In today’s lesson, let’s learn about AND compare the future simple and future continuous. You can watch my video lesson or keep scrolling down to read.
If you’d like explanations, examples and exercises for all 12 tenses, you can get my 61-page info pack here:
Grammatical Structures
Future Simple: subject + will + bare infinitive (base verb)
I will be 5 minutes late.
You will be 5 minutes late.
He/She/It will be 5 minutes late.
They will be 5 minutes late.
We will be 5 minutes late.
Negative:
I will not be 5 minutes late.
You will not be 5 minutes late.
He/She/It will not be 5 minutes late.
They will not be 5 minutes late.
We will not be 5 minutes late.
Question:
- Will I be 5 minutes late?
- Will you be 5 minutes late?
- Will he/she/it be 5 minutes late?
- Will they be 5 minutes late?
- Will we be 5 minutes late?
COMMON MISTAKE!
Do you use TO after “will”. She will to be 5 minutes late.
Future Simple BE GOING TO: subject + be + going to + base verb (bare infinitive)
I am going to make pancakes tonight.
You are going to make pancakes tonight.
He / She / It is going to make pancakes tonight.
We are going to make pancakes tonight.
They are going to make pancakes tonight.
Negative:
I am not going to make pancakes tonight.
You are not going to make pancakes tonight.
He / She / It is not going to make pancakes tonight.
We are not going to make pancakes tonight.
They are not going to make pancakes tonight.
Question:
Am I going to make pancakes tonight?
Are you going to make pancakes tonight?
Is he/she/it going to make pancakes tonight?
Are we going to make pancakes tonight?
Are they going to make pancakes tonight?
Let’s begin with the future simple: WILL and BE GOING TO
1. a future fact (will)
The sun will set at 9:16 p.m. tonight and will rise at 4:44 a.m. tomorrow.
This road will be closed for two weeks.
We cannot change a fact. It is something definite.
2. a prediction (will / be going to)
WILL = more formal / often seen in writing
BE GOING TO = less formal / often used in spoken English
In 100 years humans will live / are going to live on Mars.
Farmers will spend less time outdoors with the help of robotic farming.
Drugs to cure all types of cancer will be developed.
Why are there two verbs after WILL? This is an example of the PASSIVE VOICE grammar.
3. a future probability (will)
Usually WILL is used with: I’m sure / I think / Maybe / Perhaps
A: Do you think Amy will like this gift I bought her? B: I’m sure she’ll love it.
A: The client is refusing to pay. She owes us $1,500.
B: Maybe she’ll agree to paying in installements.
4. a prediction based on present evidence (be going to)
The road is gonna flood with all this rain. (gonna = informal spoken English for : going to)
What present evidence do I have? Lots of rainfall
Horse #12 is going to win the race.
What present evidence do I have? I can see horse #12 in the lead.
Ouch! I accidentally kicked the table leg. This is going to leave a bruise.
What present evidence do I have? The pain
It is unnatural to use WILL in these situations.
5. a plan you have (be going to)
I’m going to walk to work tomorrow to get some exercise.
Next week we are going to fly to Madrid.
My parents are going to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary next month.
MINI NOTE!
For the future simple and continuous, the specific time is good to have, but not necessary.
In three weeks I am going to start my English course – specific time
The future will be better than the past. – no specific time.
6. a spontaneous decision (will)
A: We don’t have any food in the house. B: OK, I’ll order us a pizza.
A: Why isn’t Julie here? B: I don’t know. I‘ll send her a message.
7. a promise (will)
Promise me that you will remember to call my mom and wish her a happy birthday.
I will always be your best friend.
I won’t forget to pick up milk on the way home.
8. a present habit (will)
My husband will drink tea from time to time.
What’s the difference between WILL for present habits and the PRESENT SIMPLE?
Both can be used to mean the same thing.
✅My husband will drink tea from time to time.
✅My husband drinks tea from time to time.
But, usually the present simple is the better choice for things you do routinely.
I wake up at 6:30 every morning.
The future simple is something that COULD happen because it has happened before.
Summer in the UK is beautiful. It will rain most of the year, but I always look forward to summer.
The isn’t something we can guarantee to be a routine.
We can actually say that using the future simple for a present possibility is just part of the 1st conditional:
A mama bear will attack if she feels her cubs are threatened. (1st conditional)
This isn’t a routine, but it can be considered something that does happen.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
grammatical structure:
subject + will + be + verb “ing”
9. an action in progress in the future
In 1 hour I’ll be getting my kids ready for bed.
Sorry, you can’t come over tomorrow morning. I’ll be working.
We can’t go skiing because it won’t be snowing.
10. something you will never do again (use future continuous negative)
I won’t be using that lipstick again. It felt cheap and smelled.
Joe was such a rude guest. I won’t be inviting him to my house again.
11. a polite question
Will you be bringing your new boyfriend to the wedding?
Will anyone be needing a copy of today’s presentation.
12. an interrupted future action
The food will be baking in the oven when you get home.
future continuous + when + present simple (the interruption)
The baby will be sleeping when our TV show starts.
13. a present action that will continue into the future (using STILL)
I’ll still be editing this video later today.
Now I am editing this video. This present action will continue into the future.
I think it will still be raining when we go out.
14. an assumption about a present action
Don’t go outside now. It’ll be freezing. (I assume this. I don’t know for certain.)
Ryan will be driving, so you can’t call him. (I assume he is driving now.)
