CHAPTER 7.

THE FUTURE TENSES

Just as there are four present tenses and four past tenses in English, there are also four future tenses: the Simple Future, the Future Continuous, the Future Perfect, and the Future Perfect Continuous. 1. The simple future a. Use The Simple Future tense is used to express non-continuous actions which will ta e place in the future. !n the following examples, the "er#s in the Simple Future tense are underlined. e.g. The$ will finish the wor tomorrow. %e will arri"e next Saturda$. b. Formation The Simple Future of an$ "er# is formed from the auxiliar$ will or shall, followed #$ the #are infiniti"e of the "er#. !n informal English, particularl$ in &merican English, the Simple Future is usuall$ con'ugated entirel$ with the auxiliar$ will. The auxiliar$ will is a mo al auxiliar$. (odal auxiliaries do not modif$, #ut ha"e the same form, regardless of the su#'ect. The auxiliar$ will is often contracted to !ll. Thus, in informal English, the Simple Future of the "er# to wor" is usuall$ con'ugated as follows: #ithout Contra$tions ! will wor $ou will wor he will wor she will wor it will wor we will wor the$ will wor #ith Contra$tions !)ll wor $ou)ll wor he)ll wor she)ll wor it)ll wor we)ll wor the$)ll wor

*er#s used with the su#'ects % and we are generall$ referred to as #eing in the first person+ "er#s used with the su#'ect &ou are generall$ referred to as #eing in the se$on person+ and "er#s used with the su#'ects he, she, it and the& are generall$ referred to as #eing in the thir person. For formal English, there is a rule which states that in the Simple Future, the auxiliar$ shall should #e used in the first person, and the auxiliar$ will should #e used in the second person and third person. ,i e the auxiliar$ will, the auxiliar$ shall is a modal auxiliar$. Thus, in formal English, the Simple Future of the "er# to wor" ma$ #e con'ugated as follows: ! shall wor $ou will wor he will wor she will wor it will wor we shall wor

the$ will wor E"en in informal English, the auxiliar$ shall is usuall$ used in the first person for -uestions in which a re-uest for permission is implied. e.g. Shall ! call the office. Shall we go to the li#rar$. %owe"er, the use of will for the first person of the Simple Future is #eginning to #e considered accepta#le in formal English. Thus, except for -uestions where a re-uest for permission is implied, either will or shall ma$ #e used for the first person of the Simple Future. !n this chapter, the alternati"e use of the auxiliar$ shall in the first person will #e indicated #$ the word shall in #rac ets. The rules for the use of will and shall which appl$ to the Simple Future tense, also appl$ to the other future tenses. $. 'uestions an ne(ati)e statements &s is the case with other English tenses, -uestions and negati"e statements in the Simple Future are formed using the auxiliar$. /uestions are formed #$ placing the auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will wor . The$ will wor . 'uestion 0ill it wor . 0ill the$ wor .

1egati"e statements are formed #$ placing the word not after the auxiliar$. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will wor . The$ will wor . Ne(ati)e Statement !t will not wor . The$ will not wor .

!n spo en English, the following contraction is often used: #ithout Contra$tion will not #ith Contra$tion won)t

The contracted form of will not is unusual, since it is not onl$ the o of not which is omitted. !n addition, the ll of will is omitted, and the i of will is changed to o. The contracted form, won!t, is pronounced to rh$me with on!t. !n addition, shall not is sometimes contracted to shan!t. %owe"er, the word shan!t is rarel$ used in modern &merican English. 1egati"e -uestions are formed #$ placing the auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect, and the word not after the su#'ect. %owe"er, when contractions are used, the contracted form of not immediatel$ follows the auxiliar$. The following are examples of negati"e -uestions with and without contractions: #ithout Contra$tions 0ill it not wor . 0ill the$ not wor . #ith Contra$tions 0on)t it wor . 0on)t the$ wor .

Tag -uestions are formed using the auxiliar$. !n the following examples, the negati"e tag -uestions are underlined. Contractions are usuall$ used in negati"e tag -uestions.

Affirmati)e Statement !t will wor . The$ will wor .

Affirmati)e Statement with Ta( 'uestion !t will wor , won)t it. The$ will wor , won)t the$.

*. The $on+u(ation e,pressin( etermination an $ompulsion !n formal English, there is a rule which states that, in order to express determination and compulsion, the auxiliar$ will is to #e used in the first person, and the auxiliar$ shall is to #e used in the second person and third person. This is the re"erse of the use of will and shall found in the Simple Future. The use of will in the first person is supposed to express determination, and the use of shall in the second person and third person is supposed to express compulsion. For instance, for the "er# to wor", the Simple con'ugation which expresses determination and compulsion is as follows: ! will wor $ou shall wor he shall wor she shall wor it shall wor we will wor the$ shall wor !n this con'ugation, the expressions % will wor"- and we will wor"- ha"e the meaning % am etermine to wor"- and we are etermine to wor". !n contrast, the expressions &ou shall wor"- and the& shall wor"- for instance, ha"e the meaning &ou will be $ompelle to wor"- and the& will be $ompelle to wor". The rule for expressing determination and compulsion which applies to the Simple con'ugation, also applies to the Continuous, Perfect, and Perfect Continuous con'ugations. %owe"er, particularl$ in &merican English, the use of the con'ugations expressing determination and compulsion is #eginning to #e considered old-fashioned. .. The present $ontinuous of To /o followe b& an infiniti)e The Present Continuous tense of to (o, followed #$ an infiniti"e, is often used to refer to an e"ent which is a#out to happen, or to refer to an action which someone intends to carr$ out in the future. The Present Continuous tense of the "er# to (o is con'ugated as follows: ! am going $ou are going he is going she is going it is going we are going the$ are going

The examples #elow illustrate the use of the Present Continuous tense of to (o, followed #$ an infiniti"e, to refer to a future e"ent. !n each of these examples, the Present Continuous of to (o is printed in #old t$pe, and the infiniti"e which follows it is underlined. e.g. !t is (oin( to rain. ! am (oin( to write a letter tonight. The$ are (oin( to stud$ in France next $ear. !n the first example, the use of the Present Continuous of to (o followed #$ the infiniti"e to rain indicates that it is a#out to rain. !n the second and third examples, the use of the Present Continuous of to (o followed #$ the infiniti"es to write and to stu & indicates that the actions of writing and stud$ing are intended to #e carried out in the future. !t should also #e noted that the Past Continuous tense of to (o can #e used to express actions which were a#out to happen in the past. e.g. ! was (oin( to write a letter last night. !n this example, the use of the Past Continuous of to (o followed #$ the infiniti"e to write indicates that the action of writing was intended to #e carried out in the past. 0. The future $ontinuous a. Use The Future Continuous tense is used to express continuous, ongoing actions which will ta e place in the future. !n the following examples, the "er#s in the Future Continuous tense are underlined. e.g. %e will #e waiting for us. The$ will #e arri"ing tomorrow. b. Formation The Future Continuous of an$ "er# is formed from the Simple Future of the auxiliar$ to be, followed #$ the present participle of the "er#. For instance, the Future Continuous of the "er# to wor" is con'ugated as follows: ! will 2shall3 #e wor ing $ou will #e wor ing he will #e wor ing she will #e wor ing it will #e wor ing we will 2shall3 #e wor ing the$ will #e wor ing !t can #e seen that the Future Continuous tense has two auxiliaries. The first auxiliar$ is will or shall, and the second auxiliar$ is be. $. 'uestions an ne(ati)e statements &s is the case with other English tenses, -uestions and negati"e statements in the Future Continuous are formed using the first auxiliar$. /uestions are formed #$ placing the first auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will #e wor ing. The$ will #e wor ing. 'uestion 0ill it #e wor ing. 0ill the$ #e wor ing.

1egati"e statements are formed #$ placing the word not after the first auxiliar$. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will #e wor ing. The$ will #e wor ing. Ne(ati)e Statement !t will not #e wor ing. The$ will not #e wor ing.

1egati"e -uestions are formed #$ placing the first auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect, and the word not after the su#'ect. %owe"er, when contractions are used, the contracted form of not immediatel$ follows the first auxiliar$. For example: #ithout Contra$tions 0ill it not #e wor ing. 0ill the$ not #e wor ing. #ith Contra$tions 0on)t it #e wor ing. 0on)t the$ #e wor ing.

Tag -uestions are formed using the first auxiliar$. !n the following examples, the negati"e tag -uestions are underlined. Contractions are usuall$ used in negati"e tag -uestions. Affirmati)e Statement !t will #e wor ing. The$ will #e wor ing. Affirmati)e Statement with Ta( 'uestion !t will #e wor ing, won)t it. The$ will #e wor ing, won)t the$. 1. The future perfe$t a. Use The Future Perfect tense is used to refer to a non-continuous action which will #e completed #$ a certain time in the future. !n the following examples, the "er#s in the Future Perfect tense are underlined. e.g. She will ha"e finished the wor #$ 0ednesda$. ! will ha"e cleaned the room #efore the guests arri"e. The$ will ha"e eaten #rea fast #$ the time he gets up. !n these examples, the use of the Future Perfect indicates that the actions of finishing the wor , cleaning the room, and eating #rea fast will ha"e #een completed #efore the coming of 0ednesda$, the arri"al of the guests, and his getting up ta e place. b. Formation The Future Perfect of an$ "er# is formed from the Simple Future of the auxiliar$ to ha)e, followed #$ the past participle of the "er#. For instance, the Future Perfect of the "er# to wor" is con'ugated as follows: ! will 2shall3 ha"e wor ed $ou will ha"e wor ed he will ha"e wor ed she will ha"e wor ed it will ha"e wor ed we will 2shall3 ha"e wor ed the$ will ha"e wor ed $. 'uestions an ne(ati)e statements &s is the case with other English tenses, -uestions and negati"e statements in the Future Perfect are formed using the first auxiliar$. /uestions are formed #$ placing the first auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect. For example:

Affirmati)e Statement !t will ha"e wor ed. The$ will ha"e wor ed.

'uestion 0ill it ha"e wor ed. 0ill the$ ha"e wor ed.

1egati"e statements are formed #$ placing the word not after the first auxiliar$. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will ha"e wor ed. The$ will ha"e wor ed. Ne(ati)e Statement !t will not ha"e wor ed. The$ will not ha"e wor ed.

1egati"e -uestions are formed #$ placing the first auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect, and the word not after the su#'ect. %owe"er, when contractions are used, the contracted form of not immediatel$ follows the first auxiliar$. For example: #ithout Contra$tions 0ill it not ha"e wor ed. 0ill the$ not ha"e wor ed. #ith Contra$tions 0on)t it ha"e wor ed. 0on)t the$ ha"e wor ed.

Tag -uestions are formed using the first auxiliar$. !n the following examples, the negati"e tag -uestions are underlined. Contractions are usuall$ used in negati"e tag -uestions. Affirmati)e Statement !t will ha"e wor ed. The$ will ha"e wor ed. Affirmati)e Statement with Ta( 'uestion !t will ha"e wor ed, won)t it. The$ will ha"e wor ed, won)t the$. 2. The future perfe$t $ontinuous a. Use The Future Perfect Continuous tense is used to express a continuous, ongoing action which will #e completed #$ a certain time in the future. !n the following examples, the "er#s in the Future Perfect Continuous tense are underlined. e.g. 4$ next Januar$, she will ha"e #een li"ing here for a $ear. 5ou will ha"e #een tra"eling a great deal #$ the time $ou return home. %e will ha"e #een wor ing for ten months #$ the time he ta es his "acation. !n these examples, the use of the Future Perfect Continuous indicates that the continuous, ongoing actions of li"ing, tra"eling, and wor ing, will ha"e #een completed #efore the e"ents of the coming of Januar$, $our returning home, and his ta ing a "acation, ta e place. b. Formation The Future Perfect Continuous of an$ "er# is formed from the Future Perfect of the auxiliar$ to be, followed #$ the present participle of the "er#. For instance, the Future Perfect Continuous of the "er# to wor" is con'ugated as follows: ! will 2shall3 ha"e #een wor ing $ou will ha"e #een wor ing he will ha"e #een wor ing she will ha"e #een wor ing it will ha"e #een wor ing we will 2shall3 ha"e #een wor ing the$ will ha"e #een wor ing $. 'uestions an ne(ati)e statements

&s is the case with other English tenses, -uestions and negati"e statements in the Future Perfect Continuous are formed using the first auxiliar$. /uestions are formed #$ placing the first auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will ha"e #een wor ing. The$ will ha"e #een wor ing. 'uestion 0ill it ha"e #een wor ing. 0ill the$ ha"e #een wor ing.

1egati"e statements are formed #$ placing the word not after the first auxiliar$. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will ha"e #een wor ing. The$ will ha"e #een wor ing. Ne(ati)e Statement !t will not ha"e #een wor ing. The$ will not ha"e #een wor ing.

1egati"e -uestions are formed #$ placing the first auxiliar$ #efore the su#'ect, and the word not after the su#'ect. %owe"er, when contractions are used, the contracted form of not immediatel$ follows the first auxiliar$. For example: #ithout Contra$tions 0ill it not ha"e #een wor ing. 0ill the$ not ha"e #een wor ing. #ith Contra$tions 0on)t it ha"e #een wor ing. 0on)t the$ ha"e #een wor ing.

Tag -uestions are formed using the first auxiliar$. !n the following examples, the negati"e tag -uestions are underlined. Contractions are usuall$ used in negati"e tag -uestions. For example: Affirmati)e Statement !t will ha"e #een wor ing. The$ will ha"e #een wor ing. Affirmati)e Statement with Ta( 'uestion !t will ha"e #een wor ing, won)t it. The$ will ha"e #een wor ing, won)t the$.

7. Summar& of the formation of the En(lish future tenses The following ta#le summari6es the formation of the English future tenses. Tense Simple Future Future Continuous Future Perfect Future Perfect Continuous Au,iliar& will 2shall3 will 2shall3 #e will 2shall3 ha"e will 2shall3 ha"e #een 4. Clauses !f a sentence has onl$ one su#'ect and one "er#, it is said to consist of a single clause, called the main or prin$ipal clause. & main $lause is a clause which can stand alone to form a complete sentence. Each of the following sentences has onl$ one clause. !n the following examples, the "er#s are underlined. e.g. !t is cold. The flowers are #looming. !f a sentence contains more than one "er#, and each "er# has its own su#'ect, the sentence is said to consist of more than one clause. The following sentences each ha"e two clauses. The "er#s are underlined. 3erb Form #are infiniti"e present participle past participle present participle

e.g. %e said that he was read$. The door opened, and m$ uncle entered the room. !n the first example, he sai is the first clause, and that he was rea & is the second clause. !n the second example, the oor opene is the first clause, and m& un$le entere the room is the second clause. a. Coor inate $lauses 0hen two clauses are 'oined #$ a word such as an , or or but, the two clauses are called $oor inate clauses, and the word which 'oins them is called a $oor inate $on+un$tion. !n the following examples, the "er#s are underlined. e.g. !t is cold, #ut the flowers are #looming. The flowers are #looming and the #irds are singing. !n the first example, the coordinate con'unction but 'oins the clause it is $ol to the clause the flowers are bloomin(. !n the second example, the coordinate con'unction an 'oins the clause the flowers are bloomin( to the clause the bir s are sin(in(. The clauses in these examples are coordinate clauses. b. Subor inate $lauses Coordinate clauses are main clauses. & main clause is grammaticall$ independent, in that it ma$ stand alone to form a complete sentence. !n contrast, a clause which descri#es some part of the main clause, or which is in some other wa$ grammaticall$ dependent on the main clause, is called a subor inate clause. & su#ordinate clause cannot stand alone to form a complete sentence. !n the following examples, the su#ordinate clauses are underlined. e.g. The #oo which ! lent $ou is a li#rar$ #oo . %e told me what he had seen. !f $ou are read$, we will go. !n the preceding examples, the main clauses are the boo" is a librar& boo", he tol me and we will (o+ and the su#ordinate clauses are whi$h % lent &ou, what he ha seen and if &ou are rea &. & su#ordinate clause usuall$ #egins with a connecting word or phrase which 'oins it to the main clause. !n the preceding examples, these connecting words are whi$h, what and if. $. The past perfe$t an the simple past !t has alread$ #een seen that the tense of a "er# in one clause is related to the tenses of "er#s in other clauses in the same sentence. For instance, if one action happened #efore another in the past, the action that happened first would usuall$ #e expressed #$ a "er# in the Past Perfect tense, and the action that happened su#se-uentl$ would usuall$ #e expressed #$ a "er# in the Simple Past tense. For instance, each of the following sentences has one "er# in the Past Perfect tense, and one "er# in the Simple Past tense. !n the following examples, the "er#s are underlined. e.g. She was late, #ecause she had lost her wa$. !t had started to snow #efore we reached the inn. !n the first example, the "er# ha lost is in the Past Perfect, and the "er# was is in the Simple Past. This indicates that the action of losing the wa$ occurred #efore the action of #eing late. !n the second example, the "er# ha starte is in the Past Perfect, and the "er# rea$he is in the Simple Past. This indicates that the action of starting to snow occurred #efore the action of reaching the inn. . The use of the present in subor inate $lauses to e,press future a$tions

!t should #e noted that if the "er# in the main clause of a sentence is in a future tense, the "er# of an$ su#ordinate clause which refers to the future is usuall$ in a present tense. This is illustrated in the following examples. The "er#s are underlined. e.g. 0e will welcome him when he arri"es. ! will ha"e finished the wor #efore it is time to lea"e. !n these examples, the main clauses are we will wel$ome him and % will ha)e finishe the wor"+ and the su#ordinate clauses are when he arri)es and before it is time to lea)e. !n the main clauses, the will wel$ome is in the Simple Future tense, and the will ha)e finishe is in the Future Perfect tense. %owe"er, in the su#ordinate clauses, the "er#s arri)es and is are #oth in the Simple Present, e"en though the$ refer to future e"ents. !n most cases, the rule is that if the "er# in the main clause of a sentence is in a future tense, the "er# of an$ su#ordinate clause which refers to the future must #e in a present tense. There is usuall$ no am#iguit$ in such sentences, #ecause the fact that the "er# in the main clause is in a future tense is generall$ enough to indicate that all of the actions expressed in the sentence are to ta e place in the future. %owe"er, there are a few cases in which the "er# in a su#ordinate clause must #e put into a future tense in order to a"oid am#iguit$. For instance, in su#ordinate clauses #eginning with althou(h or be$ause, it is sometimes necessar$ to use future tenses, to ma e it clear that the actions expressed relate to the future, rather than the present. e.g. 0e will not need to send for her, #ecause she will alread$ #e here. &lthough he will #e in the neigh#orhood, we will ha"e to search for him. !n these examples, the use of the Simple Future tense in the su#ordinate clauses be$ause she will alrea & be here and althou(h he will be in the nei(hborhoo is necessar$ to ma e it clear that the e"ents of her #eing here, and his #eing in the neigh#orhood, relate to the future rather than the present.