English Future Tense Overview

Overview

This lecture explains why English technically lacks a future tense and details the main ways to talk about the future using various structures.

English has only two true tenses: present and past.
What we call "future tenses" are not verb inflections but use auxiliary verbs and aspects.
Thinking of future forms as tenses helps with learning and communication.

"Will" is a modal verb used to discuss the future.
Future Simple: will + base verb; used for predictions, decisions made at the moment, offers, and promises.
Future Continuous: will + be + verb-ing; describes actions in progress at a future time.
Future Perfect Simple: will + have + past participle; describes actions completed by a certain future time.
Future Perfect Continuous: will + have been + verb-ing; emphasizes duration of actions up to a future point.

Be Going To: be going to + base verb; used for predictions based on present evidence and plans/intentions.
Present Continuous: am/is/are + verb-ing; used for firm plans and arrangements in the future.
Present Simple: used for scheduled or timed future events (e.g., "The train leaves at 8").

Use present continuous for definite arrangements with set details.
Use "going to" for general plans or intentions.
Do not use present continuous for predictions outside your control or permanent future situations.
Use present simple for schedules or timetables.

Tense — a form of a verb to show time (past, present) by changing the verb itself.
Aspect — shows if an action is ongoing, completed, etc. (e.g., continuous, perfect).
Inflection — changing a verb's form to show tense or agreement.
Modal verb — auxiliary verb expressing ability, possibility, necessity, etc. ("will" is one).