Simple Future Tense
The simple future tense tells us about things that have not happened yet. You use it when you want to talk about what will happen later -- tomorrow, next week, or any time in the future.
What You'll Learn
- How to use "will + base verb" to talk about the future
- How to use "going to + base verb" to talk about plans
- How to spot time markers like tomorrow and next week that tell you to use the future tense
When to Use
- Making a promise: "I will return your book tomorrow."
- Talking about a plan: "We are going to visit the zoo next week."
- Making a prediction: "It will rain later today."
- Offering to help: "I will carry your bag for you."
How to Form
Using "will"
To form the future tense with "will", put will before the base verb (the simplest form of the verb).
| Subject | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I / You | will + base verb | I will read a book tonight. |
| He / She / It | will + base verb | She will sing at the concert. |
| We / They | will + base verb | They will play football later. |
| Negative | will not + base verb | He will not forget your name. |
| Question | Will + subject + verb? | Will you come to my party? |
Short forms: "will not" can be shortened to won't. "I will" becomes I'll, "she will" becomes she'll, and so on.
Using "going to"
To form the future tense with "going to", use am/is/are + going to before the base verb.
| Subject | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | am going to + base verb | I am going to bake a cake this Saturday. |
| He / She | is going to + base verb | He is going to swim at the pool tomorrow. |
| We / They | are going to + base verb | They are going to watch a movie next week. |
| You | are going to + base verb | You are going to enjoy the trip. |
Key Rules
- Always use the base verb after "will": The verb stays in its simplest form. Say "will go", not "will goes" or "will going".
- "Going to" needs a helping verb: You must use am, is, or are before "going to". Say "She is going to eat", not "She going to eat".
- Match the helping verb to the subject: Use am with I, use is with he/she/it, and use are with you/we/they.
- Do not mix "will" and "going to": Say "I will go" or "I am going to go", but never "I will going to go".
- Use time markers as clues: Words like tomorrow, next week, tonight, and later often tell you the sentence needs the future tense.
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She will goes to school. | She will go to school. | Always use the base verb after "will" -- no -s ending |
| I will going to help. | I will go to help. | Do not add -ing after "will" |
| He going to eat lunch. | He is going to eat lunch. | "Going to" needs a helping verb (am/is/are) |
| They is going to play. | They are going to play. | "They" goes with "are", not "is" |
| We will went to the park. | We will go to the park. | After "will", use the base verb, not the past tense |
Clue Words
Look for these time markers that signal the future tense:
tomorrow, tonight, next week, next month, next year, soon, later, this Saturday, this Sunday, after school
These words tell you that something has not happened yet, so the sentence needs the future tense.
Tip: When you spot a time marker like "tomorrow" or "next week", check whether the verb is in the future tense. If the sentence talks about something that has not happened yet, you probably need "will" or "going to".
Practice Tips
- Base verb check: After writing "will", read the verb that comes next. It should be the simplest form -- no -s, no -ed, no -ing. If you wrote "will plays", change it to "will play".
- Helping verb check: When using "going to", make sure you have am, is, or are before it. Cover the "going to" part and see if "She is _" or "They are _" sounds right.
- Time marker scan: Read the sentence and look for words about the future. If you see "tomorrow" or "next week" but the verb is in the present or past tense, change it to the future tense.
Quick Reference
| Form | How to Build | Example |
|---|---|---|
| will (positive) | subject + will + base verb | I will help you. |
| will (negative) | subject + will not + base verb | She will not (won't) come. |
| will (question) | Will + subject + base verb? | Will they arrive on time? |
| going to | subject + am/is/are + going to + base verb | We are going to visit the hawker centre. |