The English language has three main verb tenses: past, present, and future. While some may argue that English only has two verb tenses, it is now widely accepted that the future tense plays a significant role in the language. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the future tense and its various uses.
The future tense is used to discuss an event, action, or state that is expected to occur in the future. Unlike the past and present tenses, which are formed by verb inflections, the future tense uses auxiliary verbs such as will, shall, and "going to". For instance, "I will see you later". Let's explore the different ways of talking about the future in more detail, with examples to illustrate.
Each of these examples portrays something that is expected to happen in the future but has not yet occurred.
The future tense is utilized to talk about future events, but it serves specific purposes, including:
The future continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing action or state in the future. It indicates that an action is expected to continue for a specific period.
To form the future continuous tense, use this formula:
Subject + will + be + present participle (root verb + -ing).
The future perfect tense is used to talk about an action or event that will be completed by a specific time in the future or before another event takes place.
To form the future perfect tense, use this formula:
Subject + will have + past participle.
The future perfect continuous tense looks forward to an action or event that will happen in the future. Like the future continuous tense, we only use this verb tense with action verbs.
To form the future perfect continuous tense, use this formula:
Subject + will have + been + present participle (root form + -ing).
Although using the modal auxiliary verb "will" is the most common way to talk about the future, we can also use a combination of tenses and aspects to discuss future actions or events.
The future tense expresses an action or state of being that has not yet occurred but is expected to happen in the future. It can be used to talk about plans, predictions, invitations, willingness, suggestions, anticipating future events, and more. By understanding how to form and use different types of future tenses, you can effectively communicate your thoughts and intentions about future events in English.
The future tense is created by adding the modal auxiliary verb "will" before the verb root. In some cases, we can also express the future using a combination of other tenses and aspects.
An example of the future tense is the sentence "I will travel to Tokyo next month." This statement refers to a future event that is expected to happen in the near future.
The future perfect tense is formed by using the following structure: subject + will + have + past participle. For instance, "I will have finished my project by tomorrow."
The future perfect tense is used to discuss an action or event that will be completed at a specific time in the future or before another action or event takes place. For example, "By the time he turns 25, John will have graduated."
