How To Use The Future Simple Tense In English Grammar

In this lesson … It will rain today. This is the first use of the future simple tense. We can use the future simple tense to make predictions about the future.

They will go to the concert on Sunday. He will drink tea, not coffee.

I need to get some bananas, some apples and maybe a … Oh no! The pen! That’s okay. I’ll get it.

This is the second use of the future simple. You can use the future simple to talk about your plans when you make that plan at the time of speaking.

Did I plan to pick up the pen before it fell? No. I didn’t know the pen was going to fall. When it fell, at that time, I made the decision to pick it up.

When we use the future simple like this, we normally use contractions. I’ll get the pen. He’ll get the pen. They’ll get the pen.

Now let’s look at two more examples. He’ll get a drink. They’ll watch television tonight.

Thank you so much for the money! I will pay you back next week!

The third use of the future simple is to talk about promises and things that you are sure about. I will not tell anybody your secret. Her parents will buy her a car next week.

The future simple can also be used to talk about future events or actions which are unplanned, things that will just happen. For example, ‘Winter will come soon.’

Do you have to use time words when using the future simple? Normally yes. It will rain tomorrow. But if it’s clear what time you are talking about, or it’s not important, then you don’t need to use a time word.

They are the main uses of the future simple. You can also use the future simple to make conditional sentences but you will learn about that later in the course.