Introduction

Tenses are forms of a verb that show the time, continuance or completion of an action or a state
that is expressed in connection with the moment at which a statement is made about it.
The near future expresses what is going to take place or what the subject is going to do in the
nottoodistant future. In some instances, the present tense is used to imply a near future event
or action. In other instances, the verb aller (to go) is used to speak about something that will
happen soon.

The future tense expresses what will happen or what the subject will do at some time in
the future. The future tense is also used after conjunctions of time to refer to future
actions.

@t

rintable worksheets with answers:

Future simple vs continuous exercises PDF A printable test to practise the

difference.

Mixed exercises PDF Future tenses compared to other English tenses.

Printable grammar rules:

Tenses - PDF grammar rules + examples

Our English grammar app:

English tenses on iPhones + iPads (free)Download our free app on the App
Store.

English tenses on iPhones + iPads (paid) 50% discount for schools on the App
Store.

Future simple tense

Form
Positive statement: I will study (I'll study), He will work (He'll work)
Negative statement: I will not study (I won't study), He will not study (He won't study)
Question form: Will you study?
Negative question: Will you not study? (Won't you study?)
In the future tense we can also use shallin the first person singular and plural (I, we).

But it is quite formal in modern English and not very common.

I shall do it for you. We shall come soon.
See also how to make the future simple in the Passive Voice.
Use
1. The future simple tense is used to express a general intention.
He will change his job.
We'll travel abroad. (short form of will)
I will not need it.
They won't change the telephone number. (short form of will not)
Will you take the exam?
2. We use it for predictions or opinions.
It will snow in winter.
The horse will not win.
In the future simple tense we can use following verbs or adverbs to say that we assume
something, but we are not sure: think, be sure, hope, believe, suppose, perhaps,
possibly, probably, surely.
They'll probably study at university.
I don't think she'll accept it.
3. The future simple is used for a decision or offer made at the moment of speaking.
Can I walk you home? - No, thank you. I'll take a taxi.
Please, tell Peter about it. - O.K. I'll call him.
But: I am going to call Peter. Do you want me to say hello to him? (Going to shows our
decision made before the moment of speaking.)

Future continuous tense

Form
Positive statement: I will be speaking (I'll be speaking)
Negative statement: I will not be speaking (I won't be speaking)
Question form: Will you be speaking?
Negative question: Will you not be speaking? (Won't you be speaking?)
Use
1. The future continuous tense is used for activities that will be in progress at a point of
time. The action will start before that point of time and will continue after it. The point
in time can be given by time expressions or by other activities.
At 8 o'clock I will be travelling to Dorset.
This time tomorrow we'll be lying on the beach.
(In these two sentences the point of time that we refer to is given by a time expression.)
The shop will be closed. Will you be working?
I'll be sleeping when you come back.
(In these two sentences the point of time that we refer to is given by another action.)

2. It describes the idea that an action will happen in the normal course of events. It
refers to routine activities, not intentions, decisions or plans.
I'll be writing to you again. (I always write to you, so I'll do it again, as usual.)
They'll be leaving on Friday. You can join them. (They normally leave on Fridays.)
Everybody will be working on a computer sooner or later. (If nothing special happens.)
Note
We can also use present tenses for future. But they have a different meaning from the
future tense. Compare the following examples of sentences.
We are going to the cinema next weekend. (We have already arranged it. We know the
time and place and probably have the tickets.)
We'll be going to the cinema next weekend. (We have not arranged anything and,
probably, we do not even know which film we want to see. We only say how we will
spend the weekend.)
I am seeing Susan tomorrow. (I have some reason. Susan and I have arranged the time
and place.)
I'll be seeing Susan tomorrow. (Susan is my classmate and because I will go to school
tomorrow, I will see her as usual.)
Note:
In the following examples the first ones express intentions, while in the second ones
there is no intention, they express routine activities.
Bill won't play football tomorrow. (The fact is that Bill cannot play or does not want to
play for some reason.)
Bill won't be playing football tomorrow. (Bill will not play, because it will be Friday and
he never plays on Fridays.)
I'll call Mimi tonight. I'll ask her. (I will do it because I need to talk to her.)
I'll be calling Mimi tonight. I can ask her. (I call her every night, that is why I will call
her tonight too.)
Remember:
In some cases we can use several forms. But each of them will have a slightly different
meaning.
I'll be meeting Jim next week. (I meet Jim every week and it will be the same next
week.)
I'll meet Jim next week. (I intend to meet Jim next week or I suppose that I will meet
him.)
I'm going to meet Jim next week. (I decided to meet Jim some time ago and now I am
expressing my intention.)
I'm meeting Jim next week. (We have arranged the time and place because we have
some reason to meet. We use the present continuous.)
It will rain, I'm afraid. (I assume it will rain, it is my opinion. But who knows!)
It's going to rain. (I am sure it will rain because I can see the dark clouds in the sky. My
opinion is based on clear evidence.)
I am meeting is more definite than I am going to meet and I will meet is the least
definite.
Our tips

Try some ONLINE EXERCISES.

Compare these tenses with the Future Perfect Tense.

See how the future tenses change in the Reported Speech.

BACK TO ALL TENSES ONLINE + PDF Online and PDF exercises and
grammar rules with examples.

We use the present continuous to talk about things that we have already arranged to do
in the future.

I've got my ticket. I'm leaving on Thursday.

I'm seeing Julie at 5 and then I'm having dinner with Simon.

He's picking me up at the airport.

The company is giving everyone a bonus for Christmas.

In many situations when we talk about future plans we can use either the present
continuous or the 'going to' future. However, when we use the present continuous, there
is more of a suggestion that an arrangement has already been made.

I'm going to see him./I'm seeing him.

I'm going to do it./I'm doing it.

We use the present simple to talk about events in the future which are 'timetabled'. We
can also use the present continuous to talk about these.

My plane leaves at 6 in the morning.

The shop opens at 9.30.

The sun rises a minute earlier tomorrow.

My plane is leaving at 8.30.

The shop is closing at 7.00.

The sun is rising at 6.32 tomorrow.

Simple Future
Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although
the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very
different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with
time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer
to a specific time in the future.

FORM Will

[will + verb]
Examples:

You will help him later.

Will you help him later?

You will not help him later.

FORM Be Going To

[am/is/are + going to + verb]

Examples:

You are going to meet Jane tonight.

Are you going to meet Jane tonight?

You are not going to meet Jane tonight.

Complete List of Simple Future Forms

USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action

"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is
one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to respond to
someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use "will" when we request that
someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or
"won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples:

I will send you the information when I get it.

I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.

Will you help me move this heavy table?

Will you make dinner?

I will not do your homework for you.

I won't do all the housework myself!

A: I'm really hungry.

B: I'll make some sandwiches.

A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.

B: I'll get you some coffee.

A: The phone is ringing.

B: I'll get it.

USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise

"Will" is usually used in promises.

Examples:

I will call you when I arrive.

If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure

everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.

I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.

Don't worry, I'll be careful.

I won't tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan

"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person
intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or
not.
Examples:

He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.

She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.

A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?

B: We are going to meet at 6 PM.

I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.

Michelle is going to begin medical school next year.

They are going to drive all the way to Alaska.

Who are you going to invite to the party?

A: Who is going to make John's birthday cake?

B: Sue is going to make John's birthday cake.

USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction

Both "will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general prediction about the
future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In "prediction"
sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3
do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:

The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.

The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

John Smith will be the next President.

John Smith is going to be the next President.

The movie "Zenith" will win several Academy Awards.

The movie "Zenith" is going to win several Academy Awards.

IMPORTANT

In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often,
there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time
expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc.
Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
Examples:

When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct

When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You will never help him.

Will you ever help him?

You are never going to meet Jane.

Are you ever going to meet Jane?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active

The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive

Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active

A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive

Present Simple & Continuous as Future Tenses

1: Work it Out
We can use the present simple and the present continuous to talk about the future. Do
you know the difference between the two? Look at these sentences and see if you can
work out the rules.
The train leaves at 9.00.
John takes his exam next week.
What time do you finish college tonight?
I'm staying in this evening.
I'm going to bed in a minute.
When are you taking your holiday this summer?
Now try the quiz below to check your ideas.

2: Check Present Simple or Continuous

Complete each sentence by choosing the most likely future form:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

anything later? I thought we could go out.

The lesson soon so we need to get back to college.
Susan me for lunch later.
The match at 3.00.
What time later?
I my Nan next Sunday.
I work early today as I have an appointment at the dentist.
I've just phoned the centre and the doors at 1.00

FORMAO:

O Presente Contnuo formado com o presente simples do verboto be (como verbo

auxiliar) + o gerndio (-ing) do verbo principal:
1. Forma Afirmativa:

They areplaying volleyball.

(Elesestojogandovlei.)

I amwriting an article. (Estouescrevendo um artigo.)

We aretalking about our inheritance. (Estamos falando
sobre a nossa herana.)

She iswashing the dishes. (Ela est lavando a loua.)

It israining. (Estchovendo.)

I'm just thinking in another way to do it better. (S estou pensando em uma outra
maneira de fazer melhor.)

FORMA AFIRMATIVA: SUJEITO + PRESENTE SIMPLES DO VERBO TO BE +

GERNDIO (-ING) DO VERBO PRINCIPAL

2. Forma Negativa:
A Forma Negativa do Presente Contnuo forma-se acrescentando notaps o presente
simples do verbo to be. Veja os exemplos abaixo:
I'm notasking help. (No estou pedindo ajuda.)
He is nottalking to you. (= He isn't talking to you.)
(Ele no est falando com voc.)
You are notworking. (= You aren't working.)
(Voc no est trabalhando.)
FORMA NEGATIVA: SUJEITO + PRESENTE SIMPLES DO VERBO TO BE +
NOT + GERNDIO DO VERBO PRINCIPAL

3. Forma Interrogativa:
Na Forma Interrogativa do Presente Contnuo o sujeito se posiciona entre o presente
simples do verbo to be e o gerndio do verbo principal. Observe os exemplos abaixo:
Am I being inopportune? (Estou sendo inoportuno?)
Is she having dinner? (Ela estjantando?)
What is he doing? (O que ele est fazendo?)
What are they watching? (O queelesestoassistindo?)
Where are you going (to)? (Para onde voc vai?)

Why is she crying?

(Por que ela est
chorando?)

FORMA INTERROGATIVA: PRESENTE SIMPLES DO VERBO TO BE +

SUJEITO + GERNDIO DO VERBO PRINCIPAL (-ING)

OBSERVAO: Devidosideiasqueexpressam, algunsverbosNOsousados no Tempo

Contnuo: like, deslike, know, believe, understand, mean, remember, forget, prefer, hate,
love, want, need, belong, smell, hear, see (com sentido de entender), imagine, recognise,
realise, suppose, wish, agree, appear, astonish, deny, disagree, impress, promise, satisfy,
seem, consist, contain, depend, deserve, lack, matter, measure, owe, own, possess, weigh.
FORMAO:
O Presente Contnuo formado com o presente simples do verboto be (como verbo
auxiliar) + o gerndio (-ing) do verbo principal:
1. Forma Afirmativa:

They areplaying volleyball.

(Elesestojogandovlei.)

I amwriting an article. (Estouescrevendo um artigo.)

We aretalking about our inheritance. (Estamos falando
sobre a nossa herana.)

She iswashing the dishes. (Ela est lavando a loua.)

It israining. (Estchovendo.)

I'm just thinking in another way to do it better. (S estou pensando em uma outra
maneira de fazer melhor.)

FORMA AFIRMATIVA: SUJEITO + PRESENTE SIMPLES DO VERBO TO BE +

GERNDIO (-ING) DO VERBO PRINCIPAL

2. Forma Negativa:
A Forma Negativa do Presente Contnuo forma-se acrescentando notaps o presente
simples do verbo to be. Veja os exemplos abaixo:
I'm notasking help. (No estou pedindo ajuda.)
He is nottalking to you. (= He isn't talking to you.)
(Ele no est falando com voc.)
You are notworking. (= You aren't working.)
(Voc no est trabalhando.)
FORMA NEGATIVA: SUJEITO + PRESENTE SIMPLES DO VERBO TO BE +
NOT + GERNDIO DO VERBO PRINCIPAL

3. Forma Interrogativa:
Na Forma Interrogativa do Presente Contnuo o sujeito se posiciona entre o presente
simples do verbo to be e o gerndio do verbo principal. Observe os exemplos abaixo:
Am I being inopportune? (Estou sendo inoportuno?)
Is she having dinner? (Ela estjantando?)
What is he doing? (O que ele est fazendo?)
What are they watching? (O queelesestoassistindo?)
Where are you going (to)? (Para onde voc vai?)

Why is she crying?

(Por que ela est
chorando?)

FORMA INTERROGATIVA: PRESENTE SIMPLES DO VERBO TO BE +

SUJEITO + GERNDIO DO VERBO PRINCIPAL (-ING)

OBSERVAO: Devidosideiasqueexpressam, algunsverbosNOsousados no Tempo

Contnuo: like, deslike, know, believe, understand, mean, remember, forget, prefer, hate,
love, want, need, belong, smell, hear, see (com sentido de entender), imagine, recognise,
realise, suppose, wish, agree, appear, astonish, deny, disagree, impress, promise, satisfy,
seem, consist, contain, depend, deserve, lack, matter, measure, owe, own, possess, weigh.

Going-to future
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

English grammar

Adjectives

Adverbs

Articles

Clauses

Compounds

Conditionals

Conjunctions

Determiners

Gender

Idiom

Interjections

Inversion

Nouns

Pronouns

Phrases

Plurals

Possessives

Prepositions

Verbs
o

Auxiliaries, contractions

Irregular verbs

Modal verbs

Passive voice

Phrasal verbs

Subjunctive

Verb usage

Grammar disputes

The going-to future is a grammatical construction used in English to refer to various

types of future occurrences. It is made using appropriate forms of the expression to be
going to.[1] It is an alternative to other ways of referring to the future in English, such as
the future construction formed with will (or shall) in some contexts the different
constons are interchangeable, while in others they carry somewhat different
implications.

Constructions analogous to the English going-to future are found in some other
languages, including French and Spanish.

Contents

1Origin

2Formation

3Usage
o

3.1The be + to construction

4Expressions of relative future

5Related forms in creoles

6Analogous forms in other languages

7See also

8References

9External links

Origin
The going-to future originated by the extension of the spatial sense of the verb go to a
temporal sense (a common change the same phenomenon can be seen in the
preposition before). The original construction involved physical movement with an
intention, such as "I am going [outside] to harvest the crop." The location later became
unnecessary, and the expression was reinterpreted to represent a near future.
The colloquial form gonna, and the other variations of it as mentioned in the following
section, result from a relaxed pronunciation of going to. These forms can provide a
distinction between the spatial and temporal senses of the expression: "I'm gonna swim"
clearly carries the temporal meaning of futurity, as opposed to the spatial meaning of
"I'm going [in order] to swim".

Formation
The going-to future construction consists of the subject, a form of the copula verbbe, the
word going, and the to-infinitive of the main verb. (An alternative description is that it
uses the verb go in the progressive aspect, most commonly in present progressive form,
serving as an auxiliary verb and having the to-infinitive phrase as its complement.) It
can be put into question and negative forms according to the normal rules of English
grammar. Some examples:

The boys are going to fight. (subject the boys + copula are + going +
to-infinitive to fight)

I'm going to try the wine. (subject I + copula am + going + toinfinitive phrase to try the wine)

He's not going to make it. (negative form, copula negated with the
addition of not)

Are you going to bring Sue? (interrogative form, featuring subject

auxiliary inversion)

Aren't they (more formal: Are they not) going to wear coats?
(negative interrogative form)

We were going to tell you earlier. (past form of the going-to future,
formed with the past copula were)

The going to of this future construction is frequently contracted in colloquial English to

gonna, and in some forms of English the copula may also be omitted. Hence "You're
going to like it" could be said as "You're gonna like it" or just "You gonna like it". In the
first person, I'm gonna may further contract to I'm'n'a/amn/ or I'mma/am/. (For
derived forms found in English-based creole languages, see below.)
That the verb go as used in this construction is distinct from the ordinary lexical verb go
can be seen in the fact that the two can be used together: "I'm going to go to the store
now." Also the lexical use of going to is not subject to the contractions to gonna and
similar: "I'm gonna get his autograph" clearly implies the future meaning (intention),
and not the meaning "I'm going [somewhere] [in order] to get his autograph."

Usage
The going-to future is one of several constructions used in English to refer to future
events (see Future tense: English). The basic form of the going-to construction is in fact
in the present tense; it is often used when the speaker wishes to draw a connection
between present events, situations, or intentions and expected future events or
situations, i.e. to express the present relevance of the future occurrence.[2] It may
therefore be described as expressing prospective aspect, in the same way that the present
perfect (which refers to the present relevance of past occurrences) is said to express
retrospective (or perfect) aspect.
There is no clear delineation between contexts where going to is used and those where
other forms of future expression (such as the will/shall future, or the ordinary present
tense) are used. Different forms are often interchangeable. Some general points of usage
are listed below.

The going-to future is relatively informal; in more formal contexts it

may be replaced by the will/shall future, or by expressions such as
plan(s) to, expect(s) to, is/are expected to, etc.

The ordinary present tense can be used to refer to the future when
the context (or time adverbs) indicate futurity, and the reference is to
some planned action: "We are painting the house tomorrow" (this

could also be expressed with "... going to paint ..."). It is usually the
present progressive that is used, as in the preceding example, but the
simple present can also be used, particularly for precisely scheduled
events: "My train leaves at 4.15." (See also the obligatory use of
present tense with future meaning in some dependent clauses.)

When the expression of futurity is combined with that of some

modality, such as obligation or possibility, a modal verb (not marked
specifically for the future) may be used: "We must/can do it
tomorrow." There is also the expression am to etc., which implies
obligation or expectation as in "He is to deliver it this afternoon" (see
the following section), and the expression to be about to (also to be
on the point of and similar), implying immediacy ("I am about to
leave").

The going-to form sometimes indicates imminence, but sometimes

does not; and it sometimes indicates intention, but sometimes does
not (compare "It's going to rain", which expresses imminence but not
intention, and "I'm going to visit Paris someday", which expresses
intention but not imminence).[3]

The will future is often used for announcing a decision at the time
when it is made, while going to is more likely for a plan already in
existence: compare "All right, I'll help her" and "Yes, I'm going to help
her".

The will future is used more often than going to in conditional

sentences of the "first conditional" type: "If it rains, you'll get wet"
(although going to is also sometimes found in such sentences).

In some contexts the going-to form can express unconditionality while

the will form expresses conditionality ("Don't sit on that rock, it's
going to fall" means it's going to fall regardless of what you do, while
"Don't sit on that rock, it will fall" means that it will fall conditional on
your sitting on it). But in some contexts (particularly with "future in
the past" see the following section) the reverse can be true ("After
1962 ended, I would be a star" unconditionally describes what
subsequently did happen, while "After 1962 ended, I was going to be
a star" describes only intention).[4]

The be + to construction

English has a construction formed by part of the copulabe followed by to and the bare
infinitive of the main verb (i.e. the copula followed by the to-infinitive). This is similar
in form to the going-to future, with the omission of the word going. In the be + to
construction only finite, indicative (or past subjunctive) forms of the copula can appear
that is, the copula used cannot be be itself, but one of the forms am, is, are, was, were
(possibly contracted in some cases).
The meaning of this construction is to indicate that something is expected to happen at a
future time (usually in the near future), as a result of either some duty (deontic
modality) or some set plan. For example:

I'm to report to the principal this afternoon. (duty)

The Prime Minister is to visit the West Bank. (plan)

Troops are to be sent to war-torn Darfur. (plan; note passive voice)

In headline language the copula may be omitted, e.g. "Prime Minister to visit West
Bank".
Compared with the will future, the be + to construction may be less expressive of a
prediction, and more of the existence of a plan or duty. Thus "John will go ..." implies a
belief on the speaker's part that this will occur, while "John is to go ..." implies
knowledge on the speaker's part that there exists a plan or obligation entailing such an
occurrence (the latter statement will not be falsified if John ends up not going). The be
+ to construction may therefore resemble a renarrative mood in some ways.
When was or were is used as the copula, the plan or duty is placed in past time (and
quite often implies that it was not carried out). It may also be used simply as a way of
expressing "future in the past" (see the following section). For example:
I was to visit my aunt, but I missed the train. (past plan, not in fact
fulfilled)
This was the battle at which they were finally to triumph. (future in
the past, also: they would finally triumph)

The construction also appears in condition clauses:

If you are to go on holiday, you need to work hard. (i.e. working hard
is necessary for going on holiday)
If he was/were to speak, it would change things significantly. (also if
he spoke)

When the verb in such a clause is were, it can be inverted and the conjunction if
dropped: "Were he to speak, ..." For details of these constructions, see English
conditional sentences.

Expressions of relative future

The going-to construction, as well as other constructions used in English refer to future
events, can be used not only to express the future relative to the present time, but also
sometimes to express the future relative to some other time of reference (see relative
tense).[5] This other time of reference may be in the past or in the future, or it may be
hypothetical or unspecified.
Where the basic going-to future is formed with the present tense of the copula be, its
variant forms used to express such relative future are made using other tenses and forms
(including non-finite forms) of the copula. For example, to express an intention that
existed at a past reference point, the past tense of the copula is used with going to: "I
was going to eat dinner".

A number of possible such uses of the going-to construction are given below.

Future relative to past time: the past tense of the copula is used. This
may express past intention, as in the example above, or past
prediction, as in "It was going to rain".

Ongoing intention or likelihood existing up to the present time: the

present perfect of the copula is used (producing the present perfect
progressive of go): "I have been going to do it for some time" (but I've
never got round to it); "It has been going to rain all afternoon" (but it
hasn't actually started raining until now). Similar sentences can also
be constructed using past perfect progressive etc.

Future relative to future time: it is possible to use the future of the

going-to construction ("I will be going to eat"), though this is not
common; somewhat more likely is the alternative "I will be about to
eat".

Future relative to some hypothetical state: the conditional may be

used: "I would be going to eat"; or the past tense (past subjunctive) in
a condition clause: "If I was/were going to eat..." The usual rules for
tense and mood usage in English conditional sentences apply.

Future relative to unspecified time: the infinitive (or occasionally

present subjunctive) of the copula can be used, as in "To be going to
die is not a good feeling." The infinitive (with or without to) can be
used in a variety of constructions, in line with the normal uses of the
English infinitive; for example "He is said to be going to resign".

Similar adaptation of some other future constructions is also possible. The future will or
shall can be put into the past by replacement with would or should (see future in the
past). The phrase to be about to can be put into various tense and other forms, analogous
to those of to be going to as described above. The construction am to etc. is normally
restricted to simple finite forms of the copula, namely the present indicative ("I am to do
it"), the past indicative ("I was to do it"), and the past subjunctive ("if I were to do it" or
"were I to do it"; these last have somewhat different implications, as described at
English conditional sentences).

Related forms in creoles

Some creole languages have a marker of future time reference (or irrealis mood)
modeled on the verb "go" as found in the going-to future of the English superstrate.[6]
Examples include Jamaican English Creole[7] /de go hapm/ "is going to happen", /mi a
go on/ "I am going to run", Belizean Creole English /gwein/ or /gou/, GullahUh
gwinehe'pdem "I'm going to help them", Hawaiian Creole English[8] /Ai gonbai wan
pickup/ "I gonna buy one pickup", /Da gaised hi gonfiks mi ap wit wan blain deit/ "The
guy said he gonna fix me up with one blind date", and Haitian Creole[9] /Mwenvafini/ "I
go finish".

Analogous forms in other languages

Similarly to English, the French verballer ("to go") can be used as an auxiliary verb to
create a near-future tense (le futurproche).[10] For example, the English sentence "I am
going to do it tomorrow" can be translated by Je vais le fairedemain (literally "I go it to
do tomorrow"; French does not have a distinct present progressive form, so je vais
stands for both "I go" and "I am going"). As in English, the French form can generally
be replaced by the present or future tense: Je le faisdemain ("I am doing it tomorrow")
or Je le feraidemain ("I will do it tomorrow").
Likewise, the Spanish verbir ("to go") can be used to express the future: Mi padre va
allegarmaana ("My father is going to arrive tomorrow"). Here the preposition a is
used, analogous to the English to; the French construction does not have this

The future perfect continuous tense is formed with the future perfect tense of the
verb to be (shall/will have been) + a present participle (verb + -ing), as follow:
Example: My uncle will have been working in Antarctica for exactly ten years next
Sunday.

The future perfect continuous tense is used:

to indicate the length of time that an action continues in the future.

Example: At noon tomorrow, my aunt will have been driving a hearse for fifteen years.

to show an action in progress until an event happens in the future. Here, we

usually make use of the time clause. The future perfect continuous tense may
come either before or after the time clause.

a) By the time the bus arrives, we will have been waiting for more than thirty minutes.
b) We will have been waiting for more than thirty minutes by the time the bus arrives,
Time clause: by the time the bus arrives
Main clause: we will have been waiting for more than thirty minutes
A comma is placed at the end of a time clause when the time clause comes

The future perfect tense is formed by using the simple future tense of the verb to have
(will have) + the past participle of the main verb. It is used for an action which will
have finished by some future time or date as mentioned:
Statement: She will have sewn the patch on her jeans by nine o'clock
Question: Will the people have put out the fire by the time the firemen arrive?

The future perfect tense is used:

to show that an activity will be completed by a specified time in the future.

Example: I will have saved about one million dollars by the year 2090.

to show that an action will be completed before another takes place in the future.

Example: The fire will have burnt the building to the ground by the time the firemen
arrive.

to show a situation will be over in the future.

Example: The special offer buy two, get one free will have finished by midday
tomorrow.

with conditional 'if'.

Example: If you don't hurry up, we will have eaten all the food when you get to the
table.

with time clause. The future perfect tense may come either before or after the
time clause.

a) On April 1st, she will have been here for six months.
b) She will have been here for six months on April 1st.
c) We will have waited for more than thirty minutes by the time the bus arrives,
Time clauses: On April 1st/by the time the bus arrives
Main clauses: She will have been here for six months/We will have waited for more
than thirty minutes
A comma is placed at the end of a time clause when the time clause comes before the
main clause as in (a).

with time expressions such as by seven o'clock, by this evening, by next

Thursday, by then, until noon tomorrow, before closing date.

Example: He will have prepared the documents by next Friday.

The future perfect tense and the future perfect continuous tense
a) When Joan competes in the marathon next week, she will have trained for nine
months.
b) When Joan competes in the marathon next week, she will have been training for
nine months.
Both (a) and (b) have the same meaning.

Conclusion
Historians spend a lot of time thinking about the past. Should they also ponder the
future? World History for Us All explores the past at some very large scales. By doing
so, it shows the existence of some very large trends. Some trends are so large that they
will surely persist far into the future. This makes it tempting to try to peek into the
future as well as the past, for we know that these trends will not change overnight. What
might happen to humanity and its earthly environment in Big Era Ten or beyond? The
very large trends should give us some clues.
Some processes, however, reflect large trends that are not so unpredictable. They can be
detected by historians and may have enough momentum to persist some way into the
future. For example, historians have argued that the alliance system created in the years
before World War I made a war extremely likely, even if no one could predict the event
that would precipitate it. Another example is population growth. It is impossible to
predict each birth or death. But it is possible to determine average birth and death rates
with great accuracy. And, using these statistics, specialists in population growth can
predict with considerable confidence how large populations will be in the future. So, if
you want to predict, the first thing to do is to be clear about the type of process you are
discussing, and how predictable it is. Specialists in predictionand you can find them
at race tracks and on stock exchanges aiming to make moneybegin by trying to be
clear about the degree of predictability of the processes they are studying. They
calculate the odds and study the form.

Reference
Fabricius-Hansen, "Tense", in the Encyclopedia of Language and
Linguistics, 2nd ed., 2006
Bernard Comrie, Aspect, 1976:6: "the semantic concept of time reference
(absolute or relative), ... may be grammaticalised

Nancy L. Morse, Michael B. Maxwell, Cubeo Grammar, Summer Institute of

Linguistics, 1999, p. 45.
Joan Bybee, Revere Perkins, William Pagliuca, The Evolution of Grammar: Tense,
Aspect, and Modality in the Languages of the World, University of Chicago Press, 1994,
p. 101.
@t