English speakers use future tenses to describe actions that haven't happened yet but are expected to take place at some later time. Unlike many other languages, English does not have a specific form that verbs change into for future tenses. Instead, it uses modal verbs such as 'will', 'shall', and constructions like 'going to' to build its future tenses. In all, English learners have four future tenses to master.
| ⏩ Future tense | 📐 Structure | ⏰ When to use it | 🔎 Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future simple | will + verb in infinitive form shall + verb | to make predictions or promises to relate facts about the future communicate instant decisions | It will rain tomorrow. Next year will be my 30th birthday. I shall go to the office in an hour. |
| Future continuous also called 'progressive' | will + be + verb + 'ing' | To describe actions that will be happening at a specific future time. | I'll be leaving in the morning. We'll be eating at the new pizzeria tonight. |
| Future perfect | will + have + verb in past (participle) | To describe actions that will be completed by a certain future time. | They will have finished the project by Friday. We will have been to Melbourne and back by then! |
| Future perfect continuous (or progressive) | will + have + been + verb + 'ing' | To emphasise how long an action will carry on up to a certain point in the future. | They will have been dancing for 10 hours by the competition's end. I will have been working here 8 years come this May. |
The Four Future Tenses
That table, which lists every future tense with example sentences, gives you an idea of what this section contains. Still, we should expand on that information, so you can examine every aspect of these verb tenses1.
Future Simple
This is the easiest of all types of future tense to master. You only need a modal verb - 'will' or 'shall', and the base form (infinitive) of an action verb.
You can use future simple to inform people about decisions you've just made. It's also the right tense for making promises and predictions, and stating facts about the future. These sentences show you how this tense works.
- She will call you tomorrow.
- They will dance all night.
- You will sleep like a baby after that race!
- It will snow tonight.
- I shall go to the store later.
- We shall pack extra sandwiches for our picnic.
Note that you can contract 'will' and 'shall' so you can pronounce these sentences more fluently. "She'll call you" rolls off the tongue much more easily than 'she will'. As a bonus, if you contract 'will' and 'shall', nobody will know which of those verbs you intended to use!
Future Continuous
The song above uses the future continuous tense throughout: "she'll be rising", "she'll be working", and "she'll be sleeping". This tense is the second most-used future tense; it describes actions the subject will be in the process of doing at some time in the future. Future tense rules typically state that the time must be specific, but that's not always the case.
Like all of English grammar's continuous tenses, the future continuous tense usually draws a line from the (future) event to a consequence or follow-up action, as in the examples above. If that's not the case, English speakers use future continuous to answer questions about future plans.
- Do you want to play a game this afternoon?
- Can I call around 7:00?
- How come you have your neighbours' dog?
- No, I'll be going to the store this afternoon.
- No, we'll be eating dinner then.
- They'll be travelling over the summer holiday.
Future Perfect
This future tense is a bit more complex than the previous two, and it's not used as much. Its purpose is to talk about actions that will be completed by a certain time. Note that time indications are specific when using this tense. This is the general form; the time indicator can come before the verb phrase.
As you can see, its structure is rather complex. Still, once you're used to it, you'll find no trouble applying this tense correctly. You can start practising with these sample sentences.
English learners express a lot of confusion over the past participle verbs in these verb phrases. In my classes, using the past tenses to describe future perfect situations is a common mistake.
In this article's next chapter, we'll go over some ways to express future ideas without using any future tenses. For now, we'll just say that using a past tense structure does not work for any future events.
Use this tense to talk about actions that will be finished before another event takes place. Example: "I will have bought my Christmas gifts before the holiday shopping season starts."
Future Perfect Continuous
If the future perfect tense is complex, this continuous tense is even more so. It demands four verbs to express how long something will go on until a certain future time. That means, of course, that the sentence must include a specific time by which the action will be completed. These sentences demonstrate how that works.
Luckily, English speakers don't use this tense very often. Still, it's good to learn about it and know how to use it. Those examples will help you on your way.
Future Tense Rules For Asking Questions and Negations
In English, to ask questions, you only need to reverse the verb and subject. That rule also applies to future-tense questions, even when using a complex tense. To demonstrate, we use some of the example sentences from above.
As you can see, to ask a question, you only need to switch 'will' and the subject, leaving all the other verbs in their proper order. As for turning a positive statement into a negative one? It's as easy with future tenses as with all present tenses. Simply replace 'will' with 'won't'.
- She won't call tomorrow.
- I won't be going to the store.
- We won't have eaten our fill.
- They won't have been waiting.
Express Future Ideas Without a Future Tense Structure
Earlier, we mentioned verb tense confusion, a grammatical fault that challenges even native English speakers. Proper usage of past simple and present perfect is a typical example of such mistakes.
However, we're talking about a different situation, here. In these cases, using a different tense to describe future events is perfectly acceptable.
Present Simple for Scheduled Events
Use this tense to describe things that are generally true or that happen regularly.
Our lives and environment are filled with scheduled events: train timetables, movie start times, holidays, and more. According to that rule, we can announce future events using the present tense2. You must include a time signal in this construction, as in these examples.
Present Continuous for Future Arrangements
Build these sentences using the standard '(present) to be + verb + ing' to describe things that will happen in the future. You must include a time indicator that points to the future, as in these examples.
'Going To' for Future Intentions
When English speakers talk about things we plan to do, they commonly use 'going to' with an action verb in its infinitive (base) form. Have you ever said anything like this?
Apply Future Tense Rules to Avoid Mistakes
Across the spectrum of English verb tenses, the chances to make mistakes are many. Where future tenses are concerned, the biggest mistake is using 'will' when 'going to' is the correct construction3. The rules for these verbs are straightforward.
Using 'will'
- for making predictions
- for making promises
- for making decisions
Using 'going to'
- for stating intentions
- for expressing prior plans
- for predictions based on evidence
Native English speakers and English students alike have a habit of leaving out some part of future verb phrase constructions. The rules are simple: each future verb tense has a structure, as cited throughout this article. Practising those structures will end mistake-making.
Mistake
- They going to cinema later.
- We going walk to school tomorrow.
- He is going watch the match tonight.
The fix
- They are going to the cinema later.
- We're going to walk to school tomorrow.
- He's going to watch the match tonight.
The third big mistake is using the wrong verb form after 'going to' and 'will'. The rule states that one must use the 'ing' form after 'will' every time. These examples come from students in my classes.
Common error
- They're going to swimming this afternoon.
- He will winning the match this Saturday.
- I'm going to eating my lunch at noon.
- You will be act in a play next month?
Proper usage
- They're going to swim this afternoon.
- He will win the match this Saturday.
- I'm going to eat my lunch at noon.
- You will be acting in a play next month?
Future tense rules are easy to remember; the trick is applying them to every future tense usage. For that, only practice can make things better. And now, for a review of everything you've just read.
More Information on the Future Tense in English
- gradding.com. “Gradding.” Gradding.com, 2025, www.gradding.com/blog/english/future-tense. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
- “Expressing the Future.” Continuing Studies at UVic, 2026, continuingstudies.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/410-expressing-the-future/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
- Free, Cursa. “Basic English A1 for Beginners.” Cursa, Cursa: Free Online Courses + Free Certificate, 2025, cursa.app/en/page/simple-future-tense-will-going-to-common-mistakes-with-simple-future-tense/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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