8. The future tenses

8.1. The future simple (indefinite)

Affirmative: I / you / we / they / he / she / it + will + V₀

►You will sign contracts tomorrow.

Negative: I / you / we / they / he / she / it + will + not + V₀

►You will not (won’t) sign contracts tomorrow.

Interrogative: Will + I / you / we / they / he / she / it + V₀?

►Will you sign contracts tomorrow?

Short answers: ►Yes, I will. No, I will not (won’t).

KEEP IN MIND: Shall I / Shall we are used to make suggestions, not to express the future action: (See Unit Modal Verbs)

►Shall we renegotiate the price next week?

8.1.1. The use of the Future Simple

• to show that an action will take place in the future:

►I will have a lot of paperwork next week.

• to talk about a future action which is uncertain, with the words maybe, probably, I think, I expect, I hope:

►I hope they will renew the contract.

• to talk about on-the-stop decisions:

►This financial statement has many discrepancies. – Don’t worry, I’ll look through it and check them.

• to talk about predictions:

►Greece has been one the first European countries to fall into recession, but it will also affect the other countries.

Time expressions: tomorrow, next week, in several days, the day after tomorrow, soon

8.2. The future continuous (progressive)

Affirmative: I / you / we / they / he / she / it + will + be + V_ing

►I will be signing contracts tomorrow at noon.

Negative: I / you / we / they / he / she / it + will + not + be + V_ing

►I will not (= won’t) be signing contracts tomorrow at noon.

Interrogative: Will + I / you / we / they / he / she / it + be + V_ing?

►Will I be signing contracts tomorrow at noon?

Short answers: ►Yes, I will. No, I will not. (= won’t)

8.2.1. The use of the Future Continuous

• to talk about an event in progress at a certain moment of time or during a particular period of time in the future:

►Tomorrow at noon we will be shopping around.

KEEP IN MIND: ‘state verbs’ are used in the future simple, not the future continuous (◊ see Unit 6.)

►I won’t hear the comments on my financial statements tomorrow at 5, because I will be out of the office at that time.

NOT: I won’t be hearing the comments on my financial statements tomorrow at 5, because I will be being out of the office at that time.

Time expressions: tomorrow at that time, tomorrow from five till six, when I come, at 7 o’clock

8.3. The future perfect

Affirmative: I / you / we / they / he / she / it + will + have + V_III

►You will have signed contracts by then.

Negative: I / you / we / they / he / she / it + will + not + have + V_III

►You will have (won’t) not signed contracts by then.

Interrogative: Will + I / you / we / they / he / she / it + have + V_III?

►Will you have signed contracts by then?

Short answers: ►Yes, I will. No, I will not (= won’t,)

For irregular verb forms, see Appendix.