Questions tagged [future]

In grammar, a future tense is a special verb form (inflection) that marks the event described by the verb as not having happened yet. Germanic languages like English have no future tense inflection, employing alternate mechanisms to indicate future events.

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"going to" vs "will"

I know several questions were asked about the difference between "going to" and "will". Based on several answers (see, for instance, here, here and here), I understood that "will" is more spontaneous ...
Manoel Galdino's user avatar
68 votes
10 answers
35k views

When should I use "shall" versus "will"?

Which is the correct use of these two words, and in which context should one be used rather than the other?
Truemilk's user avatar
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22 votes
2 answers
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Why do we say "It's time we ate" and not "It's time we eat"?

Why do we use the simple past but not the present or future in the following expressions: Don't you think it's time we went a little further Don't you think it's time we ate Don't you think it's time ...
Noah's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
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Differences between ways to express future actions

I asked this question on a different site but I haven't gotten a useful answer. Could you tell me the difference in meaning between these sentences? Do you think you will visit them next week? ...
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53 votes
3 answers
1.1m views

When should I use "Would", "Would have", "Will", and "Will have"?

I hope someone, once and for all, can clarify (with examples) the difference in usage of will vs. would vs. would have vs. will have.
Anderson Silva's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
41k views

"If I go.." vs. "If I will go.." referring to the future [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Future tense in conditional clauses Which one is correct? option 1: If I go there, I can meet her or option 2: If I will go there, I can meet her I clearly remember, ...
Igor Turman's user avatar
19 votes
2 answers
116k views

"The train will leave" vs. "is going to leave" vs. "leaves" vs. "is leaving"

From the grammatical point of view all are correct, just the meaning are different, please bring your clarification, thank you. The Train will leave at 10:00 tomorrow morning. The Train is ...
Danial's user avatar
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26 votes
6 answers
38k views

Future tense in conditional clauses

All the textbooks I have ever come across during the course of my studying English emphasize that future tense should not be used in conditional clauses. For example, If it rains in the evening, we ...
Armen Ծիրունյան's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

Simple Present for Future Actions

Why can we use the following statement when we mean future events? What time do you get there? Or should we rather say: What time will you get there? Is there a difference?
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12 votes
4 answers
10k views

"In" vs. "after" for future talk

The class will be over in 10 minutes. The class will be over after 10 minutes. I know the first is correct but why?
ryan's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
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"It is to be discussed", what is the infinitive doing in this sentence?

It is to be discussed. Is be + infinitive forming the future tense here? You are to be dressed and ready by 8:00. I was thinking it's almost commanding (or speaking of a command) but this doesn'...
user3201643's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
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Present tense for future events

Why does it sound perfectly natural to say Our flight leaves tomorrow at 6pm but weird to say It rains tomorrow at 6pm? What kind of scenario, if any, could make the rain sentence sound natural?
jyc23's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
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Speculative conditional: Why does it use the past tense or past perfect tense?

We use simple past to state a hypothetical present situation that we would like to speculate about (If they were here, I would be happy), past perfect for a hypothetical past (had they been here, I ...
Louis Rhys's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
128k views

"Will graduate" vs. "will be graduated" vs. "is going to graduate"

Which of the following sentences are correct? He will graduate in May. He will be graduated in May. He is going to graduate in May. Issue 1: Is the second one grammatical? Issue 2: There ...
Danial's user avatar
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28 votes
3 answers
5k views

When did periphrastic tenses stop being tenses?

English sometimes has several different ways of expressing the same thing. For example, it can form a possessive either by using an old case inflection: The dog’s tail was always wagging. Or it can ...
tchrist's user avatar
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11 votes
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When do I have to use 'will' instead of 'going to'?

Does going to only express an intention and will some kind of prediction that doesn't necessarily happen? EDIT: Thanks for all your answers. I asked this question because I always fail to complete ...
stacker's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
925 views

When do I use Present Continuous for near future instead of "be going to"?

I am reading this lesson about present continuous. As the writer states USE 3 Near Future Sometimes, speakers use the Present Continuous to indicate that something will or will not happen in the ...
Adelin's user avatar
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21 votes
4 answers
175k views

Is "this Monday" or "next Monday" the correct way to refer to the very next Monday in the future? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: What day is next Tuesday? When I refer to the very next Monday that will occur in the future, I say "next Monday". Some colleagues refer to it as "this Monday", with "next ...
Gar Morley's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Usage of 'future perfect' versus 'future simple'

I have a question about the usage of the future perfect thingy: I know that it is used to talk about a completed action before a time in future, but is it wrong to use just plain future simple in this ...
roy's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
38k views

Future Tense of Modal Verbs

All normal verbs can be conjugated in the future tense. e.g. I know, I will know. I do, I will do. But I have noticed that we cannot conjugate the modal verb can in the future tense. can, I will ...
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3 votes
2 answers
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Usage of "will" and "would"

Which one is correct? What would I do without you. What will I do without you. You would always be my favorite travel buddy. You will always be my favorite travel buddy.
Regina's user avatar
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2 answers
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Why is "Prices to be set..." used in this sentence instead of "Prices will be set..."?

The whole sentence is "Prices to be set when the collection arrives". I guess it's a future tense but in a passive voice tense form, So it's not very clear for me why we didn't use "will be set" ...
Syed Arslan's user avatar
26 votes
4 answers
228k views

"Will be doing" vs. "will do"

What's the difference between: I will be eating cakes tomorrow. I will eat cakes tomorrow. And, when should I use the first form?
Lenik's user avatar
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22 votes
6 answers
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Is there such a thing as a future infinitive in English?

I am currently working on the English idiomatic phrase "Someone is said (to do/to be doing/to have done) something," and, try as I might, I cannot find any worthwhile piece of information ...
user58319's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
147k views

"will be able to" vs. "can"

Consider the following: He will be able to do it. He can do it. They mean the same thing, right? Can "can" replace "will be able to" in any sentence? What is the difference, if anything? Why ...
language hacker's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
24k views

"When I am 18, I will..." or "When I will be 18, I will..." [duplicate]

Should I say: When I am 18, I'll take my driving test or When I'll be 18, I'll take my driving test Which one is the correct sentence?
user38357's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
986 views

Future tense usage: "When you see it ..."

I wonder why the phrase is "When you see it you will shit brix," and not "When you will see it you will shit brix." Is the version with two will incorrect? What grammar rule says that you should not ...
user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
329 views

"He likes it tomorrow" / "We leave for Hawaii tomorrow" - Why is the first sentence bad?

The following sentences sound right to me: The package arrives tomorrow. (The package is going to arrive tomorrow) We leave for Hawaii tomorrow. (We are going to leave for Hawaii tomorrow) But the ...
brienneoftarth's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
109k views

Which is correct: "when you have finished" or "when you will finish"?

From an English test on Facebook: When you have finished to move the furniture, let me know. or When you will finish moving the furniture, let me know. I think the correct one is the former, ...
Uberto's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
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Use of "I am having" on Stack Exchange sites

I use Stack Overflow a lot and have noticed a certain trend that I myself got caught up in at one time of using the phrase "I am having a problem" in place of "I have a problem." I would use this ...
Kyle's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Future perfect for predictions?

I have seen a discussion regarding Harry Potter quotes, such as: Voldemort will not have made it easy to discover his hiding place. Which is said in a situation when Voldemort had hidden the thing ...
John V's user avatar
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33 votes
13 answers
4k views

Why do I instinctively want to use the present tense with a conditional?

My boss is not a native speaker of English, so he often asks me to correct his writing. The problem is, he wants me to explain why I make changes, and doesn't accept "it just sounds better that way" ...
Marthaª's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
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Can the verb "wish + that clause" express open possibility?

We often use "wish + that clause" to express a past/present counterfactual statement or a future unlikely event (i.e. remote possibility): I wish I hadn't quit my job. (But I quit my job.) ...
langtechie's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
4k views

Make "will have been going to go" correct

Is there a situation or question where the phrase will have been going to go is the best, most natural, or clearest response (or included in said response)? I'm asking this probably somewhat silly ...
ErikE's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
6k views

The use of "will" in assumptions

We can use will for both past and future assumptions. But how do we differentiate if it refers to past assurance or future possibility? For example: You will know all about Rachel, of course. ...
Noah's user avatar
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3 votes
5 answers
1k views

Future perfect progressive

When is the future perfect progressive used? I am trying to understand in which cases it should be used, but I cannot find any practice examples of sentences using that tense. I will have been ...
apaderno's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
160 views

"You'll be hoping for a bit more from the new player, I suppose." Why the future continuous?

“You'll be hoping for a bit more from the new player, I suppose.” Why the future continuous? Wouldn't one rather use the future simple instead? If not: why not?
Alexx's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
85k views

Do I say "I am going" or "I will be going"? [duplicate]

Which sounds more correct? I am going to the post office in 2 hours I will be going to the post office in 2 hours Is there any difference between the two sentences?
user78432's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
3k views

How to describe the future in the past

I've always used would as the past tense of will: Present: Tomorrow, I will go to the beach. Past: The following day, I would go to the beach. However, in response to my question on Writers.SE, ...
The English Chicken's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
4k views

I hope you live / I hope you will live

What is a correct way to say it: I hope you live for many years. or I hope you will live for many years? I am really confused by it since I've seen quotes of famous writers that said live but an ...
heuels's user avatar
  • 23
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

About the use of future tense

Which is better: "I am not having lunch tomorrow unless I am really hungry." "I am not having lunch tomorrow unless I will be really hungry." Something else
Stanley's user avatar
  • 361
2 votes
3 answers
4k views

Mixing tenses in past tense fiction

In past tense works (novels, etc.) is there a place for some present tense verbs, such as "think" or "know" or "was." Example: I turned to leave, and he didn't try to stop me. I think I surprised him....
Rose's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes
2 answers
14k views

will be possible to be used

Is it (1) correct, (2) natural/wise to say the following in english: "[X] will be possible to be used here as [Y, ie. some function/role]"? Are there any alternatives, and if there are, are they a ...
n611x007's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
14k views

Is this correct: "Water will be being drunk by Michael"?

I started with "Michael is drinking water", which I could convert to "Water is being drunk by Michael", which I could change to the past tense as "Water was being drunk by Michael". That leads me to ...
semantax's user avatar
  • 346
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Which verbs can be used in simple present tense for scheduled future events? Sources seem to disagree

The site 'English Teacher Melanie' says: The present simple can be used to talk about talk about scheduled future events. These are events that happen according to a schedule or timetable. They are ...
Tom's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
13k views

in case I won't *

A very quick question: Is it correct to say "In case I won't be able to watch that"? If it's acceptable to say that, what type of sentence is it? UPDATE: As a clarification, I want to say "Can ...
r_31415's user avatar
  • 383
1 vote
2 answers
831 views

Scientific article style: present or future

This question often pops up when writing scientific articles. Which of the two is preferred? This issue is described in detail in Section 4. or This issue will be described in detail in Section ...
user1202136's user avatar
  • 1,007
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

What tense should be used here?

Is use of present simple correct in these examples? My daughter goes to school tomorrow [for the first time]. I go to school to talk to my daughter's teacher tomorrow [and this happens ...
Monica's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
3k views

"When X is" or "When X will be"?

I always have a tough time with this. Suppose the following: The software will be installed when the computer is ready. versus The software will be installed when the computer will be ready. ...
MPelletier's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
26k views

Present Continuous or Present Simple in a Meeting

Which one of the following should be used if I am asking about an event or a meeting: Are we meeting today? Do we have a meeting today? Are we going to have a meeting today? Are we going ...
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