English - Future Tenses

English :: Tenses :: Future Tenses  

III) Future Tense

(a)  Simple Future : This Tense is used to express intention. In this tense the first form of the verb is used.

The formula for simple future is Subject + Aux + V1

I will eat an apple tomorrow.
We will eat apples tomorrow.
You will eat an apple tomorrow.
He will eat an apple tomorrow.
She will eat an apple tomorrow.
It will eat an apple tomorrow.
They will eat apples tomorrow.

Here it may be mentioned that strict grammar rules prefer the use of ‘shall’ for ‘I’ and ‘We’ – First person singular and plural. However, in interrogative sentences ‘shall’ has to be used with ‘I & We’ instead of ‘will’.

(b)  Future Continuous : This Tense is used to express an action which is imagined to be continuing at some point of time in future. In this tense the ‘ing’ form of the verb is used.

The formula for future continuous is Subject +Aux+Aux+ V4(ing form)

I will be eating an apple tomorrow in the evening.
We will be eating apples tomorrow in the evening.
You will be eating an apple tomorrow in the evening.
He will be eating an apple tomorrow in the evening.
She will be eating an apple tomorrow in the evening.
It will be eating an apple tomorrow in the evening.
They will be eating apples tomorrow in the evening.

 

(c)  Future Perfect : This Tense is used to express an action which is imagined to have been completed at some point of time in future. It may be noted that this tense is basically theoretical and rarely used. 

The formula for future perfect is Subject+Aux+Aux+V3

I will have eaten an apple by this time tomorrow.
We will have eaten apples by this time tomorrow.
You will have eaten an apple by this time tomorrow.
He will have eaten an apple by this time tomorrow.
She will have eaten an apple by this time tomorrow.
It will have eaten an apple by this time tomorrow.
They will have eaten apples by this time tomorrow.

(d)  Future Perfect Continuous : This Tense is used to express an action which is imagined to began at some point of time in future and continue for sometime. It may be noted that this tense is basically theoretical and rarely used.  In this tense the ‘ing’ form of the verb is used.

The formula for future perfect is Subject+Aux+Aux+Aux +V4

I will have been eating apples from next year.
We will have been eating apples from next year.
You will have been eating apples from next year.
He will have been eating apples from next year.
She will have been eating apples from next year.
It will have been eating apples from next year.
They will have been eating apples from next year.