4.1 Future simple
Form: future simple
will + verb
The future simple is formed with the modal will + simple infinitive without to in all persons.
Affirmative
| Subject | Auxiliary | Verb (simple infinitive) |
|---|---|---|
| I You He/She/It We You They |
will | help. |
The following contracted forms are often used in spoken and in informal written language:
I will » I'll
you will » you'll
he/she/it will » he'll/she'll/it'll
we will » we'll
you will » you'll
they will » they'll
Negative
| Subject | Auxiliary | not | Verb (simple infinitive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I You He/She/It We You They |
will | not | help. |
The contracted form won't is often used instead of will not in spoken and in informal written language.
Interrogative
| (Question word) | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb (simple infinitive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (When) | will | I you he/she/it we you they |
help? |
In British English, shall is often used instead of will in the first person in affirmative sentences with no change of meaning. Shall is more formal than will:
Well, we shall see tomorrow.
In first person interrogatives, shall expresses offers:
Shall I open the window?
Future simple for intentions (offers, promises and decisions)
The future simple tense is used to express future intentions that are decided at the time of speaking (spontaneous offers, promises and decisions):
Come on, I'll help you with those bags. (offer)
I will always love you. (promise)
I'll have a wiener schnitzel. (decision)
In the first person, shall can be used instead of will to announce intentions. Shall is more formal than will:
I shall definitely give up smoking this year.
Future simple for predictions
The future simple is used to make predictions that are based on personal judgement, opinion or intuition, and not on present evidence. Whether or not the event will happen is not certain. Such predictions are often introduced by I think / I don't think:
I don't think he'll come tonight.
I predict that Congress will pass an anti-piracy law soon.
If you ask him, he'll probably give you a lift.
In the first person, shall can be used instead of will in formal styles:
Whatever happens, we shall always be best friends.
The future simple is also used to make general predictions about facts that are always true or events that always happen:
Salty water will freeze at a lower temperature than pure water.
A gentleman will hold the door for a lady.
Future simple in complex sentences
The future simple tense is often used in the main clause of complex sentences that refer to future time and contain clauses of condition, time or purpose. In the subordinate clause (starting with if, when, as soon as, after, before, the moment etc.), we usually use a present tense:
If you have completed the course, you will receive a certificate. (condition)
As soon as I hear anything, I will let you know. (time)
I'm taking a book with me so that I'll have something to read on the train. (purpose)