Future Simple, Future Continuous, Future Perfect, Future Perfect Continuous

Future Simple The future simple refers to a time later than now, and expresses facts or certainty. We may also use future tense to express our attitude to the future event. The 'simple' future is composed of two parts: will / shall + the infinitive without 'to' Subject I You He They We It Affirmative She Negative They They Interrogative Will Interrogative negative Wont Contractions I will ---> Ill you will ---> youll Will / Shall shall will will will shall will will will not wont she she we will ---> well he will ---> hell Infinitive without to go eat write paint dance jump sing type type sing? sing? they will ---> theyll she will ---> shell

NOTE: The form 'it will' is not normally shortened. NOTE: NOTE: In modern English will is preferred to shall.

The simple future is used: a. to predict a future event: It will rain tomorrow.

b. (with I/we) to express a spontaneous decision: I'll pay for the tickets by credit card.

c. to express willingness: I'll do the washing-up. He'll carry your bag for you. d. (in the negative form) to express unwillingness: The baby won't eat his soup. I won't leave until I've seen the manager! e. (with I in the interrogative form) to make an offer: Shall I open the window? f. (with we in the interrogative form) to make a suggestion: Shall we go to the cinema tonight? g. (with I in the interrogative form) to ask for advice or instructions: What shall I tell the boss about this money? h. (with you) to give orders: You will do exactly as I say. i. (with you) to give an invitation: Will you come to the dance with me? Will you marry me? -----------------------------------

Future Continuous The future continuous is made up of two elements: the simple future of the verb 'to be' + the present participle (sing+ing). The future continuous refers to an unfinished action or event that will be in progress at a time later than now.

Affirmative I will be asking Negative She won't be leaving

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Interrogative Will they be retiring? Interrogative negative Won't we be staying?

The future continuous is used: a. to project ourselves into the future and see something happening: This time next week I will be sun-bathing in Bali. b. to refer to actions/events that will happen in the normal course of events: I'll be seeing Jim at the conference next week. c. in the interrogative form, especially with 'you', to distinguish between a simple request for information and an invitation: Will you be coming to the party tonight? (= request for information) Will you come to the party? (= invitation) d. to predict or guess about someone's actions or feelings, now or in the future: I expect you'll be feeling tired after that long walk.

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Future Perfect The future perfect is composed of two elements: the simple future of the verb to have (will have) + the past participle of the main verb: Subject He will have will have past participle finished

The future perfect refers to a completed action in the future. When we use this tense we are projecting ourselves forward into the future and looking back at an action that will be completed some time later than now. It is often used with a time expression using by + a point in future time.

Examples: a. I'll have been here for six months on June 23rd. b. By the time you read this I'll have left. c. You will have finished your work by this time next week.

Affirmative I will have left Negative They won't have gone Interrogative Will we have seen? Interrogative negative Won't he have arrived? Example: to arrive, future perfect Affirmative Ill have arrived. Youll have arrived. Hell have arrived. Shell have arrived. Well have arrived. Theyll have arrived. Negative I wont have arrived. You wont have arrived. He wont have arrived. She wont have arrived. We wont have arrived. They wont have arrived. Interrogative Will I have arrived? Will you have arrived? Will he have arrived? Will she have arrived? Will we have arrived? Will they have arrived?

-------------------------------------Future Perfect Continuous Future perfect continuous is composed of two elements: the future perfect of the verb to be (will have been) + the present participle of the main verb (base+ing): Subject We will have been will have been base+ing working
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Affirmative I Negative I Interrogative Will Interrogative negative Wont

will have been wont have been I have been I have been

working working working? working?

The future perfect continuous is used to project ourselves forward in time and to look back. It refers to events or actions in a time between now and some future time, that may be unfinished. Examples: a. b. c. d. I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock. By 2001 I will have been living here for sixteen years. By the time I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years. Next year I will have been working here for four years.

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