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Feb 162 min read

Complete Future Tense Review


The title Complete Future Tense Review behind a woman shrugging and looking confused with her hands raised to her shoulders.

Welcome and enjoy the comprehensive guide to future tenses in English. Below you will find a summary of each future tense, followed by a visual to help you remember each form. Let's explore each future tense, its structure, usage, and examples.


Present Simple for the Future:

  • Structure: Subject + present simple

  • Positive Sentence: The train leaves at 5 o'clock tomorrow.

  • Negative Sentence: He doesn't start his new job until next Monday.

  • Question: Do they arrive before noon?

  • Usage: Used for timetables, schedules, and fixed arrangements in the near future.

A family reading the departure board at the airport
The present simple for timetables and schedules


Present Continuous for the Near Future:

  • Structure: Subject + am/is/are + present participle (-ing form of the verb)

  • Positive Sentence: We are meeting for lunch later today.

  • Negative Sentence: She isn't coming to the party tonight.

  • Question: Is he arriving on the next flight?

  • Usage: Used for arrangements, plans, or actions happening in the very near future.


A woman holding out the phone and waving to the screen as if in conversation, saying bye.
The present continuous for arrangements in the near future.


Simple "Will" Future Tense:

  • Structure: Subject + will + base form of the verb

  • Positive Sentence: She will travel to Paris next week.

  • Negative Sentence: They will not/won't attend the meeting tomorrow.

  • Question: Will you join us for dinner?

  • Usage: Used for predictions, promises, offers, spontaneous decisions, and future events.

Three women departing ways. One is holding a map and they may be at the airport lounge.
The "will" future for promises and spontaneous decisions.


Going to Future Tense:

  • Structure: Subject + am/is/are + going to + base form of the verb

  • Positive Sentence: They are going to buy a new car next month.

  • Negative Sentence: I am not going to attend the party tonight.

  • Question: Are you going to finish your homework before dinner?

  • Usage: Used for intentions, plans, predictions based on evidence or current situations.

A smiling woman holding up a sign that reads "open". She is in a new bar or restaurant.
The "going to" future for planned events and predictions.

Future Continuous Tense:

  • Structure: Subject + will be + present participle (-ing form of the verb)

  • Positive Sentence: He will be studying at the library at 5 PM tomorrow.

  • Negative Sentence: We will not be watching TV tonight.

  • Question: Will they be waiting for us at the airport?

  • Usage: Used for actions that will be ongoing at a specific future time or for future plans and arrangements. The future continuous is often used in formal writing to sound polite.

A woman sitting at a clean desk with a green pen to her cheek and looking up to the side with a smile.
The future continuous tense for ongoing actions at a specific time in the future


Future Perfect Tense:

  • Structure: Subject + will have + past participle (verb form ending in -ed or 3rd form of irregular verbs)

  • Positive Sentence: By next year, she will have finished her degree.

  • Negative Sentence: They will not have completed the project by Friday.

  • Question: Will you have submitted your report by tomorrow?

  • Usage: Used for actions that will be completed before a specific future time or event.

A woman shrugging, looking into the camera and holding out her cell phone to the left.
The future perfect simple for events that will be completed before a specific future time or event.


Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

  • Structure: Subject + will have been + present participle (-ing form of the verb)

  • Positive Sentence: By next month, they will have been working on this project for six months.

  • Negative Sentence: She will not have been waiting for you for too long.

  • Question: Will they have been practicing for the concert for two hours by then?

  • Usage: Used for actions that will be ongoing and expected to continue until a specified future time.

A woman smiling and looking comfortable in her bed with white pillow and blanket.
The future perfect continuous tense for ongoing actions continuing until a specified future time.


Remember to practice using these future tenses in various contexts to enhance your fluency and communication skills. Understanding these nuances will empower you to express future events and actions accurately and effectively in English.


So, embrace the journey of mastering English future tenses and beyond!





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