Future simple

+ Subject + WILL + Verb (present form)

- Subject + WILL NOT (WONT) + Verb (present form)
? WILL + Subject + Verb (present form)
The Future Simple is used in many situations such as when making promises or predictions.

Use 1: Promises

The first use of the Future Simple to make promises.

I promise I will buy you this toy.
Promise you will never leave me!

Use 2: Unplanned actions

Use this tense also to talk about unplanned (spontaneous) decisions.

Don't worry! I will help you with this problem.
I will close the window. It's starting to rain.

Use 3: Predictions

We often use the Future Simple when making a prediction based on experience or intuition.
It will rain in a moment.
It will get more difficult.

Use 4: Habits

The last use of this tense is interesting: we can also use the Future Simple to express habits.
She will bit her lip if she is thinking or if she's nervous about something.
He will always make noise when we are sleeping.

Going to

You can also use going to to express future. We use it to express predictions based on
observing the present situation:
It's going to rain. Look at the clouds!

Shall

You can also use shall to express future in Future Simple. It is more formal than will, and
usually appears in formal speeches, agreements or guarantees.
Examples:
The guarantee shall be provided on the following conditions: (...)
We shall never surrender!

! Remember

Remember, you should never use will to say what somebody has already arranged or decided
to do in the future:
Correct: Mike is moving to New Jersey next month.
Incorrect: Mike will move to New Jersey next month.
We often use "will" with:

probably, most likely I'll probably drop in on uncle.

I think

This gift is great. I think we'll love it.

I'm sure

It's not going to be boring there. I'm sure there will

be a lot of boys at your age

I wonder (if, what,

when, etc.)

It's a bit late. I wonder if he'll come.

I expect

I haven't seen Matthew today. I expect he'll call

today.

Future continuous
+ Subject + WILL + BE + Verb-ing
- Subject + WILL NOT (WONT) + BE + Verb-ing
? WILL + Subject + BE + Verb-ing
We mainly use the Future Continuous to indicate that we will be in the middle of doing
something in a specified time in the future.

Use 1: Future actions in progress

The first use of the Future Continuous is to express future action in progress.
In an hour, I will be sitting in front of my TV.
In the evening, I will be baking a birthday cake.

Use 2: Guesses

Use this tense also to make guesses about something in the present or future.
He won't be coming any time soon. He is still at the office.
Beatrice will be getting married very soon.

Use 3: Questions

And the last use of the tense is to make polite questions about something or somebody.
Will you be coming home before or after 10 PM?
Will you be going to the supermarket? I have something to buy.

Important

The Future Perfect appears in two forms: "will" form and "going to" form which can be used
interchangably.
"She will have finished" means "she is going to have finished"

Notice

Like any of the Future Tenses, Future Continuous cannot be used in sentences beginning
with: while,when, before, by the time, if, etc.
By the time, you will be finishing your paiting.

Future perfect simple

+ Subject

+ WILL HAVE + Verb (past participle form)

- Subject + WILL NOT (WONT) HAVE + Verb (past participle form)
? WILL + Subject + HAVE + Verb (past participle form)
We use the Future Perfect tense to talk about actions that will be finished
before some point in the future. We also use this tense to express situations that
will last for a specified period of time at a definite moment in the future. The last
use is to express certainty that an action was completed.

Use 1: Completion before a specified point in the future

The first use of this tense is to talk about future actions that will be finished before some
specified point in the future.
Before they come, we will have cleaned up the house.
John will have eaten the whole cake, by the time the birthday party starts!

Use 2: Duration in the Future

Another use of this tense is to talk about actions will last after a given point in the future.
By the next year, I will have known Monica for 30 years.
Patrick will have lived in Hong Kong for 20 years by 2012.
Common Time Expressions
Time expressions that are commonly used with the Future Perfect:

By

By the time

Before

By tomorrow/7 o'clock/next month

Until/till

Use 3: Certainty About the Near Past

The last use is to express conviction that something happened in the near past.
The train will have left by now. We have to look for another way to get there. (I'm sure the
train has left)
The guests will have arrived at the hotel by now. (I'm sure the guests have arrived at the hotel)

Future perfect continuous

+ Subject + WILL HAVE BEEN + Verb-ing

- Subject + WILL NOT (WONT) HAVE BEEN + Verb-ing
? WILL + Subject + HAVE BEEN + Verb-ing
We use the Future Perfect Continuous tense to express situations that will last for a
specified period of time at a definite moment in the future. We also use this tense to express
certainty about the cause of some future situation.

Use 1: Duration

We use this tense to express situations that will last for a specified period of time at a definite
moment in the future. It is important that we expect these situations to last longer.
Before they come, we will have been cleaning the house for 5 hours.
By the next year, Ben and his wife will have been living together for 50 years.
Common Time Expressions
Time expressions that are commonly used with the Future Perfect Continuous:
By tomorrow / 8 o'clock
This year / month / week
Next year / month / week

Use 2: Cause

English speakers also use this tense when they want to express certainty about the cause of
some future situation.
By this time, he will have been working for 12 hours, so he will be very tired.
We will be making a rest stop in half an hour, because you will have been driving the car for 6
hours by then.
Note
If duration of an activity (e.g. "since April", "for three hours") is unknown then the Future
Continuous should be used instead of the Perfect Form.

I will be taking a bath.

Good to know
Questions beginning with "how long" are more common.
How long will you have been learning German this year?
How long will you have been trying to get your driving license this week?