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Future Tenses – Definition & Examples

What Are Future Tenses?

Future tenses are verb tenses that describe activities and actions happening later than the present moment.

  • Refers to verb forms and structures that describe actions, events, or states that will happen.
  • Used for predictions, plans, schedules, promises, offers, intentions, and predictions based on evidence.

Examples:

They will travel to Spain next summer. (simple future)
This time tomorrow, I will be writing my English test. (future continuous)
By 2030, scientists will have discovered new energy sources. (future perfect)

How Many Future Tenses Are There in English?

In English, there are 4 future tenses, each showing a different aspect of future time:

  1. Simple Future - for actions that will occur.
  2. Future Progressive (Continuous) - for actions that will be ongoing.
  3. Future Perfect - for actions that will be completed before a future time.
  4. Future Perfect Continuous - for actions that will continue up to a point in the future.

English often uses going to, the present simple, or the present continuous to talk about future events in specific contexts (e.g., plans, schedules, arrangements).

Tenses Overview

Tense Function Signal Words Example
Simple Future Actions that will happen in the future tomorrow, next week She will travel tomorrow.
Future Continuous Actions in progress at a future time this time tomorrow I will be working at 5 PM.
Future Perfect Completed before a future moment by, before We will have finished by noon.
Future Perfect Continuous Duration up to a future moment for, by He will have been studying for hours.

The 4 Future Tenses

1. Simple Future

The simple future is used to describe an action that will happen in the future.

Structure: will + base verb

Examples:

  • I will call you after work.
  • They will arrive tomorrow morning.
  • We will visit our cousins next weekend.

2. Future Continuous (Progressive)

The future continuous (progressive) is used to describe an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.

Structure: will be + verb-ing

Examples:

  • I will be waiting for you at 6 PM.
  • This time next year, they will be traveling.
  • This time next week, I will be lying on the beach.

3. Future Perfect

The future perfect is used to show that an action will be completed before another future event or time.

Structure: will have + past participle

Examples:

  • By the time he arrives, we will have eaten.
  • She will have finished the report by Friday.
  • She will have written the report before the meeting starts.

4. Future Perfect Continuous

The future perfect continuous is used to show that an action will continue up until a point in the future, often emphasizing duration.

Structure: will have been + verb-ing

Examples:

  • By 8 PM, I will have been working for six hours.
  • They will have been living there for ten years by next summer.
  • By December, they will have been building the house for a year.

Building the Future Tense with the Present Simple

The present simple can be used to talk about scheduled events in the future, especially timetables and fixed plans.

Structure: present simple form of the verb

Examples:

  • The train leaves at 6 AM tomorrow.
  • School starts next Monday.
  • The movie begins at 8 PM tonight.

Building the Future Tense with the Present Continuous

The present continuous can be used to describe personal plans and arrangements in the near future.

Structure: am / is / are + verb-ing

Examples:

  • I am meeting my friend tomorrow.
  • They are traveling to Spain next week.
  • She is starting her new job on Monday.

Building the Future Tense with "Going to"

"Going to" is used to talk about future plans or intentions and predictions based on present evidence.

Structure: am / is / are + going to + base verb

Examples:

  • I am going to study tonight.
  • We are going to visit our grandparents this weekend.
  • Look at those clouds! It is going to rain.

Future Tense Conjugation

Person Simple Future Future Continuous Future Perfect Future Perfect Continuous  
I will go will be going will have gone will have been going  
you will go will be going will have gone will have been going  
he/she/it will go will be going will have gone will have been going  
we will go will be going will have gone will have been going  
you (pl.) will go will be going will have gone will have been going  
they will go will be going will have gone will have been going  

Find out more

  1. The future tense is used to describe actions or events that will happen later than the present moment.
  2. It talks about things that have not happened yet.
  1. Simple Future
  2. Future Progressive (Continuous)
  3. Future Perfect
  4. Future Perfect Progressive (Continuous)
  1. Simple Future - She will start a new job next week.
  2. Future Progressive (Continuous) - She will be starting her new job at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
  3. Future Perfect - She will have started her new job by next Monday.
  4. Future Perfect Progressive (Continuous) - By next month, she will have been working at her new job for four weeks.
  1. Simple Future - for decisions, promises, predictions, or actions that will happen.
  2. Future Progressive (Continuous) - for actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
  3. Future Perfect - for actions that will be completed before a certain future time.
  4. Future Perfect Progressive (Continuous) - for actions that will continue over a period of time before a future point.