2.Forming the simple future The simple future tense is composed of two parts: will / shall + the infinitive without to
Subject
+will
+infinitive without "to"
Affirmative
I
will
go
I
shall
go
Negative
They
will not
see
They
won't
see
Interrogative
Will
she
ask?
Interrogative negative
Won't
they
try?
Contractions I will = I'll
We will = we'll
You will = you'll
He will = he'll
She will = she'll
They will = they'll
Will not = won't
The form "it will" is not normally shortened.
To see: simple future tense
Affirmative
Negative
Interrogative
Interrogative negative
I will see
I won't see
Will I see?
Won't I see?
*I shall see
*Shall I see?
You will see
You won't see
Will you see?
Won't you see?
He will see
He won't see
Will he see?
Won't he see?
We will see
We won't see
Will we see?
Won't we see?
*We shall see
*Shall we see?
They will see
They won't see
Will they see?
Won't they see?
*Shall is dated, but it is still commonly used instead of "will" with the affirmative or interrogative forms of I and we in certain cases (see above).
: We use the future simple with 'will' to predict the future. It is the basic way we talk about the future in English, and we often use it if there is no reason to use another future tense. We can use it for future facts and for things that are less certain.
The sun will rise at 7am.
I think the Conservatives will win the next election.
2: Promises / requests / refusals / offers. This is sometimes called 'volitional' will. It's about wanting to do something or not wanting to do something in the future.
I'll help you with your homework.
Will you give me a hand?
I won't go!
In a similar way, we often use 'will' when we're talking about a decision at the moment of speaking. We are usually making an offer or promise or talking about something that we want to do.
A: I'm cold. B: I'll close the window.
3: We use the simple future with 'will' in the first conditional, and in other sentences that have a conditional feeling.
If it doesn't rain, we'll go to the park.
Let's arrive early. That will give us time to relax.
Shall 'Shall' is used mainly in the forms 'shall I?' and 'shall we?' in British English. These forms are used when you want to get someone's opinion, especially for offers and suggestions.
Shall I open the window? (= Do you want me to open the window?)
Where shall we go tonight? (= What's your opinion?)
Be going to 1: We often use 'be going to' to talk about our future intentions and plans. We have usually made our plans before the moment of speaking.
A: We've run out of milk. B: I know, I'm going to buy some.
2: We can also use 'be going to' to make a prediction about the future. Often it's possible to use both 'be going to' and 'will' but it's more common to use 'be going to' if we can see evidence in the present.
Look at those boys playing football! They're going to break the window.
The sky is getting darker and darker. It's going to rain.
Future Simple tense uses are to talk about actions that are to happen at a time after now. Find explanations of the Future Simple Tense form, uses, timeline below.
* traditionally shall was used in the affirmative form for the first person singular and plural (‘I’ and ‘we’). This has become less common in recent times. Shall continues to be used to form questions.
affirmative: subject + will + verb base
negative: subject + will + not + verb base
question: will + subject + verb base
negative question: will + subject + not + verb base
Forms for the verb to clean
affirmative
I shall / will clean
you will clean
he/she/it will clean
we will clean
you will clean
they will clean
negative
I shall / will not clean
you will not clean
he/she/it will not clean
we will not clean
you will not clean
they will not clean
questions
shall I clean?
will you clean?
will he/she/it clean?
shall we clean?
will you clean?
will they clean?
negative questions
shall I not clean?
will you not clean?
will he/she/it not clean?
shall we not clean?
will you not clean?
will they not clean?
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE USES
to express a situation or intention in the future I will go to work tomorrow.
James will repair the car himself.
Won’t the cake burn if you leave it in any longer?
to make a prediction By 2050 we will have flying cars.
The new perfume smells so good it will sell out quickly.
to express willingness / unwillingness to do something I’ll do the washing up
We will never eat at that restaurant again.
to make promises or threats I’ll come over at 8 p.m.
I’ll tell on you.
when making a spontaneous decision I’ll go to the shop
in the interrogative to make a suggestion or offer Shall we go to France for the weekend?
Will you marry me?
in the interrogative to ask for help Will you help me find my wallet please?
