Time verb. Future tense in English

English tenses are considered the most difficult topic, because in Russian we have only 3 tenses, and in English there are 12.

When studying them, everyone has many questions.

• What time should I use?
• Would it be considered a mistake to use one tense instead of another?
• Why is it necessary to use this time and not another?

This confusion occurs because we learn the rules of grammar but do not fully understand them.

However, English tenses are not as complicated as they seem.

Their use depends on what idea you want to convey to your interlocutor. To do this correctly, you need to understand the logic and usage of English tenses.

I warn you right away that in this article I will not explain to you the grammatical formation of sentences. In it I will give precisely an understanding of the times.

In the article we will look at the cases of using 12 tenses and compare them with each other, as a result of which you will understand how they differ and when to use which tense.

Let's start.

What tenses are there in English?

IN English language, just like in Russian, there are 3 blocks of tenses familiar to us.

1. Present (present) - denotes an action that occurs in the present tense.

2. Past - denotes an action that occurs in the past tense (once upon a time).

3. Future - denotes an action that will occur in the future tense.

However, the English times do not end there. Each of these groups of times is divided into:

1. Simple- simple.

2. Continuous- long-term.

3. Perfect- completed.

4. Perfect Continuous- long-term completed.

The result is 12 times.

It is the use of these 4 groups that baffles English language learners. After all, in the Russian language there is no such division.

How do you know what time to use?

To use English tenses correctly, you need 3 things.

• Understand the logic of English tenses
  That is, to know what time is intended for what and when it is used.
• Be able to construct sentences according to the rules
  That is, not only to know, but to be able to speak these sentences.
• Understand exactly what idea you want to convey to your interlocutor
  That is, be able to choose the right time depending on the meaning you put into your words.

To understand English tenses, let's look at each group in detail.

Once again, I will not explain the grammatical formation of sentences. And I’ll explain to you the logic by which we determine which group’s time should be used.

We'll start with the easiest group - Simple.

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Simple group tenses in English

Simple is translated as “simple”.

We use this tense when we talk about facts that:

• happen in the present tense
• happened in the past
• will happen in the future.

For example

I drive a car.
I drive a car.

We say that a person knows how to drive a car and this is a fact.

Let's look at another example.

She bought a dress.
She bought a dress.

We are talking about the fact that sometime in the past (yesterday, last week or last year) she bought herself a dress.

Remember: when you talk about some action as a fact, then use the Simple group.

You can study all the times of this group in detail here:

Now let's compare Simple with another group of tenses - Continuous.

Continuous tenses in English

Continuous is translated as “long, continuous.”

When we use this tense, we talk about action as a process that:

• happening at the moment
• happened in the past at a certain moment,
• will happen in the future at a certain moment.

For example

I am driving a car.
I'm driving.

Unlike the Simple group, here we do not mean a fact, but talk about a process.

Let's see the difference between fact and process.

Fact:“I can drive a car, I have a license.”

Process:“I got behind the wheel some time ago and now I’m driving the car, that is, I’m in the process of driving.”

Let's look at another example.

I will be flying to Moscow tomorrow.
Tomorrow I will fly to Moscow.

We are talking about the fact that tomorrow you will board a plane and for some time you will be in the process of flying.

That is, for example, you need to get in touch with a client. You tell him that you will not be able to talk to him at this time, since you will be in the middle of a flight.

Remember: when you want to emphasize the duration of an action, that is, that the action is a process, use the Continuous tenses.

You can read in detail about each time of this group here:

Now let's move on to the Perfect group.

Perfect tenses in English

Perfect is translated as “completed/perfect.”

We use this tense when we focus on the result of an action, which:

• we have received by now,
• we got to a certain point in the past,
• we will receive by a certain point in the future.

Note that even in the present tense this tense is translated into Russian as the past. However, despite this, you say that the result of this action is important in the present moment.

For example

I have fixed my car.
I fixed the car.

We focus on the result that we currently have - a working machine. For example, you say that you fixed your car, now it works, and you can go to your friends’ country house.

Let's compare this group with others.

Let's talk about a fact (Simple):

I cooked dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

For example, you tell your friend about the fact that you prepared a delicious dinner yesterday.

I was cooking dinner.
I was cooking dinner.

You say you were in the process of cooking. For example, they didn’t answer the phone because they were cooking (we were in the process) and didn’t hear the call.

Let's talk about the result (Perfect):

I have cooked dinner.
I cooked dinner.

Are you in this moment you have the result of this action - a ready-made dinner. For example, you call the whole family for lunch because dinner is ready.

Remember: when you want to focus on the result of an action, use the Perfect group.

Read more about all the times of the Perfect group in these articles:

Now let's move on to the last group, Perfect Continuous.

Perfect Continuous tenses in English

Perfect Continuous is translated as “complete continuous.” As you noticed from the name, this group of tenses includes characteristics of 2 groups at once.

We use it when we talk about a long-term action (process) and obtaining a result.

That is, we emphasize that the action began some time ago, lasted (was in process) certain time and at the moment:

1. We received the result of this action

For example: “He repaired the car for 2 hours” (the action lasted 2 hours, and at the moment he has a result - a working car).

2. The action is still going on

For example: “He has been fixing the car for 2 hours” (he started fixing the car 2 hours ago, was in the process and is still fixing it now).

We can say that the action began some time ago, lasted and:

• ended/continues in the present,
• ended/continued until a certain point in the past,
• will end/will continue until a certain point in the future.

For example

I have been cooking this dinner for 2 hours.
I cooked dinner for 2 hours.

That is, you started cooking 2 hours ago and by now you have the result of your action - a ready-made dinner.

Let's compare this time with others similar to it.

Let's talk about the process (Continuous):

I am painting a picture.
I am drawing a picture.

We say that we are currently in the process of drawing. It doesn’t matter to us how much time it has already taken, it is important to us that you are currently involved in this process.

We talk about the result (Perfect)

I have painted a picture.
I painted a picture.

We say that at the moment we have a result - a completed picture.

We talk about the result and the process (Perfect Continuous)

1. I have been painting a picture for an hour.
I painted the picture for an hour.

We say that at the moment we have a result - a completed picture. You also point out that you were in the drawing process for one hour to get this result.

2. I have been painting a picture for an hour.
I paint a picture for one hour.

We say that we are now in the process of drawing, while we focus on the fact that we have been busy with this process for an hour. Unlike Continuous times, where we care only about what is happening at a certain (given) moment, and not how long we have been doing this.

Remember: if you want to emphasize not only the result obtained, but also its duration (how long it took you to get it), then use the Perfect Continuous.

General table comparing tenses of the groups Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous

Let's look again at what each group of tenses is responsible for. Look at the table.

Time	Example	Accent
Simple	I did my homework. I was doing my homework.	We're talking about facts. For example, you once studied at university and did your homework. It is a fact.
Continuous	I was doing my homework. I was doing my homework.	We talk about the process, emphasizing the duration of the action. For example, you didn’t clean your room because you were busy doing your homework.
Perfect	I have done my homework. I've done my homework.	We talk about the result. For example, you came to class with your homework ready. The teacher doesn't care how long it took you. He is interested in the result - whether the work is done or not.
Perfect Continuous	I have been doing my homework for 2 hours. I did my homework for 2 hours.	We emphasize not only the result, but also the duration of the action before receiving it. For example, you complain to a friend that Homework too complicated. You spent 2 hours on it and: did it (got the result), still doing at the moment.

Bottom line

Use English tenses depending on the meaning you want to convey to your interlocutor. The most important thing is to understand what the emphasis is on in each tense.

1. We talk about action as a fact - Simple.

2. We talk about action as a process - Continuous.

3. We talk about action, focusing on the result - Perfect.

4. We talk about the action, emphasizing that it took a certain time before obtaining the result - Perfect Continuous.

I hope that now you understand the logic of English times, and you will be able to convey the correct meaning to your interlocutor.

In English they use various shapes verb to express the future tense.

The choice of one form or another depends on the meaning the speaker puts into the sentence:

whether he wants to predict something, express his intention to take some action, or talk about pre-planned plans for the future.

Predictions or forecasts for the future

1. To express a prediction or forecast for the future, especially if such a prediction is based on the experience of similar events that occurred in the past, the auxiliary verb will/won’t + main verb (semantic verb) is used:

I think he will like the idea. I think he'll like this idea.

The laptop battery will give you about an hour’s continuous use.

The battery of this laptop will provide a charge for continuous operation for one hour.

I don’t think that humans will ever be able to live on the Moon.
I don't think humans will ever be able to live on the moon.

1. To predict events in the future, the results of which can be observed in the present, the construction be going to is used:

Look out! The ladder is going to fall! Carefully! The ladder is about to fall!

In this meaning, the future tense has a direct connection with the present, therefore predictions and forecasts are given for the near future.

Allowed to use Future simple with will/won't. In this case, you need to add the adverbs probably, definitely:

Look at the sky! It will definitely rain later. Look at the sky! It will probably rain.

1. To express an action that will occur at a certain moment in the future, use Future continuous(will/won’t + be + verb –ing):

This time next Friday I’ll be flying to New York.
Next Friday at this time I will be flying to New York.

1. To express an action that will be completed by a certain time in the future, but not later than this time, use the Future perfect (will/won’t + have + Past participle):

The government expects another six thousand people will have found work by the end of the summer.
The government expects another 6,000 people to find work by the end of the summer.

1. To express an action that will occur in the future at a certain time, the Future perfect continuous (will/won’t + have + been + verb-ing) is used. IN in this case the speaker concentrates Special attention on duration of action:

I’ll have been working at the bank for twenty years in may next year.
By May next year, my work experience in this bank will be twenty years.

Decisions and intentions

1. To express a spontaneous decision, that is, when the speaker decides to do something at the moment of speech, the Future simple (will/won’t + main verb) is used:

You look tired today. I'll cook dinner then.
You look tired. I'll cook dinner.

What are you saying! I'll never agree with that!
What are you saying! I will never agree with this!

1. When a decision is made to do something, the construction be going to is used:

I’m going to study art next year.
I'm going to study art next year.

Future plans

1. To express an action that has already been planned or scheduled to be performed in the future, and the speaker is confident of its completion, the Present continuous (am/are/is + verb-ing) is used. In this case, expressions denoting time are often used: for example, next weekend, this afternoon, on Monday, on Saturday evening and others:

She is taking exam on Monday. She takes the exam on Monday.

Our daughter is appearing in the school performance next week.
Our daughter will be performing at a school concert next week.

What time are you arriving on Friday? What time do you arrive on Friday?

To perform an action expressed using the Present continuous, as a rule, people other than the speaker are involved. For example, if we are talking about an appointment with a doctor with an appointment in advance, or a train trip with purchasing tickets in advance, and so on:

We are seeing a musical at the theater on Sunday.
We are going to a musical at the theater on Sunday. (We bought tickets in advance at the box office).

I’m visiting a car care center tomorrow.
I'm going to the auto repair shop tomorrow. (I pre-registered).

It must be taken into account that the Present continuous is not used when speaking

ABOUT natural phenomena or other actions or situations that are beyond a person's control. In such cases, the Future simple or the be construction is used

It will snow tomorrow/ It is going to snow tomorrow. It will snow tomorrow.

1. To express actions in the future that are planned in advance or are part of a regular routine, the Future continuous (will + be + verb-ing) is used:

Come next Monday. The band will be recording its new album.
Come back next Monday. The group will be recording their new album.

Schedule

To express actions or events that occur according to a specific schedule (transport schedule, lesson schedule, and so on), a verb in the Present simple is used:

Our plane leave sat 6.30 in the morning. Our plane takes off at 6.30 am.

Using going to or will in the future tense
To denote future actions or facts about which we are certain, we use the auxiliary verb "will". Also, this auxiliary verb is used if we make a decision at the moment of speech, i.e. the speaker did not have time to think about this decision properly.

Future tense with “going to”
Future tense with “going to”. In English there are as many as 4 ways of expressing the future tense. Among the four existing forms in spoken English, the most common form is distinguished: “going to”, instead of “will”.

Construction will be doing
The construction “will be doing” or Future continuous denotes an action that will occur at a certain point in the future and will continue for some period. This construction is formed using the auxiliary verb will +be and a verb ending in –ing.

1. We study the properties of verbs from school textbooks (there are already 6 of them) and understand the difference between grammatical and logical tenses

2. Pay attention to the method of action (completed/incomplete)

3. We divide tenses according to the type present / future / past (time) * simple / perfect / continuous / perf. continuous(time type)

4. We look for point 2 here and compare it with Russian (where verbs are divided into two types, guess which ones)

It is necessary.

1. Simple - indicates a certain fact, real time for him it has a global character, therefore what is said to him is true only for the type of logical time. For this type of times, the action simply exists having being (its beginning and end are not known (especially if present))

1) Present * - a habitual action for something, at the time of speech it may or may not be performed (which is absolutely not implied and does not affect anything), for example - I usually wake up at 7 am . Also, scientific truths go with him

2) Past * - (1) like Present, but in the past; (2) an action performed once with an INDICATION OF TIME (the time itself cannot be a definite interval (from 4 to 10 - an interval, “yesterday” is an undetermined interval) IN THE PAST)

3) Future * - a single action in the future indicating an indefinite time in the future (“yesterday”, “later”) or some truth expressed in the future (less often)

Perfect - the specified action has already been completed (completely) before the moment of speech and is associated with the current moment of speech. In a negative form - the action has not been started but for the current situation it needs to be completed. For this time type, the action has already completed.

1) Present * - The action is completed (or not started) at the time of speech, and is logically connected with it.

2) Past * - The action was completed before the central event in the past in question (or has not yet begun before it)

3) Future * - the action will be completed until some moment (which is indicated)

The most difficult of them is the present perfect, because in others the event before which the action is completed is usually indicated.

I have (already) finished polishing the floor (you washed the floor before -> the current moment)

I had already finished polishing the floor before the bell rang (you washed the floor before -> when the bell rang)

I will have finished polishing the floor by the moment he comes (you will wash the floor before -> before he comes)

If there is a sequence of events, it is used past simple, but if you don’t name them in direct order, then you can also use the past perfect with those that were completed before it (I shaved my face, but before that I had washed it = I washed my face and shaved it)

Continuous - an action is performed in a certain(!) period of time and in Russian it is used with verbs of unfinished action. At all times this is the only feature of use. When used in the current tense it means that the action is happening now

I was studying the English tenses from 5 am till 10 pm.

Perfect continuous - for any of the three times, the only thing that is true is that the action was started before the moment described and is still being performed without being completed. (I"ve been doing it for years). If in the case of continuous the action is “born and dies,” here it is “born and lives.” There is an exception - if the result of something unknown is visible, then not perfect is used, but perfect continuous - Your eyes are reading, you"ve been crying!

Each type of tense can be put on a modular scale, where 0 is the central moment of speech (for the present - the moment of speaking, for all others - mentally transfer yourself there and substitute the moment as in the present d:)

For each of these tenses there are words with which they are usually used (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, they are in any textbook)

If it’s not clear what tense to use, try substituting some of these words and see if it makes sense.

When speaking, focus on these words, and if they are not there, on the properties of tenses described above.

Those who have studied or are studying English know how scary many English verb tenses can seem.
There are a total of 12 tense forms in English. But in Russian, at first glance, there are only 3, and how to connect them with English may be completely unclear to a beginner.

But in fact, in Russian there are not 3 of them. Look:

• did
• did
• I do
• I'll do it
• I will do

or even like this:

• walked
• went
• I'll go
• will go
• I will go

(I can imagine a foreigner trying to figure out how these forms differ.)

It’s just that in Russian these options are scattered across several classifications, but in English they are combined into one.

But what if I told you that there are actually only three tenses in the English language, and all the other so-called “tenses” are made up? So, here I am saying it :)

These are the three forms:

1. The Present Indefinite (Simple)- simple present tense:<глагол в 1-й форме>[+es];
2. The Past Indefinite (Simple)- simple past tense: verb in 2nd form (<глагол в 1-й форме>+ed, y irregular verbs your own option);
3. The Future Indefinite (Simple)- simple future tense: will +<глагол в 1-й форме>.

That's all :) Don't believe me? I'll try to convince you. Now we will build all other temporary forms based solely on these.

You just need to keep the following in mind:

1. At the verb to be these 3 temporary forms look like this:
   • is/am/are- present tense;
   • was/were- past tense;
   • will be- future tense.
2. At the verb to have So:
   • have/has- present tense;
   • had- past tense;
   • will have- future tense (nothing unusual here);
   And let's agree that this verb means have, and is not of some auxiliary nature.
3. Ing form of the verb (<глагол в 1-й форме>+ing) is not a verb, but an active modifier.
   • writing author- contributing author;
   • reading man- a reading person.
   or
   • He is speaking.- He is the speaker (performing speaking).
   • They are running.- They are running.
   This is a characteristic of the state. The subject is characterized as performing some action himself, or more precisely, being in a state of “doing” this action.
4. 3rd form of the verb (the one that is formed as<глагол в 1-й форме>+ed, and there is a variant for irregular verbs) - this is also not a verb. This is a passive definition.
   • written letter- written letter;
   • read book- book read (verb read All writing forms are the same)
   or
   • It is broken.- It's broken.
   • She is dressed.- She is dressed (She was dressed).
   The subject is characterized by the action performed on it.

So, let's go.

1. The Present Indefinite Tense

   He loves her.

   This is the same ordinary form of the present tense that was mentioned above.
   There's nothing more to say.

2. The Present Continuous Tense

   The man is reading.

   And so, as promised, there will be no times other than past, present and future.
   And there was already one real one. We don't need anything else.
   is is a verb form to be in present time,
   reading- active definition.

   Those. it’s still the same “Present Indefinite”, may the English teachers forgive me :) But in essence it is so. When is Present Indefinite used? One of the uses is a statement of fact, such as “I have a car.” Here we have just a statement of fact:

   The man IS reading.
   The person IS the reader.

   And we are not necessarily talking about the current moment. " I"m loving you", as the lead singer of Scorpions sings, does not necessarily mean that he loves her right now :). This expression describes the state in which a person in love is in the current period of life, so to speak.

3. The Past Indefinite Tense

   I bought a car.

   The most common past tense. Something once happened, and we name the action that happened, we state the fact.

4. The Present Perfect Tense

   I have bought a car.

   What we see here:
   - bought– this is the 3rd form of the verb to buy, which, as we know, is a passive definition, i.e. we're talking about purchased car.
   - have- This have and nothing more; Let's not call it an auxiliary verb.
   We get: I have purchased a car.

   Not for nothing, for the British this is the present tense ( Present Perfect), although it should be translated into Russian in the past ( I bought a car). Verb have Here we have it in the simple present tense. This is again Present Indefinite.
   It's simple: since I bought a car, that means I now have it (purchased).

   Another example: I have lost my ticket.
   I have a lost ticket.

   The literal translation is of course ugly, but it reveals the logic of the formation of the phrase. I lost the ticket, which means it is lost at the moment.
   How can you have a lost ticket? Just like having a lack of money in the phrase: I have no money.

5. The Past Perfect Tense

   Let's immediately try the same logic in more complex form. In a form in which, at the beginning of my journey of learning English, I could not figure out when to use it.

   I had bought a car.

   Already the third I bought a car. But we have a verb to have in the usual past form (Past Indefinite), which tells us that I once had a car, and now I may not have it ( I bought a car). It is important to understand this “once upon a time”. We transfer our “now” to the past, and as if we say that at that time we had a purchased car.
   Let's say you're telling someone about an episode in your life that happened last summer, and you want to say that you had a car at that time (you bought it before). Difference I had bought a car(1) from I bought a car(2) is that when we say (2), we emphasize the fact of buying a car (a certain action occurred), when (1) - the fact of its presence in the past.

   I had lost my ticket. - I had a lost ticket.
   For example, now I could already find it, but at that moment about which I am talking, the ticket was lost.

6. The Past Continuous Tense

   I was doing my homework at 3 pm yesterday.

   The form is no different from the Present Continuous Tense (2nd paragraph), except that the state is described in the past. Moreover, as we see, the verb to be has the form Past Indefinite.

7. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

   More hardcore cases followed.

   I have been doing this for 3 hours.

   This is the usual present tense, i.e. Present Indefinite (look at the verb to have).
   Everything else is NOT verbs (we agreed so at the beginning):
   - doing– active definition, i.e. doing;
   - been– 3rd form to be, which means a passive definition that refers to the word doing. This cannot be conveyed in Russian. Let's try to understand the meaning of this word by analogy:
   done– made;
   bought– purchased;
   been- ... (in general, they made it so that it was; probably the word “created” fits here)

   So, almost verbatim: I have a created state of doing.

   Those. the state of the doer has been created ( been), and now this created state is available.
   When can we use this logic when describing our actions? When we started doing something in the past, and at the moment we continue to do it, right?

8. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense

   I had been doing this for 3 hours.

   Of course, verb to have can be put in the past tense (Past Indefinite).

   Without looking into any reference books, replete with confusing descriptions, in what cases this tense should be used, we understand that this only changes that we will not be talking about the presence of a state in the present, but about its presence in the past: the state began sometime and continues to the moment in the past that we are talking about (it began, of course, before this moment).

9. The Future Indefinite Tense

   I will buy a car.

   It couldn't be simpler. We state the fact of action in the future. Just as we can state it in the present (Present Indefinite) and the past (Past Indefinite).

10. The Future Continuous Tense

    He will be calling you tomorrow at 5.

    Also simple: a description of a state at a certain point in the future.
    Verb to be has the form Furure Indefinite, and calling- just a definition ( caller).

11. The Future Perfect Tense

    I will have bought a car.
    I will have a purchased car.

    We focus on the fact that the car will be available, and not on the purchase itself.
    More live example: I will buy a car by next summer.

12. The Future Perfect Continuous

    I will have been doing this for 3 hours.

    Complete analogy of Present Perfect Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous, except for the tense form of the verb to have.
    Nevertheless, I will give a literal translation: I will have a created state of doing for 3 hours.
    For example, I'm going to say that tomorrow I will have been studying English for 3 hours by the time my wife arrives:
    I will have been studying English for 3 hours when my wife comes.
    (To be honest, I may be wrong about the correctness of this sentence, but that’s not the point.)

And so, what happened. Absolutely all 12 English tenses come down to three: Present Indefinite, Past Indefinite and Future Indefinite!
So it turns out that in English there are essentially only three tense forms. At least, in my opinion, it is possible and useful to think so. Eh, why didn’t they tell me about this at school...

P.S. Of course, I understand that this is all quite crude, and a lot of subtleties of its use can be said about each temporary form. But in order to delve into the subtleties, you first need to understand for yourself the logic of constructing these forms. And an understanding of the subtleties will come either with practice or with even greater depth in the English logic of constructing phrases.

UPDATE:
I repeat, this article deliberately coarsens and simplifies some points to make it easier to identify the “insides” of the language.

Right now, currently, you are reading this article. And in a couple of minutes you will find yourself in the future – In a couple of minutes you will be in the future. Do you think this is impossible? We hasten to disappoint you. Because …

Everything that has not happened yet is part of the future. — Everything that has not yet happened is part of the future.

But when will this happen?

This could happen in a few seconds, in a few years, or perhaps in a few centuries. Sometimes it is difficult for us to imagine what will happen in fifty or a hundred years. But this is easy to talk about.

When we talk about the future, we can:

1. Plan

2. Make predictions

3. Schedule

4. Wondering what the weather will be like this coming weekend.

But to talk about what will happen in the future, you need to remember six basic rules future. These simple rules will help you easily navigate the future. From point of view English grammar, of course!

SIX BASIC RULES FOR THE FUTURE

Rule 1. There is no future tense in English.

Sounds absurd? But think for yourself, how can you talk and write about something that does not exist? But linguists will disagree with you. At least some of them. In English you can talk about the future because the language has future tense (Future tense). But what do those linguists say who deny the existence of the future tense in English? They start from the definition of “time” ( tense ).

Tense (time) is how we talk about when an action occurs. That is, we are talking about astronomical time ( time ). The use of one tense or another changes the meaning of the sentence.

Compare two sentences in the present and future tense:

Is it snowing now? - It is snowing now?

Will it snow tomorrow? — Will it snow tomorrow?

Times are very important. But let us return to the statement of a number of linguists that there is no future tense in English. Scientists who deny the presence of a future tense in English explain their point of view as follows: in English, the form of the semantic verb does not change in the future tense:

tosnow — It will snow tomorrow.

When we talk about tenses, we assume a change in the form of the verb. This does not happen in the future tense. Following this logic, there are two tenses in English - past And non— past .

The future tense is special because during its formation the form of the semantic verb does not change (no endings are added). But there are also advantages - for its formation there are no irregular verbs whose forms need to be remembered.

And yet, how do we talk about the future?

Rule 2. We talk about the future using “auxiliary verbs” (auxiliaryverbs).

Auxiliary verbs do not have an independent verb lexical meaning, but are important for conveying additional grammatical and semantic information.

In the case of the future tense we use the verb " will ».

In a sentence " Iwillwriteyoualetter "The main meaning is conveyed by the verb " write " Verb " will " indicates that the letter will written in the future.

We draw an important conclusion: the auxiliary verb cannot be omitted.

Rule 3. We talk about the future using “will/ shall" and "begoingto».

Auxiliary verbs that we use to form the future tense - « shall » And « will » .

« Shall " is rarely used because it gives the statement an official tone.

That's why we most often use " will » — I will help him later.

Let's imagine that you are planning to call someone on the phone. You can say it like this:

I willcall you tomorrow.

or so -

I am going to call you tomorrow.

Verb " call ” does not change, it follows the auxiliary verbs.

Do you want to add to the offer? « I will call you tomorrow » adverbs "always" , "often", "sometimes","never" ?

Feel free to place them between the auxiliary and main verbs - I willnevercall you.

Negation in the future is formed using a particle « not » , which we also place after the auxiliary verb -

I will not call him tomorrow (I won't call him tomorrow. ) And I am not going to call you tomorrow.

Rule 4. Two ways to talk about the future, but with a slight difference.

What is this difference between " will (or shall ) And " be going to »?

We use « will / shall » to state facts concerning the future and make forecasts and predictions (predictions ) .

What can be predicted or predicted? Absolutely different things, both desired and not.

I think it will snow tomorrow. — I think it will snow tomorrow.

I hope she will pass the exam. — I hope she passes the exam.

Just don’t forget that the following phrases and words must be at the beginning of the sentence: I think, I believe, I hope, I expect, I am sure, I am afraid, perhaps, probably, certainly.

A few examples of stating facts about the future:

She will never learn German if she doesn’t work hard. — She'll never learn German if he doesn't try.

The sun will rise at 4:00 in the morning tomorrow. — Tomorrow the sun will rise at 4 am.

We use « be going to » to talk about plans for the future, or about your intentions.

If you intend to stop playing computer games and start doing more, you will communicate your plans to others as follows:

I am going to study more tomorrow.

But you can also say - I willstudy more tomorrow. And this sentence will also be correct, with only one difference: in the second case, the decision is made at the moment of speech.

Rule 5. We talk about the future in the present.

In English, you can use the present tense to talk about future events. Isn't it incredible? But in this case you need to know that:

1) Present Simple used when we are talking about planned events that occur on schedule and will take place in the near future. And they happen regardless of your desire.

For example, a football match will happen whether you like it or not. Or:

The concert starts at 6 tonight. — The concert starts at 6 pm.

The train leaves in five minutes. — The train leaves in five minutes.

2) Present Progressive used when talking about planned events that were discussed and planned in advance.

For example,

My grandparents are visiting for Christmas. — Grandfather and grandmother will come to us for Christmas.

What are you doing tonight? — What are you doing tonight?

I am going out with friends. — I spend time with friends.

But if you tell the other person what you will do at a certain time in the future, you can use the verb “ will" . Therefore, to the question « What areyoudoing tomorrow evening? you can answer like this:

I am seeing my lawyer. —

I will be seeing my lawyer. — I'm meeting with my lawyer.

In the second example, you emphasize that the event is not just planned, but planned specifically for the evening.

Rule 6. Let's talkO « perfect» future.

There is tense in English TheFuturePerfectTense. It is not used as often as the times discussed above.

Surely you are taking advantage of the time Present Perfect and you know that there are forms Present Perfect Simple –

I have read the article. — I read the article.

Present Perfect Continuous —

I have been reading the article since morning. — I've been reading the article since the morning.

It's the same with the future. We use time FuturePerfect when we want to say that the action will end at some point in the future:

By the time I arrive at the station, the train will have left. — By the time I arrive at the station, the train will have already left.

But it happens that at some point in the future the action will have been going on for some time. Difficult? Yes, but sometimes we have to talk about such things when it is important to emphasize the duration of the action; there is a time for this in English FuturePerfectContinuous.

For example, you know that the dinner to which you have been invited will last two hours:

Tomorrow dinner will start at 7. By 9p.m. I will have been eating for two hours. — Tomorrow's dinner will start at seven o'clock. By nine o'clock I will have been eating for two hours.

Of course, we don't always say this. But in this case, the speaker wants to emphasize that dinner will last a very long time!

We took a short excursion into the future, focusing on the verb tenses that we use to convey future events. We hope six rules will be useful to you when you talk or write about what is destined to happen.