Simple future tense

1. The Concept of Simple Future Tense

The Simple Future Tense in English is used when there is no plan or decision to do something before speaking. We make a spontaneous decision at the moment of speaking.

2. Simple Future Tense Formula

Simple Future Tense Formula

2.1. Affirmative Sentences

	Verb "to be"	Regular Verbs
Structure	S + will + be + Noun/Adjective	S + will + V (base form)
Note	will = ’ll
Examples	She’ll be fine. You will be mine soon.	I will always love you. No worries, I will take care of the children for you.

2.2. Negative Sentences

	Verb "to be"	Regular Verbs
Structure	S + will not + be + Noun/Adjective	S + will not + V (base form)
Note	will not = won’t
Examples	She won’t be happy if she cannot pass the entrance exam tomorrow. We won’t be friends anymore.	I won’t bring champagne to the party tonight. I won’t tell her the truth.

2.3. Questions

	Verb "to be"	Regular Verbs
Structure	Q: Will + S + be + ? A: Yes, S + will. No, S + won’t.	Q: Will + S + V (base form)? A: Yes, S + will. No, S + won’t.
Examples	Q: Will you be home tomorrow morning? A: No, I won’t. Q: Will he be the last person to leave the classroom?  A: Yes, he will.	Q: Will you come back? A: Yes, I will. Q: Will he go to the post office to take the parcel for you? A: No, he won’t.

3. Uses of the Simple Future Tense

3.1. To Express a Spontaneous Decision or Intention at the Moment of Speaking

Example:

• I miss my grandmother so much. I will drop by her house after working tomorrow.

3.2. To Express a Prediction Without Evidence

Example:

• I think she won’t come and join our party.

3.3. To Make Requests, Offers, or Invitations

Examples:

• Will you go out for dinner with me?
• Will you pass me the pencil, please?

3.4. To Express Promises

Examples:

• I promise I will write to her every day.
• My friend will never tell anyone about this.

3.5. To Express Warnings or Threats

Examples:

• Be quiet or Chinhtao will be angry.
• Stop talking, or the teacher will send you out.

3.6. To Offer Help to Others

Questions often start with Shall I.

Examples:

• Shall I carry the bags for you, Dad?
• Shall I get you something to eat?

3.7. To Make Suggestions

Questions often start with Shall we.

Examples:

• Shall we play football?
• Shall we have Chinese food?

3.8. To Ask for Advice

Questions like What shall I do? or What shall we do?

Examples:

• I have a fever. What shall I do?
• We’re lost. What shall we do?

3.9. Used in Type I Conditional Sentences

To express a possible assumption in the present or future.

Example:

• If she learns hard, she will pass the exam.

4. Signs of the Simple Future Tense

Recognizing the simple future tense is straightforward. You can identify it by paying attention to examples of the tense.

4.1. Time Adverbs

• In + (time): in a certain amount of time (e.g., in 5 minutes)
• Tomorrow
• Next day/ next week/ next month/ next year
• Soon

Example:

• We’ll meet at school tomorrow.

4.2. Verbs Expressing Opinions

• Think/ believe/ suppose/ assume…
• Promise
• Hope, expect

Example:

• I hope I will live abroad in the future.

4.3. Adverbs Expressing Opinions

• Perhaps/ probably/ maybe
• Supposedly

Example:

• This picture is supposedly worth a million pounds.

5. Some Simple Future Tense Structures

We can use other grammatical structures with similar functions to the simple future tense to express actions or events likely to happen in the future:

(to be) likely to + V (likely/ possible)	I believe that technological innovations such as robots are likely to do most of human’s work in the future.
(to be) expected to + V (expected)	Artificial intelligence is expected to replace humans in most manual work in the near future.

6. Differences Between the Two Future Tenses

The difference between the Simple Future Tense and the structure ‘be going to + V’

The main difference lies in the likelihood of the speaker’s prediction or judgment. Therefore:

• Use the structure be going to + V if there is evidence to support your judgment.
• Use the simple future tense or alternative structures if your judgment is based on feelings without clear evidence or basis.