Form

Affirmative Negative

I will (I’ll) I will not (I won’t)

You will (You’ll) You will not (You won’t)

He will (He’ll) He will not (He won’t)

She will (She’ll) She will not (She won’t)

It will (It’ll) It will not (It won’t)

We will (We’ll) We will not (We won’t)

You will (You’ll) You will not (You won’t)

They will (They’ll) They will not (They won’t)

Will is used with all persons, and shall can be used as an alternative with I and We in pure future reference. Shall is avoided with you and I:

You and I will work in the same building.

Shall is more usual in British English rather than in American English, and its negation is shall nor or shan’t.

The uses of the Simple Future Tense

a) We can use will:

1. to predict events, to say what we thing will happen or to invite prediction:

They will win the game on Saturday.

It will rain tomorrow.

2. If we want to express what we believe or guess to be true

You will be Dr. Smith, I assume.

That will be the postman at the door now.

This will be your bag, Jane.

3. to express characteristic behaviour:

She will never go to bed without eating an apple.

John will never clean his own shoes.

He will always ask silly questions.

4. In formal style for scheduled events:

The wedding will take place at St. Andrew on June 27^th. The reception will be at the Anchor Hotel.

5. To express hopes, expectations etc:

I hope she will get the job she applied for.

b) Future Simple Tense can also be expressed through the Present Simple Tense or the Present Continuous Tense

They are leaving tomorrow at 10 a.m.

The train arrives at 5.45 p.m.

Compare:

They leave tomorrow at 10 a.m. - - in this case they didn’t decide on their own to leave, some other circumstances made them to, for example a hotel room must be emptied till 10 a.m. so they have to leave the hotel, or the train leaves at 10 a.m. so they have to catch it or something like that.

They are leaving tomorrow at 10 a.m. – in this case subject (they) made some previous plans to do the action (to leave), it is arranged action.

The present simple tense (not present continuous!) is used to express the future with following verbs: begin, end, depart, arrive, come, go, stop, leave, open, close.

c) Expressing future with or without intention. In this case we use will + infinitive or be going to.

Will, in terms of intention, expresses only sudden decision or intention at the moment of decision:

Somebody is ringing. I’ll answer the door.

Sir, do you want tea of coffee? –I’ll have tea, please.

I will take taxi. –Don’t bother. I will drive you.

But in the last example, if the action of driving is mention again, the speaker will use present continuous (because it is something arranged) or be going to:

He is driving me/ going to drive me tonight.

Compare:

I’m going to sell my car. (he didn’t find the buyer yet, but he already decided and maybe made an announcement)

I’m selling the car. (this is something arranged- he has already found the buyer and made a deal with him about the selling of the car)

d) Expressing the future by means of the be going to form

The be going to form is used to express the subject’s intention to perform a certain future action. This action is always planned and we can see some preparations for it.

It’s going to rain. (we already see dark clouds in the sky)

I am going to meet Mary at the station at six . (probably Mary doesn’t know)

BUT

(this is already arranged and Mary knows)