The Future Tense

By Ranjana S.

Simple Future Tense:

Form--Subject +will/shall + Verb Root.

§  He+will+write+ a letter.

§  She+ will +sing+a song.

§  They+will+dig+ a hole.

The Simple Future is used :

(a) To express actions in the future i.e. action that has to still take place:

§  I shall meet him tomorrow.

§  The girls will go to the party tonight.

§  The doctor will examine the patients in the morning.

(b) To express habitual action in the future:

§  The rainy season will come.

§  My daughter will run the business exactly as I am doing now.

(c) To express the speaker's opinions or assumptions about the future. Verbs such as        think, believe, expect, hope, suppose etc. introduce such opinions.

§  I guess he will be able to understand how hurt I feel.

§  I expect she will do better next time.

§  Do you think he will perform well?

Future Continuous Tense:

Form--Subject+will/shall+be+ing form.

§  He+will +be+writing +a letter.

§  She+ will+ be + singing +a song.

§  They+will+be+ meeting+ us.

The Future Continuous Tense is used:

(a) To express an action  which will occur in the usual course of events.

She will be staying here till Sunday.

I will be meeting him tomorrow.

The children will be playing here this evening.

(b) To describe an action that will be continuing at a given point of time in future.

Tomorrow at this time I shall be taking my tests.

What will you be doing this evening.

Future Perfect Tense:

Form-Subject +will/shall+have+ Past Participle.

He+ will + have+ written+ a letter.

She+ will+have+sung+a song.

They + will+ have+ dug+ a hole.

To describe an action that will be completed at a given point of time in future:

By the end of this month we shall have shifted to out new house.

Before you reach his home, he will have left that place.

I shall have returned from school by that time.