Future Simple Tense
The future simple tense is formed with the modal auxiliary will. That is the reason why we often call the future simple tense will or will tense.
How Is The Future Simple Tense Formed?
The future simple tense follows the structure described below:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | main verb |
| invariable | base | |||
| will | V1 |
Question sentences in the future simple tense require us to exchange the auxiliary verb and the subject. Sentences that are negative sentences require us to add not between the auxiliary and main verb. Below are examples of the future simple tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
| + | She | will | buy | the food. | |
| + | I | will | arrive | tomorrow. | |
| – | They | will | not | eat | anything with peanuts. |
| – | You | will | not | paint | the room today. |
| ? | Will(auxiliary verb) | they(subject) | fly | to Paris? | |
| ? | Will(auxiliary verb) | you(subject) | request | a bigger bed? |
It is common to contract the subject and the auxiliary verb when we are using the future simple tense in conversation:
| I will | I’ll |
| you will | you’ll |
| he will | he’ll |
| she will | she’ll |
| it will | it’ll |
| we will | we’ll |
| they will | they’ll |
If you are speaking using a negative sentence, the contraction to use is won’t as shown in the examples below:
| I will not | I won’t |
| you will not | you won’t |
| he will not | he won’t |
| she will not | she won’t |
| it will not | it won’t |
| we will not | we won’t |
| they will not | they won’t |
When Should The Future Simple Tense Be Used?
When There Is No Plan
The future simple tense is used when we impulsively make a decision as we speak. It is not used to express a plan we have made ahead of time. Instead, it is used for something that we think of at the moment. Here are a few examples of the future simple tense used when there is n0 plan:
- Wait. I will go with you.
- They will see what they need to do.
- Maybe we will eat some ice cream and stop by your house.
The examples above show how there was no plan in place before we started speaking. Rather, decisions were made as we spoke. The future simple tense is used very often with the verb think as in the examples below:
- I think I will buy those shoes.
- They think they will go to the Fair tonight.
- We don’t think we will join them for dinner.
For Predictions
The future simple tense is very useful in making predictions. Although there is no certainty or plan for the future, we use the future simple tense to share our thoughts of what we think will happen. For example:
- You will be late to the party.
- He won’t go to college if he doesn’t study.
- Who will make it to the next round?
The Main Verb Is Be
The future simple tense can be used with the verb be to express a decision or concrete action we will take. For example:
- He will be driving at 5:00 p.m.
- They will be in town, but they won’t be joining you for dinner.
- Will you be comfortable in this room?