Simple Future Tense
The simple future tense tells us about things that will happen later. We use it to talk about what will happen tomorrow, next week, or in the future.
What You'll Learn
- How to use "will" to talk about things that have not happened yet
- How to make sentences with "will + a doing word"
- How to spot future tense clue words like "tomorrow" and "next week"
When to Use
- When something will happen later: "I will eat my lunch at noon."
- When you make a promise: "I will help you carry your bag."
- When you say what you think will happen: "It will rain later."
How to Form
Making sentences with "will"
To talk about the future, put will before the doing word (verb). The doing word stays in its base form. Do not add "s" or "ed" to it.
| Who | will + doing word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | will + base verb | I will read a book tonight. |
| You | will + base verb | You will like this game. |
| He / She | will + base verb | She will come to school. |
| We | will + base verb | We will play after class. |
| They | will + base verb | They will sing a song. |
Saying "no" with "will not"
To say something will NOT happen, use will not. The short form is won't.
| Full form | Short form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| will not | won't | I will not be late. / I won't be late. |
| will not | won't | She will not forget. / She won't forget. |
Asking a question with "will"
To ask a question, put Will at the start of the sentence.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Will you come to my party? | Yes, I will. / No, I won't. |
| Will it rain tomorrow? | Yes, it will. / No, it won't. |
Key Rules
- "Will" is the same for everyone: Use "will" with I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. It never changes. You do not say "wills".
- Keep the doing word in base form: After "will", always use the base form of the verb. Say "will go", not "will goes" or "will going".
- "Will not" means it won't happen: To make a negative sentence, add "not" after "will". The short form is "won't".
- "Will" at the front for questions: Move "will" to the start of the sentence to ask a question. "You will go." becomes "Will you go?"
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She will goes to school. | She will go to school. | Do not add "s" after "will". Use the base form. |
| I will playing later. | I will play later. | Do not add "-ing" after "will". Use the base form. |
| He will not comes. | He will not come. | After "will not", use the base form too. |
| Will she goes home? | Will she go home? | In a question, the doing word stays in base form. |
Clue Words
These time words tell you that a sentence is about the future:
tomorrow, tonight, next week, next month, next year, later, soon, one day
Examples with clue words:
- "Tomorrow, I will visit Grandma."
- "We will go to the zoo next week."
- "She will finish her homework soon."
Tip: When you see "tomorrow" or "next week" in a sentence, you will probably need "will"!
Practice Tips
- Base form check: After you write "will", look at the doing word that comes next. Is it in base form? "will eat" is correct. "will eats" is wrong.
- Clue word hunt: Read the sentence and look for time words like "tomorrow" or "next week". If you find one, the sentence is probably about the future.
Quick Reference
| Type | How to form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | will + base verb | I will help you. |
| Negative | will not / won't + base verb | She won't be late. |
| Question | Will + who + base verb? | Will you come? |
| Answer (yes) | Yes, + who + will. | Yes, I will. |
| Answer (no) | No, + who + won't. | No, I won't. |