Simple Future : has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to.

"
Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very
different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time
and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific
time in the future.

FORM Will [will + VERB] Examples: You will help him later. Will you help him later?
You will not help him later.

FORM Be Going To [am/is/are + going to + VERB]

Examples: :You are going to meet Jane tonight. Are you going to meet Jane tonight?

 You are not going to meet Jane tonight.

 Using "Will"

Positive Negative Question

I will help. I will not help. Will I help?

You will help. You will not help. Will you help?

We will help. We will not help. Will we help?

 Using "Be Going to"

Positive Negative Question

I am going to leave. I am not going to leave. Am I going to leave?

You are going to leave. You are not going to leave. Are you going to leave?

We are going to leave. We are not going to leave. Are we going to leave?

USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action :"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do
something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else.
Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. We also use
"will" when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we
use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something. Examples: I will send you
the information when I get it.

 I will translate the email, so Mr. Smith can read it.

  Will you help me move this heavy table?
 Will you make dinner?
 I will not do your homework for you.
 I won't do all the housework myself!

USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise :"Will" is usually used in promises.

Examples: I will call you when I arrive. ***I promise I will not tell him about the surprise
party. *****Don't worry, I'll be careful.*****I won't tell anyone your secret.

USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan :"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It
expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter
whether the plan is realistic or not.

Examples: He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii. She is not going to spend her
vacation in Hawaii. A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6 PM. I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.

USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going to" to Express a Prediction :Both "will" and "be going to" can
express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what
might happen in the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little control over
the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no
difference in meaning. Examples: The year 2222 will be a very interesting year. The year
2222 is going to be a very interesting year.

 John Smith will be the next President. John Smith is going to be the next President.

IMPORTANT In the simple future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind.
Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.

No Future in Time Clauses Like all future forms, the simple future cannot be used in clauses
beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if,
unless, etc. Instead of simple future, simple present is used.

Examples: When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct When
you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
Future Continuous has two different forms: "will be doing " and "be going to
be doing." Unlike simple future forms, future continuous forms are usually interchangeable.

FORM Future Continuous with "Will" [will be + present participle]

Examples: You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight. Will you be waiting for
her when her plane arrives tonight? You will not be waiting for her when her plane arrives
tonight.

FORM Future Continuous with "Be Going To " [am/is/are + going to be + present
participle]

Examples: You are going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight. Are you going
to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight? You are not going to be waiting for her
when her plane arrives tonight.

REMEMBER: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the future continuous
with little difference in meaning.

Using "Will"

Positive Negative Question

I will be waiting. I will not be waiting. Will I be waiting?

You will be waiting. You will not be waiting. Will you be waiting?

We will be waiting. We will not be waiting. Will we be waiting?

Using "Be Going To"

Positive Negative Question

I am going to be waiting. I am not going to be waiting. Am I going to be waiting?

You are going to be waiting. You are not going to be waiting. Are you going to be waiting?

We are going to be waiting. We are not going to be waiting. Are we going to be waiting?

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future Use the future continuous to indicate that a longer
action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action in the future. Remember this can be
a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples: I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight. I will be waiting for you when your
bus arrives. I am going to be staying at the Madison Hotel, if anything happens and
you need to contact me.

Notice in the examples above that the interruptions (marked in italics) are in simple
present rather than simple future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you
cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future In USE 1, described above, the
future continuous is interrupted by a short action in the future. In addition to using short
actions as interruptions, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Examples: Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.

I will be in the process of eating dinner. At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the
desert. We will be in the process of driving through the desert.

REMEMBER In the simple future, a specific time is used to show the time an action will begin or
end. In the future continuous, a specific time interrupts the action.

Examples:Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to eat dinner.

I am going to start eating at 6 PM. Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.
I am going to start earlier and I will be in the process of eating dinner at 6 PM.

USE 3 Parallel Actions in the Future When you use the future continuous with two actions
in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same
time. The actions are parallel.

Examples: I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner. Tonight, they will
be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

Future Perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have
done." Unlike simple future forms, future perfect forms are usually interchangeable. FORM
Future Perfect with "Will" [will have + past participle]

Examples:

 You will have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
 Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
 You will not have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.

FORM Future Perfect with "Be Going To" [am/is/are + going to have + past participle]

Examples:
  You are going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
 Are you going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
 You are not going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the future perfect with little or
no difference in meaning.

Using "Will"

Positive Negative Question

I will have stopped. I will not have stopped. Will I have stopped?

You will have stopped. You will not have stopped. Will you have stopped?

We will have stopped. We will not have stopped. Will we have stopped?

Using "Be Going To"

Positive Negative Question

I am going to have stopped. I am not going to have stopped. Am I going to have stopped?

You are going to have You are not going to have Are you going to have stopped?
stopped. stopped.

We are going to have We are not going to have Are we going to have stopped?
stopped. stopped.

USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future The future perfect expresses
the idea that something will occur before another action in the future. It can also show that
something will happen before a specific time in the future.

Examples:

 By next November, I will have received my promotion.

 By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire house.
 I am not going to have finished this test by 3 o'clock.
 Will she have learned enough Chinese to communicate before she moves to Beijing?
 Sam is probably going to have completed the proposal by the time he leaves this
afternoon.
 By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.
 How many countries are you going to have visited by the time you turn 50?
Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in simple
present rather than simple future. This is because the interruptions are in time clauses, and you
cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs) With non-
continuous verbs and some non-continuous uses of mixed verbs, we use the future perfect to
show that something will continue up until another action in the future.

Examples: I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave. By Monday, Susan is
going to have had my book for a week.

Although the above use of future perfect is normally limited to non-continuous verbs and non-
continuous uses of mixed verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes
used in this way even though they are NOT non-continuous verbs.

REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses Like all future forms, the future perfect cannot be
used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time,
as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of future perfect, present perfect is used. Examples: I am
going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct

 I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct

Future Perfect Continuous has two different forms: "will have been
doing " and "be going to have been doing." Unlike simple future forms, future perfect
continuous forms are usually interchangeable.

FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Will" [will have been + present participle]

Examples:

 You will have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives.
 Will you have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives?
 You will not have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally arrives.

FORM Future Perfect Continuous with "Be Going To"

[am/is/are + going to have been + present participle]

Examples:

 You are going to have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally
arrives.
 Are you going to have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally
arrives?
 You are not going to have been waiting for more than two hours when her plane finally
arrives.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the future perfect continuous
with little or no difference in meaning.

Future Perfect Continuous Forms

Using "Will"

Positive Negative Question

I will have been sleeping. I will not have been sleeping. Will I have been sleeping?

You will not have been Will you have been sleeping?
You will have been sleeping.
sleeping.

We will have been sleeping. We will not have been sleeping. Will we have been sleeping?
Using "Be Going To"

Positive Negative Question

I am not going to have been Am I going to have been sleeping?

I am going to have been sleeping.
sleeping.

You are not going to have Are you going to have been
You are going to have been sleeping.
been sleeping. sleeping?

We are not going to have Are we going to have been sleeping?

We are going to have been sleeping.
been sleeping.

USE 1 Duration Before Something in the Future We use the future perfect continuous to
show that something will continue up until a particular event or time in the future. "For five
minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Friday" are all durations which can be used with the
future perfect continuous. Notice that this is related to the present perfect continuous and
the past perfect continuous; however, with future perfect continuous, the duration stops at or
before a reference point in the future.

Examples: They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Thomas arrives.

 She is going to have been working at that company for three years when it
finally closes.
 James will have been teaching at the university for more than a year by the time
he leaves for Asia.
 How long will you have been studying when you graduate?
 A: When you finish your English course, will you have been living in New Zealand for
over a year?
B: No, I will not have been living here that long.

Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in simple
present rather than simple future. This is because these future events are in time clauses, and
you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Cause of Something in the Future Using the future perfect continuous before
another action in the future is a good way to show cause and effect.

Examples: Jason will be tired when he gets home because he will have been jogging for over an
hour.

 Claudia's English will be perfect when she returns to Germany because she is going to
have been studying English in the United States for over two years.
Future Continuous vs. Future Perfect Continuous If you do not include a duration such as
"for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the
future continuous rather than the future perfect continuous. Be careful because this can
change the meaning of the sentence. Future continuous emphasizes interrupted actions,
whereas future perfect continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the
future. Study the examples below to understand the difference.

Examples:

 He will be tired because he will be exercising so hard.

This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will be exercising at that exact
moment in the future.
 He will be tired because he will have been exercising so hard.
This sentence emphasizes that he will be tired because he will have been exercising for a
period of time. It is possible that he will still be exercising at that moment OR that he will
just have finished.

REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the future perfect continuous cannot be used in clauses beginning with
time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc.
Instead of future perfect continuous, present perfect continuous is used.

Examples: You won't get a promotion until you will have been working here as long as Tim. Not
Correct You won't get a promotion until you have been working here as long as Tim. Correct

AND REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that non-continuous verbs cannot be used in any continuous

tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for mixed verbs cannot be used in continuous
tenses. Instead of using Future perfect continuous with these verbs, you must use future
perfect . Examples: Ned will have been having his driver's license for over two years. Not
Correct

 Ned will have had his driver's license for over two years. Correct
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.
1.
Sandra: Where is Tim going to meet us?
Marcus: He (wait) for us when our train arrives. I am sure he (stand) on
the platform when we pull into the station.
Sandra: And then what?
Marcus: We (pick) Michele up at work and go out to dinner.

2.
Ted: When we get to the party, Jerry (watch) TV, Sam (make) drinks,
Beth (dance) by herself, and Thad (complain) about his day at work.
Robin: Maybe, this time they won't be doing the same things.
Ted: I am absolutely positive they (do) the same things; they always do the same things.

3.
Florence: Oh, look at that mountain of dirty dishes! Who (wash) all of those?
Jack: I promise I (do) them when I get home from work.
Florence: Thanks.
Jack: When you get home this evening, that mountain will be gone and nice stacks of sparkling clean
dishes (sit) in the cabinets.

4.
Doug: If you need to contact me next week, I (stay) at the Hoffman Hotel.
Nancy: I (call) you if there are any problems.
Doug: This is the first time I have ever been away from the kids.
Nancy: Don't worry, they (be) be fine.

5.
Samantha: Just think, next week at this time, I (lie) on a tropical beach in Maui drinking
Mai Tais and eating pineapple.
Darren: While you are luxuriating on the beach, I (stress) out over this marketing
project. How are you going to enjoy yourself knowing that I am working so hard?
Samantha: I 'll manage somehow.
Darren: You're terrible. Can't you take me with you?
Samantha: No. But I (send) you a postcard of a beautiful, white sand beach.
Darren: Great, that (make) me feel much better.
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.
1. Right now, I am watching TV. Tomorrow at this time, I (watch) TV as well.

2. Tomorrow after school, I (go) to the beach.

3. I am going on a dream vacation to Tahiti. While you (do) paperwork and

(talk) to annoying customers on the phone, I (lie) on a sunny, tropical
beach. Are you jealous?

4. We (hide) when Tony (arrive) at his surprise party. As soon as he

opens the door, we (jump) out and (scream) , "Surprise!"

5. We work out at the fitness center every day after work. If you (come) over while we
(work) out, we will not be able to let you into the house. Just to be safe, we
(leave) a key under the welcome mat so you will not have to wait outside.

6. While you (study) at home, Magda (be) in class.

7. When I (get) to the party, Sally and Doug (dance) , John

(make) drinks, Sue and Frank (discuss) something controversial, and
Mary (complain) about something unimportant. They are always doing the same
things. They are so predictable.

8. When you (get) off the plane, I (wait) for you.

9. I am sick of rain and bad weather! Hopefully, when we (wake) up tomorrow morning,
the sun (shine) .

10. If you (need) to contact me sometime next week, I (stay) at the

Sheraton in San Francisco.

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses
1. Margaret: Do you think everything will be finished when I get back from the store?
Jerry: Don't worry. By the time you get back, I (pick) up the living room and
(finish) washing the dishes. Everything will be perfect when your parents arrive.
Margaret: I hope so. They (arrive) around 6 o'clock.
Jerry: Everything (be) spotless by the time they get here.

2. Nick: I just have two more courses before I graduate from university. By this time next year, I
(graduate) , and I will already be looking for a job.
Stacey: Does that scare you? Are you worried about the future?
Nick: Not really. I (go) to a career counselor and get some advice on how to find
a good job.
Stacey: That's a good idea.
Nick: I am also going to do an internship so that when I leave school, I (complete, not
only) over 13 business courses, but I (work, also) in
the real world.

3. Stan: Did you hear that Christine (take) a vacation in South America this
winter?
Fred: I can't believe how often she goes abroad. Where exactly does she want to go?
Stan: She (visit) Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Fred: At this rate, she (visit) every country in the world by the time she's 50.

4. Judy: How long have you been in Miami?

Elaine: I have only been here for a couple of weeks.
Judy: How long do you plan on staying?
Elaine: I love Miami, so I (stay) here for an extended period of time. When I go
back home, I (be) here for more than three months.
Judy: Wow, that's quite a vacation! You (see, definitely) just about
everything there is to see in Miami by then.

5. Jane: I can't believe how late we are! By the time we get to the dinner, everyone (finish,
already) eating.
Jack: It's your own fault. You took way too long in the bathroom.
Jane: I couldn't get my hair to look right.
Jack: Who cares? By the time we get there, everyone (left) . Nobody (see,
even) your hair.
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses
1.
Simona: Margaret is really going to speak Spanish well when she gets back from that language school in
Mexico.
Isabelle: Hopefully! She (take) classes for more than six months.
Simona: She is going to be able to speak Spanish with some of our Latin American clients.
Isabelle: Good. Two clients from Peru (visit) us next month when Margaret returns. We
need someone to entertain them while they are here.

2.
Jason: I am leaving!
Nurse: If you would please wait, the doctor will be with you in ten minutes. The doctor is having some
problems with a patient.
Jason: The doctor was having problems with that patient an hour ago. If I wait another ten minutes, I am
sure he (have, still) problems with her. By the time he's finally ready to see me, I
(wait) for more than two hours.

3.
Frank: What are you going to be doing tomorrow at five?
Debbie: I (paint) my living room walls.
Frank: Still? How long have you been working on your living room?
Debbie: Forever. By the time I finish, I (redecorate) the living room for over a
week.
Frank: Too bad. I was going to ask if you wanted to see a movie. What about the day after tomorrow?
Debbie: Sorry, I (move) furniture and (put) up drapes.

4.
Mr. Jones: What are you going to be doing next year at this time?
Mr. McIntyre: I (work) for a big law firm in New Orleans.
Mr. Jones: I didn't know you were leaving Baton Rouge.
Mr. McIntyre: I got a great job offer which I just can't refuse. Besides, by the time I move, I
(live) in Baton Rouge for over twenty years. I think it's about time for a change.