Different Future Tenses in English

 I. The future with Will: to convey a non-premeditated situation

A. Use: 

It expresses a spontaneous action (I will go there), a promise or an offer (We will help you), an invitation (Will you come tomorrow?), a prediction (It will rain tonight), a request (Will you help me?)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: will + subject + verb (Will you go to Lille tomorrow?)

- In a positive statement: subject + will + verb (I will go to Lille tomorrow)

- In a negative statement: subject + will not (won't) + verb (I won't go to Lille tomorrow)

II. The future with Be going to: to convey an intention

A. Use: 

It expresses: an action with plan (I'm going to buy a car next month), a prediction from the existing (It's going to be cold tonight)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: am, is, are + subject + going to + verb (Is she going to phone you tonight?)

- In a positive statement: subject + am, is, are + going to + verb (She is going to phone me tonight )

- In a negative statement: subject + am, is, are + not (isn't, aren't) + verb (She isn't going to phone me tonight)

III. The simple present with future meaning: to convey an event planned in advance

A. Use: 

It expresses: scheduled events (I work at 9am on Friday), timetable events (The train leaves at 7am on Saturday)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: do, does + subject + verb (Does your plane take off at 10am on Sunday?)

- In a positive statement: subject + verb + s or es in the third person singular (My plane takes off at 10am on Sunday)

- In a negative statement: subject + do, does + not (don't, doesn't) + verb (My plane doesn't take off at 10am but at 9am)

IV. The present continuous with future meaning: to convey  an arrangement

A. Use: 

It expresses: Things that people have arranged to do in the future (I'm taking a holiday this year)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: am, is are + subject + ing verb (Are you taking a holiday this year?)

- In a positive statement: subject + am, is are + ing verb (I'm taking a holiday this year)

- In a negative statement: subject + am, is, are + not + ing verb (I'm not taking a holiday this year)

V. The future continuous with Will + subject + be + ing verb: to convey an ongoing action in the future

A. Use: 

It expresses: an action in progress in the future (I'll be seeing you at the meeting shortly), describe a future situation (I'll be flying to London tomorrow)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: will + subject + be +  ing verb (Will you be working late tonight?)

- In a positive statement: subject + will + be + ing verb (I will be working late tonight)

- In a negative statement: subject + will + not + be + ing verb (I'll not be working late tonight)

VI. The future perfect with Will + have + ed form: to convey a completed action in the future

A. Use: 

It expresses: an action that will be completed at a time in the future (I will have finished my work by 7pm), an action that will continue up until another action in the future (By next month, I will have been married for 1 year) 

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: will + subject + have +  past participle verb (Will she have travelled to New-York by 2028?)

- In a positive statement: subject + will + have + past participle verb (She will have travelled to New-York by 2028)

- In a negative statement: subject + will + have + not (haven't) + past participle verb (She won't (= will not) have travelled to New-York by 2028)

VII. Be about to: to convey an imminent event

A. Use: 

It expresses: Things that will happen in the very near future (I'm about to buy a new car)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: am, is are + subject + about to + verb (Are you about to have lunch in the company cafeteria?)

- In a positive statement: subject + am, is are + about to + verb (I'm about to have lunch in the company cafeteria)

- In a negative statement: subject + am, is, are + not (isn't, aren't) about to + verb (I'm not about to have lunch in the company cafeteria)

VIII. Be to: to convey an official event

A. Use: 

It expresses: official arrangements (President Emmanuel MACRON is to visit Germany later this month), mostly in formal written English (They are to inaugurate a factory in great pageant)

B. Grammatical forms:

- In a question: am, is are + subject + about to + verb (Is she to celebrate the event indoor?)

- In a positive statement: subject + am, is are + to + verb (She is to celebrate the event indoor)

- In a negative statement: subject + am, is, are + not + to + verb (She is not to celebrate the event indoor but outdoor)