§ 1. The Formation of the Future Indefinite

1. We form the Future Indefinite by means of the auxiliary verb WILL and the Infinitive without the particle TO (the Bare Infinitive) of the main verb.

W ILL + TO-INFINITIVE

NOTE. Some speakers (especially in the South of England) use SHALL for Future tenses in the 1^st person singular and plural.

E.g. I will write the letter tomorrow.

She will read the book next week.

In informal English we can also use short affirmative forms.

Full affirmative forms	Short affirmative forms
I (he, she, it, we, you, they) will work.	I (he, she, it, we, you, they)’ll work.

2. In negative sentences we place the negative particle NOT after the auxiliary verb WILL. In informal English we use short negative forms.

E.g. I will not/won’t write the letter tomorrow.

She will not/won’t read the book next week.

Full negative forms	Short negative forms
I (he, she, it, we, you, they) will not work.	I (he, she, it, we, you, they) won’t work.

3. In interrogative sentences (questions) we place the auxiliary verb WILL before the subject.

E.g. Will I write the letter tomorrow?

Will she read the book next week?

4. In negative-interrogative sentences (negative questions) we place the auxiliary verb WILL before the subject and the negative particle NOT after the subject.

E.g. Will I not/Won’t I write the letter tomorrow?

Will she not/Won’t she read the book next week?

Full negative-interrogative forms	Short negative-interrogative forms
Will I (he, she, it, we, you, they) not work?	Won’t I (he, she, it, we, you, they) work?

§ 2. The Use of the Future Indefinite

We use the Future Indefinite to denote:

1. A future action or an official arrangement

• with the adverbials tomorrow, next day (Monday, week, month, May, summer, year), at 5 o’clock tomorrow, the whole day tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, etc.

E.g. John will meet us at 7 here tomorrow.

They’ll take English lessons twice a week next year.

I’ll always come back.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m.

2. A prediction based on our opinion or past experience

E.g. Don’t you know? Our team’s playing. The stadium will be full on Sunday.

3. an on-the-spot (immediate) decision

E.g. ‘How about a party tonight?’ ‘OK, I’ll come.’

4. A polite inquiry

E.g. When will you make a decision?

THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

(THE FUTURE PROGRESSIVE)

§ 1. The Formation of the Future Continuous

1. We form the Future Continuous by means of the auxiliary verb TO BE in the Future Indefinite (will be) and Participle I of the main verb.

WILL BE + PARTICIPLE I (Ving)

E.g. I will be writing the letter at that moment.

She will still be reading the book at this time tomorrow.

In informal English we can also use short affirmative forms.

Full affirmative forms	Short affirmative forms
I (he, she, it, we, you, they) will be working.	I (he, she, it, we, you, they)’ll be working.

2. In negative sentences we place the negative particle NOT after the first part (will) of the auxiliary verb TO BE. In informal English we use short negative forms.

E.g. I will not/won’t be writing the letter at that moment.

She will not/won’t be reading the book at this time tomorrow.

Full negative forms	Short negative forms
I (he, she, it, we, you, they) will not be working.	I (he, she, it, we, you, they) won’t be working.

3. In interrogative sentences (questions) we place the first part (will) of the auxiliary verb TO BE before the subject.

E.g. Will I be writing the letter at that moment?

Will she still be reading the book at this time tomorrow?

4. In negative-interrogative sentences (negative questions) we place the first part (will) of the auxiliary verb TO BE before the subject and the negative particle NOT after the subject. In informal English we place short negative forms before the subject.

E.g. Will I not/Won’t I be writing the letter at that moment?

Will she not/Won’t she still be reading the book at this time tomorrow?

Full negative-interrogative forms	Short negative-interrogative forms
Will I (he, she, it, we, you, they) not be working?	Won’t I (he, she, it, we, you, they) be working?