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Future Simple

The document discusses the future simple verb tense in English. It notes that there are two forms: will and be going to. Will is used to express offers and voluntary actions, as well as promises. Be going to expresses plans and intentions. Both can be used to make predictions, with no difference in meaning. Specific uses and examples of will and be going to are provided.

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Camelia Pleșa
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310 views

Future Simple

The document discusses the future simple verb tense in English. It notes that there are two forms: will and be going to. Will is used to express offers and voluntary actions, as well as promises. Be going to expresses plans and intentions. Both can be used to make predictions, with no difference in meaning. Specific uses and examples of will and be going to are provided.

Uploaded by

Camelia Pleșa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Future Simple

The future simple verb tense has two different forms in English, will and be going to.
Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express
two very different meanings: will is used for offers and be going to is used for plans.

Future Simple Forms


FORM Will

The will form of future simple is made with will + verb. Questions are indicated by


inverting the subject and will. Negatives are made with not.

 Statement: You will help him later.


 Question: Will you help him later?
 Negative: You will not help him later.

Positive Negative Question

I will help. I will not help. Will I help?

You will help. You will not help. Will you help?

We will help. We will not help. Will we help?

They will help. They will not help. Will they help?

He will help. He will not help. Will he help?

She will help. She will not help. Will she help?

It will help. It will not help. Will it help?

FORM Be Going To

The be-going-to form of future simple is made using am/is/are + going to + verb.


Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and am/is/are. Negatives are made
with not.
 Statement: You are going to meet Jane tonight.
 Question: Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
 Negative: You are not going to meet Jane tonight.

Positive Negative Question

I am going to leave. I am not going to leave. Am I going to leave?

You are going to leave. You are not going to leave. Are you going to leave?

We are going to leave. We are not going to leave. Are we going to leave?

They are going to leave. They are not going to leave. Are they going to leave?

He is going to leave. He is not going to leave. Is he going to leave?

She is going to leave. She is not going to leave. Is she going to leave?

It is going to leave. It is not going to leave. Is it going to leave?

Future Simple Uses

The future simple is a verb tense which is used to show that an action will take place
at a specific time in the future. The future simple is also used to talk about future
habits and future generalizations. In many ways, the verb tense behaves like the
simple past.

However, the simple future has two different forms will and be going to. Study the
uses below to learn how to choose between the two forms.

USE 1 Will to Express a Voluntary Action

Will often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is


one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use will to respond to
someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use will when we request that
someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use will
not or won't when we refuse to do something voluntarily.

Examples:

 I will send you the information when I get it.


 I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.
 Will you help me move this heavy table?
 Will you make dinner?
 I will not do your homework for you.
 I won't do all the housework myself!
 A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
 A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.
B: I'll get you some coffee.
 A: The phone is ringing.
B: I'll get it.

USE 2 Will to Express a Promise

Will is usually used in promises.

Examples:

 I will call you when I arrive.


 If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has
access to inexpensive health insurance.
 I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
 Don't worry, I'll be careful.
 I won't tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 Be going to to Express a Plan

Be going to expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person
intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic
or not.

Examples:

 He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.


 She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
 A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.
 I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.
 Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.
 They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.
 Who are you going to invite to the party?
 A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?
B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.

USE 4 Will or Be Going to to Express a Prediction

Both will and be going to can express the idea of a general prediction about the
future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In prediction
sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-
3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:

 The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.


 The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

 John Smith will be the next President.


 John Smith is going to be the next President.

 The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.


 The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.

IMPORTANT

In the simple future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often,
there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.

No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the simple future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time
expressions such as when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless,
etc. Instead of simple future, simple present is used.

Examples:

 When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct


 When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always,
only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

 You will never help him.


 Will you ever help him?

 You are never going to meet Jane.


 Are you ever going to meet Jane?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

 John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active


 The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive

 Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active


 A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive

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