Future Tenses in English: how to talk about the future

Dreams, plans, goals, predictions, or the all-too-familiar “from next Monday, I will…” — English offers a whole arsenal of ways to talk about the future. From the well-known “will”, “may”, and “might” to discuss possibilities, to going to for intentions, and Future Continuous to emphasize the duration of an action. English allows us to be precise — whether we’re planning, improvising or forecasting. Let’s dive into all the nuances of expressing the future tenses in English together!

Content

1. The difference between Future tenses in English
2. A table of Future tenses in English
3. Alternatives to Future tenses in English for expressing plans and intentions
3.1. Present tenses: Present Simple and Present Continuous
3.2. The construction “to be going to”
4. Future in the past: how to express Future tenses in English in reported speech
5. Practice exercise
6. FAQ

The difference between Future tenses in English

Each way of expressing the future has its own purpose. This is neither a coincidence nor an excess. English offers these tools to help us convey our thoughts more precisely, taking into account the context, emotions, and likelihood of events.

The key aspects that distinguish Future tenses in English are intention, spontaneity, precision, probability, as well as time context and formality. Let’s explore these in more detail.

1. Intention or spontaneity. For example, when you say, “I will call you”, it might indicate a spontaneous decision, whereas “I’m going to call you” implies a premeditated intention. These subtle differences in meaning make English a flexible and effective tool for communication.

2. Precision and probability. These aspects depend on whether we are talking about scheduled events, fixed plans, or simply making assumptions. For instance, “We’re having a meeting at 3 pm tomorrow” refers to a clearly planned event. Meanwhile, in the sentence “I think he will win the race”, we are not entirely certain. It’s a prediction, but the event is not yet confirmed.

3. Time context also plays an important role, helping to place events correctly in time and avoid confusion: “She said she would help us”.

4. Equally important is the level of formality. Let’s compare two examples:

• They’ll bring the documents later.
• By the time you arrive, I’ll have finished my report.

In these two sentences, different tenses are used. The first option is suitable when we simply state a fact without specifying details or intentions. The second sentence emphasizes precision and the completion of an action by a specific time, and it can be used in more formal contexts where deadlines are important.

Understanding these nuances not only helps to use future tenses correctly in English, but also enables a better understanding of the subtext and intentions of the speaker.

A table of Future tenses in English

There are four main Future tenses:

1. Future Simple; 
2. Future Continuous; 
3. Future Perfect; 
4. Future Perfect Continuous. 

Each of them has its own features and is used in different contexts, ranging from simple statements to complex predictions and planned actions. Let’s take a look at all the mentioned Future tenses in English in the table below:

Abbreviations that will help us understand sentence structures and the expression of Future tenses in English:

• V — verb;
• V-ing; 
• V-ed (V3); 
• V-s (-es for he, she, it). 

The general principle for forming questions in the Future tenses is that they are created using the auxiliary verb “will”, which is placed first, followed by the subject, and then the main verb in the appropriate form for each of the Future tenses in English.

Alternatives to Future tenses in English for expressing plans and intentions

In addition to the four main Future tenses, English offers various alternatives that allow for more precise expression of the future depending on the context. Thus, instead of the familiar “will”, you can use “may” or “might” when talking about possibilities in the future. Present Simple and Continuous can also be used when discussing plans, fixed meetings (arrangements), or even schedules. Now, it's time to explore some alternatives to Future tenses in English.

Present tenses: Present Simple and Present Continuous

In English, you can talk about the future even in the Present tense. Surprise, surprise! While this might seem illogical or unusual, in fact, Present Simple and Present Continuous are sometimes used to express expected events.

1. Present Simple is used to express future actions when talking about official schedules and timetables, as these events will happen at a specific time in the future. This is particularly common when referring to transportation, events, or activities.
2. Present Continuous is used to express planned or already organized events, often in the near future. It emphasizes actions that have been arranged or decided upon.

Here’s a table comparing Present Simple and Present Continuous for describing the future:

Important! Don't confuse Present Continuous and Future Continuous when talking about the future. Here's a brief distinction: 

• Present Continuous — focuses on a planned action or event:
  We’re meeting our friends at “Paul” tomorrow evening.

• Future Continuous — focuses on the duration of an action at a specific moment in the future, emphasizing that the action will be ongoing at that particular time:
  They will be flying to Osaka at this time tomorrow evening.

The construction to be going to

The “to be going to” construction is also a popular and key alternative to the four main Future tenses. It is primarily used in two cases: 

1. when we talk about events that are already planned in advance or when we have a clear intention to do something:
   I’m going to start a new study project next month.

2. when we talk about predictions based on obvious facts or evidence:
   Look at those dark clouds! It’s going to rain soon!

To build a sentence with the “to be going to” construction, the formula is:

am / is / are + going to + V 

My sister said she'd make her signature holubtsi for the winter holidays. I'm going to eat them all!

To form a question with the “to be going to” construction, “am / is / are” is placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the rest of the sentence.

• Is he going to call us later?
• When are you going to move to a new apartment?

To sound more natural and conversational, you can use the popular contraction “gonna”, which is an informal, but widely used form of “going to”. The sentence structure with “gonna” is:

am / is / are + gonna + V 

Gonna = going to, so the particle “to” is no longer used after “gonna”.

• He’s gonna play Stalker this evening.
• What are you gonna do this weekend?

Music lovers have undoubtedly encountered “gonna” in song lyrics. This contraction adds a sense of ease, and even rhythm, making songs more accessible and easier to remember.

For example, singer Sia uses the contraction several times in her song “Chandelier”: “I'm gonna swing from the chandelier. I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist. I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night.” 

Or even the lyrics from the song by Meghan Trainor and John Legend: “So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you. I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye.” 

Use “gonna” in casual conversations with friends or in text messages, but avoid it in formal situations (both written and spoken).

Future in the past: how to express Future tenses in English in reported speech

Future in the past... no, this isn't the plot of a time travel movie. The grammatical structure Future in the past is used for: 

• the description of plans or intentions that we had at a past moment (She said she was going to travel to Italy); 
• stories about predictions or expectations that were made in the past (He thought it would rain); 
• reported speech, when the main clause is in the past tense and the future is expressed in the subordinate clause. (They believed we would finish the project on time). 

Let’s remember that indirect speech in English is used to report what someone else said without quoting their exact words. Instead of repeating the exact words, as in direct speech, we convey the meaning in our own interpretation.

Future in the Past sentences can be formed in several ways.

Practice exercise 

Choose the correct answer for each sentence. To see a hint, click on the sentence you're interested in.

FAQ

1. What is the difference between “to be going to” and Future Simple? 

“To be going to” is used for intentions and plans made in advance, as well as for predictions based on facts. Future Simple is used for spontaneous decisions or promises, as well as for general assumptions and forecasts. In addition to the well-known “will”, “may” and “might” can also be used to express probability regarding the future.

• Next year I am going to study abroad on a student exchange program.
• He will help you with your deadlines.

2. When is Present Continuous used to express the future?

Present Continuous is used to express the future when talking about planned or arranged events or agreements, usually with a specific time or place.

We’re meeting at 6 pm at the Khreshchatyk metro station.

3. How many Future tenses are there in the English language?

There are four main Future tenses in English:

• Future Simple;
• Future Continuous;
• Future Perfect;
• Future Perfect Continuous. 

4. How do Future tenses change in English in reported speech? 

In reported speech, Future Simple changes to would. (He said that he would come). 

To express plans about the future in reported speech, “was/were going to” is used. (He said he was going to study). 

5. What is “gonna”? 

“Gonna” is an informal contraction of “going to”. It is used in spoken language to express future plans or intentions. (I’m gonna grab a coffee before work).