FUTURE TENSE
Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I shall/will love We shall/will love
2nd person You will love You will love
3rd Person He will love They will love
USES:
Shall is used with the second and the third persons to express determination, promise, intention, etc…
Shall is used with the first person to express an offer or suggestion.
Will is used with the first person to express willingness, determination, etc…
The simple future is used to express the speaker’s opinion, for something to be done in the future. We used verbs such believe, know, suppose, think, etc….
We also use adverbs such as perhaps, possibly, surely, etc…
It is used for an action that is yet to take place.
Examples:
Someone is at the door. I’ll see who it is. (at the present moment)
I will help you with your homework tonight. (promise/ offer)
She won’t tell me her password. (refusal)
My mother will get a football today. (willingness)
I’m going to watch a movie tonight.
He’s going to have a party this week end. )plan or intention) (be going to + verb)
It is cloudy. Its going to rain. (evidence)
You’ll go abroad someday. (opinion)
The Simple Future Tense is used to talk about things which we cannot control. It
expresses the future as fact.
Examples:
I shall be twenty next Sunday.
It will be Pongal in a month.
We will know our exam results in June.
We use this tense to talk about what we think or believe will happen in the future.
Examples:
I think South Africa will win the match.
I'm sure Hema will get a first class.
As in the above sentences, we often use this tense with I think, and I'm sure. We also say
I expect ---, I believe ---, Probably ---, etc.
We can use this tense when we decide to do something at the lime of speaking
Examples:
It is raining. I will take an umbrella.
“Mr. Shaker is very busy at the moment.” – “All right. I'll wait.”
Going to
We use the going to form (be going to + base of the verb) when we have decided to
do something before talking about it.
“Have you decided what to do?” – “Yes. / am going to join the job.”
“Why do you want to sell your motorbike?” – “I'm going to buy a car.”
Remember that if the action is already decided upon and preparations have been made,
we should use the going to form, not the Simple Future Tense. The Simple Future Tense
is used for an instant decision.
We also use the going to form to talk about what seems likely or certain, when there
is something in the present which tells us about the future.
Examples:
• It is going to rain; look at those clouds.
• The boat is full of water. It is going to sink.
• She is going to have a baby.
The going to form may also express an action which is on the point of happening.
Let's get into the train. It's going to leave.
Look! The cracker is going to explode.
Be about to
Be about to + base form can also be used for the immediate future.
Examples:
Let's get into the train. It's about to leave.
Don't go out now. We are about to have lunch.
The Simple Present Tense is also used for conveying the future actions such as official programmes and timetables.
The college opens on 23rd June.
The film starts at 6.30 and finishes at 9.00.
When does the next train leave for Chennai?
The Simple Present is often used for future time in clauses with if, unless, when,
while, as (= while) before, after, until, by the time and as soon as. The Simple Future
Tense is not used in such cases.
Examples:
I won't go out if it rains, (not: will rain)
Can I have some milk before I go to bed?
Let's wait till he finishes his work.
Please ring me up as soon as he comes.
We use the Present Continuous Tense when we talk about something that we have
planned to do in the future.
I am going to Shimla tomorrow.
We are eating out tonight.
Mr. Abdul Rehman is arriving this evening.
You are advised to use the Present Continuous (not the Simple Present) for personal
arrangements.