What is Future Tense?

Future Tense

What do you want to be when you grow up? Where will you live? Will you have a family? When we imagine the future and what life will be like, we use future tense verbs; these are verbs that describe something that has yet to take place.

Let's look at some ways to use future tense verbs along with some examples.

Will + Base Verb

One way to describe what will happen in the future is to use 'will' followed by a base verb.

She will finish her project next week.

Since this action describes what will happen in the future (in this case, next week), we use the future tense of the verb. We use 'will finish.'

We can also use the verb 'will' as a contraction with the positive form:

• I will: I'll
• She will: She'll
• He will: He'll
• They will: They'll
• It will: It'll

Or, we can use it with the negative form with I, she, he, we, they, or it:

Will not: Won't

Let's look at these examples:

• I won't run ten miles.
• They won't make it to the movie on time.
• We won't stay out past curfew.

'Won't' in these examples is the contraction of 'will not' and describes an event that is unlikely or impossible to occur in the future.

The negative form can also be used when a person doesn't want to do something, like in this example:

He won't clean his room no matter how many times I ask.

'Won't' in this case is used to describe a child who is refusing to do something.

Going to + Base Verb

Another way to use the future tense is to use 'going to' followed by a base verb.

They are going to come to town this summer.

When we use 'going to,' we first use a helping verb (am, is, or are) with the base form of the verb, like in these examples:

• I am going to swim at the beach next Monday.
• He is going to lift weights the gym tomorrow.
• It is going to rain tonight.
• They are going to study in class this afternoon.

In these sentences, 'am going to,' 'are going to,' and 'is going to' describe future events.

Questions About the Future

When we ask a question about the future, we put 'will' or 'won't' as the first word in the sentence.

• Will we get to go to the birthday party today?
• Won't you feel sick if you eat too many cookies?

In these sentences, we use 'will' and 'won't' as the first word in the question to ask if something will be occurring in the future.

We can also use the future tense in the question form to make an invitation:

Will you be able to come to my birthday party?

More Examples and Uses

We use future tense verbs to describe a future plan or scheduled event, a prediction, to express willingness or a promise to do something, or to express a quick decision to act.

We are going to go to the play on Friday. It will start at 7:00.

These future tense verbs describe a future plan to attend a scheduled event.

The weather will be nice tomorrow.

'Will be' is the future tense, which, in this sentence, predicts what will happen the next day.

I'll clean my room later.

'I'll' is the contraction of 'I will,' which is used to make a promise of a commitment to a future action.

Don't worry, I'll do the dishes for you.

In this case, 'I'll' is used to show a quick decision to do something.

We can also use the future tense to give a command, although this is rare. We can say:

You will need to turn in your work on time.