In English, as in almost any other language, there is a need to express and describe actions in three tenses: past, present and future. Each of these tenses in English can be described using four types of tense forms: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous. Thus, there are twelve types of temporary forms in total. Some of them are used almost constantly, others are used several times less often.
The category of the most commonly used types of temporary forms includes Future Simple, the formation of which is the topic of this article. However, before trying to form this time, it is necessary to understand why it is needed at all, and what is its actual meaning.
General definition
The formation of the Future Simple and the use of this type of temporary form is necessary when it comes to an action that should happen in the future. Samothe phrase "future simple tense" is translated as "simple future tense". It can be used to express the following possible actions and events:
- A simple single event in the future with no indication of how long it will last: "I will buy a car", "he will call his girlfriend", "friends will call a taxi".
- Action that will be repeated in the future: "I will go to the city several times next week".
- Assumption, hypothesis, subjective statement: "I think it's going to rain", "I hope they come". Sentences with this or similar meanings usually contain the words "I think", "I believe", "I hope", "maybe" and the like.
- A quick decision that was not thought out before, but turned out to be improvised. For example, when ordering food in a restaurant, a person may immediately decide: "I'll have a salad." This solution of his in English will be formed with Future Simple.
- Promise to do something in the future, providing a guarantee, assurance, conviction: "I will definitely come to you".
- Offer, invitation: "Will you have a cup of coffee with me?".
- Threat, warning: "you're going to get in trouble".
The formation of the Future Simple in a particular sentence or the use of another type of temporary form is a matter to be decided individually for each sentence.
Words-pointers
As with any other temporary form inEnglish, the formation of the Future Simple and its use becomes easier if you know some pointer words. If the following adverbs are in the sentence, it is most likely necessary to use the Future Simple in it:
- Tomorrow - tomorrow.
- Next day/week/month/year/century - next day/week/month/year/century.
- The day after tomorrow - the day after tomorrow.
- After - after.
- Later - later.
- In a few days - in a few days.
These words all indicate that the action will take place in the future.
Statement
The formation of an affirmative sentence in the Future Simple is carried out according to the following formula.
| Order | Sentence member | Example | Translation |
| 1 | Subject | I | I |
| 2 | Auxiliary verb will | will | I will go |
| 3 | Predicate | go | |
| 4 | Everything else | to Spain next year. | to Spain next year. |
Here are some more examples of affirmative sentences.
| Example | Translation |
| We will meet in a few days. | We'll meet in a few days. |
| I will buy a new car. | I will buy a new car. |
| She will ask her friends to join her birthday party. | She will askher friends to join her birthday party. |
The rule for the formation of Future Simple in the affirmative form is extremely simple, and examples only prove it once again.
Denial
To say in English about something that shouldn't, can't and/or won't happen, you need to use an almost identical algorithm to the previous one. The Future Simple formation form for negative sentences is as follows.
| Order | Part of Speech | Example | Translation |
| 1 | Subject | I | I |
| 2 | Auxiliary verb will | will | not |
| 3 | Particle not | not | |
| 4 | Predicate | go | I will go |
| 5 | Everything else | to the party tomorrow. | to party tomorrow. |
Here are some more example sentences to reinforce and better understand how this structure works.
| Example | Translation |
| We will not invite him, because he doesn't like noisy parties. | We won't invite him because he doesn't like noisy parties. |
| People will not stand for such a cruel theory! | People won't stand up for such a cruel theory! |
| I hope it will not rain tomorrow. | I hope not tomorrowit will rain. |
Questions
To formulate the question in English, we will have to make some significant changes to the structure of Future Simple, already known from the previous paragraphs. In fact, this metamorphosis is no different from other English tenses - the auxiliary verb is placed at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject. For those who are already familiar with the simple present or past tense, mastering the simple future will be absolutely no problem.
| Order | Sentence member | Example | Translation |
| 1 | Auxiliary verb will | Will | You |
| 2 | Subject | you | |
| 3 | Predicate | buy | buy |
| 4 | Everything else | this cute little dress? | is that a cute little dress? |
Here are some more examples of Future Simple questions in English.
| Example | Translation |
| Will it stop raining? | Will it stop raining? |
| Will you drink a cup of coffee with me next evening? | Will you have a cup of coffee with me tomorrow night? |
| Will it be necessery to spend money, or everything is free? | Will I need to spend money, or is everything free? |
Exceptions to the rule
At first glance, simpleThe future tense in English is really quite simple. In fact, if you look at it, the listed rules in most cases work for simple, uncomplicated sentences, and much less often for some complex grammatical constructions.
For example, in conditional sentences, the future tense is used only in the subordinate clause. In the main sentence, instead of the simple future tense, the simple present is used. Like in this sentence:
If he comes, I will not allow him to enter my room! - If he comes, I won't let him enter my room!
Despite the fact that in Russian in this case there is a very precise indication of the future tense - "will come" - in the English version the present is used. To better remember this "exception", or rather a completely new rule, you can look at other examples:
- When I earn a lot of money, I will start traveling. - When I earn a lot of money, I will start traveling.
- If it starts raining, we will have to stay home and wait for in to finish. - If it starts to rain, we'll have to stay at home and wait for it to stop.
- If my friend ask me for some help, I will do anything for him! - If my friend asks for help, I will do anything for him!
Summing up
It cannot be said that Future Simple education in English is a complex topic. However, it cannot be called simple either. All proposed rules can be summarized as follows.way:
- Use the simple future tense when talking about an action that starts and ends in the future, without specifying its duration.
- To formulate an affirmative sentence, you need to arrange the words in the following order: subject, auxiliary verb will, predicate, everything else.
- To get a negation, add not immediately after the auxiliary verb.
- To get a question, the auxiliary verb must be written before the subject.
