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Simple Future

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Simple Future: Uses
Simple Future: Affirmative Form
Simple Future—Affirmative Form Exercise
Simple Future: Negative Form
Simple Future—Negative Form Exercise
Simple Future: Question Form
See Also

Simple Future: Uses
Simple Future: Affirmative Form
Simple Future: Negative Form
Simple Future: Question Form

Simple Future: Uses

Rules

Simple Future: Uses

The simple future verb tense is used to express actions or states that begin and end in the future.

It is formed with will or going to.

For:

Promises ⇒ will
Spontaneous actions or decisions ⇒ will
Future facts ⇒ will
Predictions⇒ will or going to
Plans ⇒ going to

To learn more on using will or going to, visit Verb Tense vs. Verb Tense.

Examples

Promises

Benita will give a present to her best friend Sarah next week.

Future facts

Italy will host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Spontaneous actions or decisions

As soon as Sarah sees it, she will jump with joy.

Predictions

They think Sarah will become a ski champion!

Plans

Benita and Sarah are going to try their new equipment in a few days.

Tip

Simple Future Keywords

Many keywords can help you recognize the future.

A word

A word combination

next...

in...

this...

within...

tomorrow
tonight
later
shortly
soon
when
after
by

next year
next month
next week
next meeting

in 2 days
in 10 years
in 6 months
in a week
in 2099
in spring
in a while

this coming Friday
this afternoon
this year

within a week
within a month
within a year

Find out more!

Possibilities and Consequences

The simple future can also be used in conditional sentences. If a condition is met, the future action will happen.

If Sarah trains well, she will make the national team.

If Sarah is careful, she will ski down the slope without falling.

She will only make it to the Olympics if she gets financial help.

For Advanced Users - Other Verb Tenses to Express the Future

Simple Future: Affirmative Form

Rule

Points to remember when forming affirmative sentences:

With will

Place the auxiliary verb will in front of the verb.
Use the base form of the verb.

With to be going to

Place the auxiliary verb to be in front of the verb.
Use going to.
Use the base form of the verb.

Examples

With will

Sarah will win a gold medal.

With to be going to

They are going to stay in a hotel during the Olympics.

Simple Future—Affirmative Form Exercise

For Advanced Users — Swapping will for shall

Simple Future: Negative Form

Rules

Points to remember when forming negative simple future sentences:

With will

Place the auxiliary will after the subject.
Place the function word not after will.
Use the base form of the verb.

With to be going to

Place the auxiliary to be after the subject.
Place the function word not after the auxiliary to be.
Use going to before the verb.
Use the base form of the verb.

Contractions are often used in the simple future.

Examples

1. With will

2. With to be going to

Simple Future—Negative Form Exercise

Simple Future: Question Form

Yes/No Questions

answered by yes or no

Information Questions

answered with information
never answered by yes or no
use question words

Rules

Points to remember when forming questions in the simple future:

With will

Place the auxiliary will before the subject for yes/no questions.
Use the base form of the verb.

For information questions only:
Place a question word at the beginning.

With going to

Place the auxiliary to be at the beginning for yes/no questions.
Use going to after the auxiliary to be.
Use the base form of the verb.

For information questions only:
Place a question word at the beginning.

Examples

1. Yes/no questions with will

Will	subject	verb	object?
Will	she	sign	a contract?
Will	they	pack	their equipment?

1. Yes/no questions with to be going to

To be	subject	going to	verb	object?
Are	they	going to	visit	Beijing?
Is	she	going to	be	careful?

2. Information questions with will

Question word	will	subject	verb	object?
What	will	Sarah	win	at the Olympics?
Why	will	Sarah	stay	healthy?

2. Information question with to be going to

Question word	to be	subject	going to	verb	object?
What	is	she	going to	carry	to the mountain?
Where	are	they	going to	compete	during the Olympics?

Simple Future: Uses

Simple Future: Uses

Simple Future Keywords

Possibilities and Consequences

For Advanced Users - Other Verb Tenses to Express the Future

Simple Future: Affirmative Form

With will

With to be going to

Simple Future—Affirmative Form Exercise

For Advanced Users — Swapping will for shall

Simple Future: Negative Form

With will

With to be going to

Simple Future—Negative Form Exercise

Simple Future: Question Form

Yes/No Questions

Information Questions

With will

With going to

See Also