Let's Time Travel! Learning About the Simple Future Tense
Hello, future explorers! Today, we're going on an exciting journey into the... well, into the future! We are going to learn how to talk about things that haven't happened yet. It's like having a superpower to talk about tomorrow, next week, or even next year! Learning this is super important because it helps us make plans, share our dreams, and guess what might happen next.
Meet Your Time Machine Words!
To travel to the future with our words, we need two special helpers. Think of them as the buttons on our time machine! Our main helpers are will and be going to.
Time Machine Button 1: Using "will"
The word will is a super easy and powerful way to talk about the future. We use it to say what we think will happen or to make a promise.
The Secret Formula:
Subject (who is doing the action) + will + Verb (the action word)
It's that simple! Notice that the verb doesn't change at all. No 's' or 'ing' at the end!
Let's look at some examples:
- I will play football tomorrow.
- She will read a book tonight.
- They will visit their grandparents on Sunday.
- The cat will sleep on the mat.
Time Machine Button 2: Using "be going to"
This is another fantastic helper for talking about the future. We often use be going to when we are talking about a plan we have already made. It’s like you’ve already written it in your diary!
The Secret Formula:
Subject + am / is / are + going to + Verb
Quick Review: Remember when to use am, is, and are?
- Use am with I. (I am...)
- Use is with he, she, it, or a single name. (He is... / Maria is...)
- Use are with we, you, they. (We are... / The children are...)
Let's look at some examples:
- I am going to watch a movie on Friday. (That's my plan!)
- He is going to bake a cake for his mum. (He decided this earlier.)
- We are going to clean our room. (It's on our to-do list.)
Key Takeaway: To talk about the future, you can use will + verb or be going to + verb. They are your special future-telling tools!
How to Make Future Predictions and Plans
Now that we know our helper words, let's see when to use them. Don't worry if this seems tricky at first, you'll get the hang of it!
Making Predictions (Guessing the Future!)
When you are making a guess about the future, like a weather reporter or a fortune teller, will is your best friend!
- I think it will rain later.
- You will have a great time at the party.
- In the future, people will have flying cars!
Talking About Your Plans
When you have already decided to do something, be going to is the perfect choice. It shows you have a plan.
- I am going to finish my homework after school. (My plan)
- She has a ticket. She is going to see the concert. (Her definite plan)
Did you know? When people speak, they often say "gonna" instead of "going to". It sounds like: "I'm gonna eat lunch." But when we write in school, it's always best to write the full words: going to!
Asking Questions About the Future
What if you want to ask a friend about their plans? You just need to change the word order a little bit.
Questions with "Will"
Just move will to the front of the sentence!
Formula: Will + Subject + Verb?
- Will you play with me?
- Will she come to the party?
- Will they eat pizza for dinner?
Questions with "be going to"
Just move the "be" verb (am, is, are) to the front!
Formula: Am/Is/Are + Subject + going to + Verb?
- Are you going to play outside?
- Is he going to read that book?
Key Takeaway: To make a future tense question, just move the first helper word (will or am/is/are) to the very beginning of the sentence.
Talking About Things That WON'T Happen (Negatives)
Sometimes we need to say that something is not going to happen in the future. This is easy too!
Using "will not" or "won't"
You can add not after will. The short and friendly way to say "will not" is won't.
Formula: Subject + will not (won't) + Verb
- I will not be late. / I won't be late.
- He won't forget his homework.
Using "not" with "be going to"
Just add not after the "be" verb (am, is, are).
Formula: Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + Verb
- I am not going to watch TV.
- They are not going to the park. / They aren't going to the park.
- She is not going to eat candy. / She isn't going to eat candy.
Watch Out! Common Mistake Alert!
Never add an 's' to the main verb in the future tense!
Wrong: He will plays.
Right: He will play.
Wrong: She is going to reads.
Right: She is going to read.
A Special Helper: "Shall"
You might sometimes see or hear the word shall. It works a lot like "will", but we usually only use it with I and we.
It can be used to make a suggestion or a polite offer.
- Shall we go on a picnic? (This is like asking, "Do you want to go on a picnic?")
- I shall see you tomorrow. (This is a more formal way of saying "I will see you tomorrow.")
You will use will much more often, but it's good to know about shall too!
Let's Recap Our Future Adventure!
Wow, you've learned so much about talking about the future! You are now a certified time traveller of words. Great job!
Here are the most important things to remember:
- To talk about the future, use the helper words will or be going to before the main verb.
- Use will for predictions or promises. (It will be fun!)
- Use be going to for plans you have already made. (I am going to play a game.)
- To make a question, move will or am/is/are to the front.
- To say something won't happen, add not after the helper word (won't, isn't, aren't).
- Never add 's' to the main verb!
Keep practising, and soon you'll be talking about the future like an expert. The future of your English skills is bright!
```