The Concept of Future Tense

A tense is a word category used to indicate the time of occurrence of a speech event. Future tense refers to any activity planned to happen in the future. Future tense, just like any other tense, is recognized by the verb form and auxiliaries used. We use future tense when speaking about events that have not happened yet or future possibilities, including making plans and predictions, or thinking about what the climate will be like next week.

Future Tense Divisions 

There are four types of future tense:

Simple Future Tense

When referring to an activity that will take place in the future, simple future tense is used. It conveys confirmation and realities. The following is an example of simple future tense and how it should be used:

Subject + will/shall + V1 (first form of the verb) + object

Future tense example:

• We will relocate to another town.
• He will enter New York in the future.

Future Continuous Tense 

Future continuous tense depicts an activity that will most probably happen in the future, and it will last for a predetermined amount of time. It is composed of the words:

(will+be+past participle) 

The following tense is used:

Subject + will be/shall be + ing + V1 (first form of the verb) + object

Future tense example:

• I will be taking a nap until around 6:00 tomorrow. 
• They will be working at this time next week.

Future Perfect Tense

Future perfect tense is used to refer to an activity that will happen before a certain point in time in the future. This tense is constructed by assembling the words have and will with the verb’s past participle:

Subject + will have/shall have + V3 (third form of the verb) + object

Future tense example:

• I will have completed my homework before class is over tomorrow.
• Before her mother arrives, she will have cleaned the car.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense 

Future perfect continuous tense is used for an activity that will continue until a certain point in the future. It is composed of the participle (will + have + been + present):

Subject + will have been + V1 (first form of the verb) + ing + object

Future tense example:

• He will have been jogging for an hour on the treadmill next week.
• We will have been spending the entire summer soaking in the afternoon sun.

This future tense is used to characterise future occurrences that have not happened yet but may occur shortly. To fully understand this, we have to solve some future tense exercises. It is a future tense edition of the verb that does not occur now.

Auxiliary Verbs

The word auxiliary means something that provides extra assistance or help. An auxiliary verb is a verb that assists or changes the main activity verb to the future tense. This particular auxiliary verb is not a significant aspect of the sentence. 

Will/Shall and Going To 

The two most generally used auxiliary words for the future tense are:

• will/shall and 
• going to

Shall is not commonly used since it is considered formal. 

The unbroken pattern of the verb follows either word. For instance, if we are proposing to call somebody, we may say:

“I will contact you tomorrow,” or “I am going to contact you tomorrow.”

“To contact” did not shift. It barely assists the auxiliary verb.

These words are all used together, unless we are employing the negative pattern. In that issue, we use the word ‘not’ in the centre, like this: 

“I will not contact you tomorrow,” or “I am not going to contact you tomorrow.” 

We can further use the words ‘always’ or ‘never’ in the future tense by positioning them between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.

Perfect Tense for Just More Certain Future tenses

The future perfect tense is not used as often as the others, and it is more difficult than the other elements. But to fully understand and speak about the future, then future tenses must be used. When we come across future tense exercises, it will be important to apply what we have learned to form sentences with the correct future tenses. 

Conclusion

When we speak or write, it is common to refer to events that will take place in the future. These events can happen in a variety of forms, such as at a certain point in the future. To correctly convey our intended meaning, it is important to understand the concept of future tense. The four types of future tenses will further allow us to provide detailed explanations.