Mastering English Future Tenses: Examples

Mastering English Future Tenses

Simple Future

Used for predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises, and offers.

  • Take an umbrella! You will get wet if it rains.
  • Who do you think will win the race?
  • I don’t feel well. I think I will stay home today.
  • I’m thirsty. I will order a drink.
  • An old man just got on the bus. I will give him my seat.
  • I am hungry. I think I will eat something.
  • I’m feeling cold and tired. I think I will have a nice hot bath.
  • Chris will be happy to hear your news.

Future Continuous

Used for actions in progress at a specific time in the future.

  • Dan will be living in Mexico this time next year.
  • Will you be studying for the exam tonight? If not, could I come over?
  • I can’t meet you on Friday. I will be visiting my aunt.
  • At this time next week, I will be sailing in the Bahamas.
  • At this time next week, I will be flying to Paris on my honeymoon!
  • At this time tomorrow, I will be celebrating my birthday.
  • How will I recognize him? He will be wearing a green shirt.
  • The film starts at 8:00 and finishes at 10:00, so at 9:00 we will be watching it.
  • Don’t phone at 6 o’clock. I will be sleeping at that time.

Future with “Going To”

Used for plans, intentions, and predictions based on present evidence.

  • I am going to wash the car later.
  • I am going to go to the party tomorrow.
  • Pat is not going to fly to Paris in May.
  • We’re collecting plastic bottles. We are going to take them to the recycling center.
  • We are going to have a big history test next week.

Present Continuous for Future

Used for scheduled events and fixed arrangements.

  • The train leaves at 8:40 p.m.
  • Our school is cleaning up the park at the weekend.
  • Susanne is ill. She is not singing in the concert tonight.
  • He is beginning skating lessons tomorrow.
  • They are buying a new sofa this afternoon.
  • My friends are preparing a meal for their parents tomorrow night.
  • The President is ill so he won’t be attending the meeting this evening.
  • This is my last day here. I am flying back to England tomorrow.
  • President Biden is meeting with European heads of state today.
  • The sun sets tomorrow at 20:35.
  • Do you know who is coming to the party tonight?

Future Perfect

Used for actions completed before a specific time in the future.

  • By the end of the marathon, the runners will have run 42.2 km.
  • The new store will have opened next Tuesday.
  • By the end of the day, will have finished three research papers.
  • By this time tomorrow, our friends will have arrived.
  • By 2040, someone will have discovered a new energy source.
  • Let’s hope that we will have stopped global warming by the year 2025.
  • If he wins the Oscar this year, he will have won three awards.
  • In ten years’ time, everyone will have forgotten about his book.
  • We will have finished our dishes by the time the cooking competition begins.
  • Will you have finished baking the birthday cake before the guests arrive?
  • You won’t have lost enough weight to fit into those trousers by next week.
  • By the time you read this letter, I will have left the country.
  • John won’t have read the book by next week.
  • I can go with you next Monday. I will have finished all my exams by then.
  • By the end of the month, this website will have had more than 100,000 visits.

Future Perfect Continuous

Used for the duration of an action up to a specific time in the future.

  • On their next anniversary, the Johnsons will have been married for 25 years.
  • By next year, will be living in France.
  • During the next two months, they will be traveling around Australia.
  • At the end of the day, she will be exhausted because she will have worked for 12 hours.

Mixed Examples

  • We will arrive in Delhi in a few minutes.
  • This time next month we will be lying at the beach.