.
• Am I going to post this article tomorrow?

Will vs Going to for Future

To give a simple comparison between Will and Going to for the future, we should reuse the previous examples again to explain:

1. I will post this article tomorrow.

2 . I am going to post this article tomorrow.

So, example number 2 implies a plan or intention that has already been decided. It suggests that posting the article is something that I actually have planned ahead of time and I am certain about it. On the other hand, example number 1 is more direct and can imply a decision made at the moment of speaking. It’s a straightforward statement of future action without necessarily indicating prior planning.

Overall, both statements are correct for the future, but they hide a nuance difference.

When to use the Future Continuous Tense

Basically, there are 3 ways to use the future continuous:

1- To describe a future action happening during a specific time.

Examples:

• We will be playing video games from the dusk to the dawn.
• By next week, I will be finishing my project.

2- To describe multiple future actions occurring at the same time.

Examples:

• My friend will be supporting Germany, while I will be supporting England during the European Championship 2024.
• I will be watching videos on YouTube on the weekend, and my brother will be studying for the final exams.

3- To describe a future action that is interrupted by another action.

Examples:

• My mom will be cooking the dinner when I head home.
• I will be waking up tomorrow at 6 o’clock when the alarm rings.

When to use the Present Perfect

The Present Perfect is used to express actions that will be completed before another action or time in the future.

Structure: will + have + past participle

Examples:

• By the time the guest reaches home, my sister will have finished cooking.
• James will have left the office before the CEO gets there.

When to use the Present Perfect Continuous

This tense is used to express actions that will have been ongoing for a period of time before a certain future point.

Structure: will + have + been + verb + ing

Example:

• By next year, I will have been working here for five years.
• By next year, I will have not been working here for five years.
• Will I have been working here for five years by next year?

However, the present perfect continuous is uncommonly used in English due to nonaction and stative verbs such as: to be, to know, to feel, to think, to have…etc.

As a result, this upcoming sentence could be incorrect:

• By next month, I will have been thinking about buying a new car for 2 years. (incorrect)
• By next month, I will have thought about buying a new car for 2 years. (correct)

Conclusion

In conclusion, future tenses in English provide nuanced ways to express upcoming actions or events. Remember that Native English speakers often prefer the simple future “will” and “going to” for simplicity, flexibility, and neutral tone.

Sometimes, they use the future continuous tense to speak politely or to make their statements sound less direct and more tentative. This can soften the impact of what they are saying and make it seem more considerate or less abrupt. For example:

• Instead of saying “I will call you later,” which is straightforward and could sound a bit direct, they might say “I will be calling you later,” which sounds softer and more polite.