Future Tense: Definition, Types, and 100+ Examples

The future tense (abbreviated fut) is a grammatical tense used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. In English, there are several ways to express the future tense:

Simple Future: Formed using the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” (for the first person) followed by the base form of the main verb.
- Example: She will go to the store tomorrow.
Going to Future: Formed using the present tense of the verb “to be” (am, is, are) + “going to” + the base form of the main verb.
- Example: We are going to have dinner at the new restaurant.
Future Continuous: Formed using the future tense of the verb “to be” (will be) + the present participle of the main verb.
- Example: He will be studying for the exam all night.
Future Perfect: Formed using the future tense of the verb “to have” (will have) + the past participle of the main verb.
- Example: By the time she arrives, we will have finished the project.
Future Perfect Continuous: Formed using the future tense of the verb “to have” (will have) + “been” + the present participle of the main verb.
- Example: By next month, I will have been working here for five years.

It’s important to note that while English uses specific words or constructions to denote the future tense, some languages may convey future actions or events through other linguistic mechanisms.

Table of Contents

Definition of the Future Tense

The definition of the Future Tense is given below:

According to the Cambridge Dictionary

Future Tense is the form of a verb that you use when talking about something that will happen or exist.

According to the Collins Dictionary

The ‘future tense’ is a tense of verbs used when the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The future tense is a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.

Types/Forms of the Future Tense

The future tense expresses actions or states that will occur in the future. In English, there are several forms of the future tense, each serving a slightly different purpose. We include going to the future as a form it is not a type. The main types/forms of the future tense:

Simple Future
- Formed using the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” (for first person) followed by the base form of the main verb.
- Example: I will call you later.
Going to Future
- Formed using the present tense of the verb “to be” (am, is, are) + “going to” + the base form of the main verb.
- Example: They are going to visit their grandparents next weekend.
Future Continuous
- Formed using the future tense of the verb “to be” (will be) + the present participle of the main verb.
- Example: At this time tomorrow, I will be working on my assignment.
Future Perfect
- Formed using the future tense of the verb “to have” (will have) + the past participle of the main verb.
- Example: By next year, she will have completed her degree.
Future Perfect Continuous
- Formed using the future tense of the verb “to have” (will have) + “been” + the present participle of the main verb.
- Example: By the time he arrives, I will have been waiting for an hour.

These forms allow speakers to convey different nuances related to the timing, certainty, or duration of future actions or events. Choosing the appropriate future tense depends on the context and the specific aspect of the future you want to emphasize.

Let’s analyze how the structure of the future tense changes in positive, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative sentences using the example of :

The simple Future tense:

1. Positive

Structure: Subject + will/shall + base form of the main verb.
Example: She will travel to Paris next month.

2. Negative

Structure: Subject + will not (won’t) / shall not (shan’t) + base form of the main verb.
Example: They won’t attend the meeting tomorrow.

3. Interrogative

Structure: Will/Shall + subject + base form of the main verb?
Example: Will you join us for lunch?

4. Negative Interrogative

Structure: Will not (won’t) / Shall not (shan’t) + subject + base form of the main verb?
Example: Won’t she come to the party?

Going to Future tense:

1. Positive

Structure: Subject + am/is/are + going to + base form of the main verb.
Example: We are going to start a new project.

2. Negative

Structure: Subject + am not/is not/are not (aren’t) + going to + base form of the main verb.
Example: He isn’t going to buy a new car.

3. Interrogative

Structure: Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + base form of the main verb?
Example: Are they going to attend the conference?

4. Negative Interrogative

Structure: Am not/Is not/Are not + subject + going to + base form of the main verb?
Example: Isn’t she going to submit her assignment?

Similar structures apply to Future Continuous, Future Perfect, and Future Perfect Continuous, with variations based on the auxiliary verbs “will,” “shall,” “be,” and “have.”

These structures are crucial for constructing sentences in the future tense in different contexts and forms.

Near future

The “near future” refers to a grammatical or linguistic category used to express actions or events that will happen in the relatively short term, typically in the immediate or foreseeable future. Different languages employ various mechanisms to indicate the near future, and these can include specific verb forms, auxiliary verbs, or other linguistic elements.

In many languages, the near future tense serves to convey a sense of imminence or proximity in time. Speakers use this tense to talk about events or actions that are expected to occur soon, but not necessarily immediately. It’s a way to express a temporal relationship that is closer in time than the general or more distant future.

Examples of expressing the near future in different languages:

English – Going to Future:
- Example: “I am going to meet her after work.”
French – Futur Proche:
- Example: « Je vais partir bientôt. » (I am going to leave soon.)
Spanish – Futuro Próximo:
- Example: “Voy a empezar el proyecto mañana.” (I am going to start the project tomorrow.)
German – Futur I with Present Tense:
- Example: “Ich werde ihn bald besuchen.” (I will visit him soon.)
Japanese – 〜つもりだ (Tsumori da):
- Example: “明日、買い物に行くつもりです。” (I am planning to go shopping tomorrow.)
Mizo – dáwn mék
- Example: The use of these suffixes helps to signify an action or event happening shortly.
Chichewa– Chichewa, a Bantu language, divides tenses into categories, including near future
- Example: The near future tense might have specific markers or features to indicate an event that is close in time.

Languages may use various strategies to mark the near future, including specific verbs, verb conjugations, particles, or dedicated verb forms. How the near future is expressed reflects the linguistic and cultural characteristics of each language.