Simple Future Forms

Using “Will”

Positive	Negative	Question
I will help. You will help. We will help. They will help. He will help. She will help. It will help.	I will not help. You will not help. We will not help. They will not help. He will not help. She will not help. It will not help.	Will I help? Will you help? Will we help? Will they help? Will he help? Will she help? Will it help?

Using “Be Going to”

Positive	Negative	Question
I am going to leave. You are going to leave. We are going to leave. They are going to leave. He is going to leave. She is going to leave. It is going to leave.	I am not going to leave. You are not going to leave. We are not going to leave. They are not going to leave. He is not going to leave. She is not going to leave. It is not going to leave.	Am I going to leave? Are you going to leave? Are we going to leave? Are they going to leave? Is he going to leave? Is she going to leave? Is it going to leave?

Simple Future

Simple Future has two different forms in English: “will” and “be going to.” Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both “will” and “be going to” refer to a specific time in the future.

 

FORM Will

[will + verb]

FORM Be Going To

[am/is/are + going to + verb]

Complete List of Simple Future Forms

USE 1 “Will” to Express a Voluntary Action

“Will” often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use “will” to respond to someone else’s complaint or request for help. We also use “will” when we request that someone help us or volunteer to do something for us. Similarly, we use “will not” or “won’t” when we refuse to voluntarily do something.

USE 2 “Will” to Express a Promise

“Will” is usually used in promises.

USE 3 “Be going to” to Express a Plan

“Be going to” expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.

USE 4 “Will” or “Be Going to” to Express a Prediction

Both “will” and “be going to” can express the idea of a general prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in the future. In “prediction” sentences, the subject usually has little control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following examples, there is no difference in meaning.

IMPORTANT

In the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind. Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence’s meaning.

No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

More About Active / Passive Forms

Past Perfect Continuous Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I had been listening. You had been listening. We had been listening. They had been listening. He had been listening. She had been listening. It had been listening.	I had not been listening. You had not been listening. We had not been listening. They had not been listening. He had not been listening. She had not been listening. It had not been listening.	Had I been listening? Had you been listening? Had we been listening? Had they been listening? Had he been listening? Had she been listening? Had it been listening?