Are you confused about when to use each of the different future tenses? If so, don't worry - you're not alone. Many English learners struggle with this aspect of the language. But never fear; help is here! We will discuss how to use these tenses effectively in your writing. We'll provide examples for each one so you can see how they work in practice. Let's get started!
Types of Future Tenses
The future tenses are used to talk about actions that will happen later.
There are four main future tenses: the future simple, the future perfect, the future continuous, and the future perfect progressive.
1. The Future Simple
The future simple is used to talk about an action that will happen at a specific time. For example:
• I'll meet you at six o'clock.
• They're going to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
• We'll have a party next Saturday.
2. The Future Perfect
The future perfect is used to discuss an action that will be completed before another specified time. For example:
• By six o'clock tonight, I'll have finished my homework.
• By this time next week, they'll have finished painting the house.
• We'll have been waiting for two hours by the time she arrives.
3. The Future continuous
The future continuous is used to talk about an action that will happen at a specific time. For example:
• I'll be meeting you at six o'clock.
• They're going to be arriving tomorrow afternoon.
• We'll be having a party next Saturday.
4. The Future Perfect Progressive
The future perfect progressive is used to talk about an action that will be ongoing or continuing up until a specified time in the future. For example:
• By six o'clock tonight, I'll have been studying for four hours.
• They'll have been working on the project for two weeks by next week.
• We'll have been waiting for her for half an hour by the time she finally arrives.
Let's Take a Quiz
Now that you know a little bit more about the future tenses, why not test your knowledge by taking our quiz? See how well you do, and then check your answers to see what you need to work on. Good luck!
The quiz has five questions testing your knowledge of when to use each of the four main future tenses. Choose the correct tense for each sentence.
Question One
By six o'clock tonight, I______ have finished my homework.
a) will b) would c) shall d) should
Question Two
They______ going to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
a) is b) are c) will be d) would be
Question Three
We______ having a party next Saturday.
a) shall b) should c) will d) would
Question Four
By this time next week, they______ finished painting the house.
a) will have b) shall have c) would have d) should have
Question Five
We______ waiting for two hours by the time she arrives.
a) will be b) shall be c) would be d) should be
Answers:
Question One - c), Question Two - b), Question Three - c), Question Four - a), Question Five - a).
So, how did you do? If you got all the answers correct, congratulations - you clearly understand when to use each of the four main future tenses. If you didn't do well, don't worry - review the examples and explanations above and try again. With a bit of practice, you'll be using the future tenses like a pro in no time!
