Actions and states that are related to upcoming events are most often spoken about using the Future Simple tense. Example sentences for the future indefinite tense can be divided into three groups: statements, negatives and questions.
Simple (or indefinite) future tense and is formed simply. In order to build sentences in the Future Simple, it is enough to use the auxiliary verb will or the construction going to.
Statements with will
The scheme for the formation of statements is as follows: will + [infinitive without to]. Goals and related example sentences with Future Simple:
- Desire to do something: I will help you (I will help you). The same item includes aspirations, promises, threats, offers and requests.
- Decisions made at the moment of the conversation: I'm hot. I'll open the door (I'm hot. I'll open the door).
- Facts about the future: It will be winter soon.
- Forecasts and predictions (often using expressions with think, believe, perhaps):I think, it will be snow (I think it will snow).
Affirmative sentences often use a short form of the verb will: I will do it tomorrow=I'll do it tomorrow.
More Future Simple sentence examples:
| Subject | Auxiliary verb | Main verb | Minor sentence members | Translation |
| I | will | learn | English | I will learn English. |
| You | see | him | You will see him. | |
| We | drink | juice | We'll have some juice. | |
| They | go | to city | They will go to the city. | |
| She | sleep | in her room | She will sleep in her room. | |
| He | read | this book | He will read this book. | |
| It | flop | This will fail (will not succeed). |
Statements with be going to
Except for will, the future can be said with going to + [infinitive without to]. Will has a more neutral meaning compared to going to.
With will they talk about instant decisions or an agreement right at the moment of what is happening, and with going to - about decisions made before the moment of speech:
| Will | Going to |
|
There's apostbox over there. I'll post these letters (There's a mailbox over there. I'll mail these letters.) |
I'm going out. I'm going to post these letters. (I'm going outside. I'm going to mail these letters.) |
|
You still haven't read this book, Trevor / OK, I'll do it tomorrow (You still haven't read this book, Trevor. / Okay, I'll do it tomorrow.) |
You still haven't read this book, Trevor / I know. I'm going to do it tomorrow. (You still haven't read this book, Trevor. / I know. I'm going to do it tomorrow.) |
Going to is often used to "predict" the future, as is will. The differences are that will is used when they make a regular forecast "in general", and going to - when they draw a conclusion from the current situation:
| Will | Going to |
|
I think United will win the game (I think Manchester United will win.) |
There isn't a cloud in the sky. It's going to be a lovely day (Not a cloud in the sky. It will be a beautiful day.) |
|
One day people will travel to Mars (One day humans will go to Mars.) |
This bag isn't very strong. It's going to break (This bag is not very strong. It will tear.) |
In modern colloquial English, the formula is popular to convey Futuresimple. Example sentences with going to:
| Subject | Shape to be | Main verb | Minor sentence members | Translation | |
| I | am | going to | prepare | a place for you | I will prepare a place for you. |
| You | are | try | it | You are going to try this. | |
| We | seek | our fortune | We will seek our happiness. | ||
| They | respond | to the question | They are going to answer the question. | ||
| She | is | massage | you | She will massage you. | |
| He | play | soccer | He is going to play football. | ||
| It | snow | during the night | It will snow at night. |
The difference between will and going to is easiest to see from context. Sentences by themselves rarely contain the necessary information about whether a decision has been made in a speech situation.
On the other hand, one can focus on the subjectivity, evaluativeness of the statement. The more it is based on a "personal approach", according to O. Dyakonov, the better it is to use will.
Denials
The formation of negative sentences in the Future Simple corresponds to the general pattern of negative formation in English. The particle not is added to the auxiliary verb will:
| Affirmative sentence | Negative offer |
|
I will be silent. (I will be silent.) |
I will not be silent. (I will not be silent.) |
In the case of going to, the particle not comes after the form of the verb to be (i.e. again after the auxiliary verb):
| Affirmative sentence | Negative offer |
|
I am going to sell this company. (I'm going to sell this company.) |
I am not going to sell this company. (I am not going to sell this company.) |
The not form of the verb will is often shortened to won't. For example, I will not keep silent=I won't keep silent (I will not be silent).
Questions
Formation of a question in the simple future: (interrogative word) + will + subject + the rest of the predicate. Requests are often formulated using the Future Simple question. Example sentences with will:
| Statement | Question |
|
You will give me your car. (You give me your car.) |
Will you give me your car? (Will you give me your car?) |
|
You will help me. (You will help me.) |
Will you help me, please? (Will you help me?) |
|
It will be cool. (This will be cool.) |
Will it be cool? (Will this be cool?) |
|
You will require skills. (You will need skills.) |
What skills will you require (What skills do you need?) |
|
You will prepare for it. (You will prepare for this.) |
How will you prepare for it? (How will you prepare for this?) |
|
I will find happiness. (I will find happiness.) |
When will you find happiness? (When will you find happiness?) |
For turnover going to the same rule applies. The scheme of question formation when using going to: (interrogative word) + the form of the verb to be + subject + the rest of the predicate.
| Statement | Question |
|
They are going to respond to the question. (They are going to answer the question.) |
Are they going to respond to the question? (Are they going to answer the question?) |
|
We are going to talk about it. (We are going to talk about it.) |
What are you going to talk about? (What are you going to talk about?) |
Emotional expression
Previously, along with will, the verb was used to make statements in the simple future tenseshall (shan't for short). As a rule, the verb shall was used with the first person, and will - with the second and third.
- To express intransigence, the construction with will and shall was often used: I will not and shall not do it (I do not want and will not do it).
- Now the verb shall makes the speech somewhat formal.
- Not used in American English.
For emphasis (emotional expressiveness), shall and will cease to obey the rules. Shall is used as will - with the second and third person:
- You shall not pass - You shall not pass.
- You shall pay for everything - You shall pay for everything.
When you need to politely ask about something or offer something, use statements with shall (only with the first person). An example of such statements are questions:
- Shall we all go out together? (Should we go somewhere?)
- Shall we go by bus? (Let's go by bus).
CV
A simple future allows you to talk about an indefinite period of time that comes after the present. Using the Future simple, one can say or formulate:
- facts (what will definitely happen);
- decisions that are made at the moment of the conversation (with the help of will);
- predictions, guesses and predictions based on personal preferences (using will);
- decisions made outside the speech situation (using going to);
- predictions, assumptions and forecasts as conclusions from situations,e.g. "strong wind, the weather will deteriorate" (using going to);
- wishes, requests, promises, refusals (using will and shall).
Future Simple - simple but important time. Thanks to him, in English you can promise to keep a secret, remind you of a significant date (facts), say how the public will accept your favorite film (subjective forecast), what awaits a negligent student (objective forecast) and more.
