The
future simple
Form
There is no future
tense in modern English, but for convenience we often use the term 'future
simple' to describe the form will/shall + bare infinitive.
First person will and shall
A) Formerly will was kept for intention:
I will wait for you = I
intend to wait for you
and shall was used when there was no intention, i.e.
for actions where the subject's wishes were not involved:
I shall be 25
next week.
We shall know
the result next week. (It will be in the papers.)
Unless the taxi
comes soon we shall miss our plane.
I'm sure I
shan't lose my way.
I shall see Tom
tomorrow. (Perhaps we go to work on the same train.)
shall, used as above, is still found in formal English, but is no longer
common in conversation. Instead we normally use will:
I will be 25
next week.
We 'II know the
result tomorrow.
Unless the taxi
comes soon we 'Il miss the plane.
I 'm sure I
won't lose my way.
Sometimes, however, will might change the meaning of
the sentence. If in I shall see Tom tomorrow we replace shall by will,
we have I will see Tom tomorrow, which could be an expression of
intention. To avoid ambiguities of this kind we use the future continuous
tense:
I'll be seeing Tom tomorrow.
shall, however, is still used in the interrogative:
In question tags after let's: Let's go, shall me?
In suggestions: Shall we take a taxi?
In requests for orders or instructions: What shall I do
with your mail?
In speculations: Where shall we be this time next year?
(Here, though, will is also possible.)
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B) shall for determination
We have already noted that determination is normally
expressed by will. But sometimes public speakers feel that to express
determination they need a 'heavier' word, a word not normally used much, and so
they say shall:
(in a speech) We shall fight and we shall win.
We will fight and we shall win would be equally possible.
shall used in this way sometimes carries the idea of promise which we get in
second person shall:
You shall have a
sweet = I promise you a sweet.
In we shall win the speaker is promising victory.
shall can be used in this way in ordinary conversation:
I shall be
there, I promise you.
But will here is equally possible and less trouble for the
student. When in doubt use will.
Uses of
the future simple
To express the
speaker's opinions, assumptions, speculations about the future. These may be
introduced by verbs such as assume, be afraid, be/feel sure, believe,
daresay, doubt, expect, hope, know, suppose, think, wonder or accompanied
by adverbs such as perhaps, possibly, probably, surely, but can be used
without them:
(I'm sure) he
'II come back.
(I suppose) they
'II sell the house.
(Perhaps) we 'II
find him at the hotel.
They'll
(probably) wait for us.
The future simple can be used with or without a time
expression be going to is sometimes possible here also, but it makes the
action appear more probable and (where there is no time expression) more,
immediate. He'll build a house merely means 'this is my opinion', and
gives no idea when the building will start. But He's going to build a house implies
that he has already made this decision and that he will probably start quite
soon.
The future simple is used similarly for future habitual
actions which we assume will take place:
Spring will come
again.
Birds will build
nests.
People will make
plans.
Other men will climb
these stairs and sit at my desk.
(will be
coming/building/making/climbing/sitting would also be possible.)
The future simple is used in sentences containing clauses of
condition, time and sometimes purpose:
If I drop this
glass if will break.
When it gets
warmer the snow will start to melt.
I'm pulling this
letter on top of the pile so that he'll read it first.
Note that in an if-clause or a time clause we don't
use the future simple even when the meaning is future:
He will probably
be late but If he is late . . . and
It will get
warmer soon but When if gets warmer . . .
Verbs not normally used in the continuous tenses, e.g.
auxiliary verbs, verbs of the senses, of emotion, thinking, possessing etc.,
usually express the future by the future simple, though be going to is
sometimes possible:
He 'II be here
at six. You 'II have time for tea.
She'll wonder
where you are. They'll know tonight.
The future simple is used, chiefly in newspapers and news
broadcasts, for formal announcements of future plans and for weather forecasts.
In conversations such statements would normally be expressed by the present continuous
or be going to form or, for plans only, by the present continuous:
NEWSPAPER:
The President wilt open the new heliport tomorrow.
The fog will
persist in all areas.
But the average
reader/listener will say:
The President is
going to open/is opening . . .
The fog is going
to persist/continue . . .
F won't can be used with all persons to express
negative intention. So He won't pay can mean either He refuses to pay
or I don't think he 'll pay.
I/we will can express affirmative intention , but he/you/they will do
not normally express intention. They may appear to do so sometimes in such
sentences as My son/brother/husband etc. will help you, but the
intention may be the speaker's rather than the subject's.
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