Future Tense: Definition, Types, Rules, and Examples

Future Tense: Tense defines the time frame in which an action or event occurs. Broadly, English tenses are categorized into past, present, and future. Within English grammar, verb aspect describes how an action, event, or state mentioned by the verb unfolds over time. 

Definition of Future Tense

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the future tense is “the form of a verb that indicates that an action or event will happen or exist at a later time.” 

As defined by the Collins Dictionary, the future tense is “a verb form used when the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance.” 

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the future tense simply as “a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.”

Structure of Future Tense

Structure of Future Tense
Type	General Formula & Rule	Example
Simple Future Tense	Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object	I will write articles on different topics.
Future Perfect Tense	Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + Object	I will have dressed up by the time you reach home.
Future Continuous Tense	Subject + will be/shall be + V1 + ing + Object	I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.
Future Perfect Continuous Tense	Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object	I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.

Tense Chart of Future Tense In Hindi

	Future
Indefinite	Key Hindi Identifiers (Simple Future): गा (ga), गी (gee), गे (ge) Structure: Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object
Continuous	Key Hindi Identifiers (Future Continuous): रहा होगा (raha hoga), रही होगी (rahi hogi)  Structure: Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + Object
Perfect	Key Hindi Identifiers (Future Perfect): चुकेगा (chukega), चुकेगी (chukegi), चुकोगे (chukoge)  Structure: Subject + will be/shall be + V1 + ing + Object
Perfect Continuous	Key Hindi Identifiers (Future Perfect Continuous): रहा होगा + समय (raha hoga + time)  Structure: Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object

Structure of Sentences in Future Tense

Future tense sentences are constructed in three primary forms: Affirmative (Positive), Negative, and Interrogative. Review the structures and examples below to master these forms.

Affirmative/Positive Sentence Structure	Negative Sentence Structure	Interrogative Sentence Structure
Subject + Will + Base form of the verb + rest of the sentence	Subject + Will not/Won’t + Base form of the verb + rest of the sentence	Will + Subject + Base form of the verb + rest of the sentence?
Affirmative Example: Bharati will walk to the academy tomorrow.	Negative Example: Bharati will not/won’t walk to the academy tomorrow.	Interrogative Example: Will Bharati walk to school tomorrow?

Example of Future Tense

Explore common examples of the future tense below:

• Robert will read various kinds of books.(Simple Future Tense)
• You will have dressed up by the time they reach home.(Future Perfect Tense)
• I will be watching the series today.( Future Continuous Tense)
• When I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years.( Future Perfect Continuous Tense)

Types of Future Tense

In English, there are four distinct types of future tense:

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

1. Simple Future Tense: Used to describe an action that will occur at some point in the future. Learn more about the future tense.

Definition	The change in verb form which is used to denote/ defines an action that will happen in the future, then such verb is used as simple future tense.
General Formula For Simple Future Tense	Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object
Simple Future Tense Examples	I will write articles on different topics. Robert will read various kinds of books. They will play football in that field.

2. Future Perfect Tense: Indicates an action that will be completed by a specific time in the future.

Definition	The change in verb for in which is used to indicate an action that will be taking place in the future.
General Formula For Future Perfect Tense	Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + Object
Future Perfect Tense Examples	I will have dressed up by the time you reach home. You will have dressed up by the time they reach home. He will have dressed up by the time you reach home.

3. Future Continuous Tense: Describes actions that will be in progress or ongoing at a particular moment in the future.

Definition	The change in verb from which is used to denote/defines those actions which will be in progress/motion at some point in the future.
General Formula For Future Continuous Tense	Subject + will be/shall be + V1 + ing + Object
Future Continuous Tense Examples	It will be raining from tomorrow. I will be watching the series today. They will be staying at my place.

4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense: Used to describe actions that will continue up until a specific point in the future.

Definition	The verb forms that denotes/defines a verb tense that describes actions that will continue up until a point in the future.
General Formula for Future Perfect Continuous Tense	Subject + will have been + V1 + ing + Object
Future Perfect Continuous Tense Examples	When I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years. Next year I will have been working here for four years. When I come at 6:00, will you have been practicing long?