How to Talk About the Future in English: It’s Not Just “Will”!

How to Talk about the Future | Learn English!

Level: A2 (Beginner) to C2 (Advanced)

You can talk about the future in English in many ways. If you are an English student, you have probably learned about "the future tenses." The truth is, there is more to the future than just these tenses; English also uses modal verbs, semi-modal phrases, the present simple, and even the present continuous to express the future. This guide will help you understand these forms clearly and use them confidently.

You will learn how to use the present simple to talk about schedules, the present continuous to talk about future arrangements, the difference between will and be going to, and many other useful ways to talk about the future—including modal verbs and semi-modal phrases.

This guide is for all levels. You will find clear explanations and 127 examples to help you speak about the future fluently. It is not just a source of information; it is a grammar practice tool. By working through the information and examples, you will strengthen your grammar knowledge and improve your ability to choose the correct form naturally.

Before you begin, I have one learning tip:

• When you read the example sentences and practice exercises below, read out loud. Speaking activates your memory more effectively than silent reading, and it helps you internalize the structures. (Trust me. I've done the research.)

When you're ready, scroll down and begin.

Summary of How to Talk about the Future in English

• Elementary | Building Your Foundation (A2-B1)

  • Present simple for schedules and appointments.

    • "Our train leaves at 3:30 tomorrow." (schedule)

    • "I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon." (appointment)

  • Present continuous for 99% certain pre-planned arrangements.

    • "I'm meeting my sister for lunch on Friday." (future arrangement)

  • Be going to for future plans, intentions, and confident predictions.

    • "We're going to visit my parents tomorrow." (plan)

    • "You're going to lose your job if you're not careful." (confident prediction)

  • Will for future facts, offers, promises, offers, intentions, and predictions or beliefs.

    • "I'll see you tomorrow." (prediction/intention)

    • "It will be 20 degrees tomorrow." (fact)

    • "I think they'll win." (prediction)

    • "I will help you if you want me to." (offer)

  • Present verbs for future plans, intentions, and desires.

    • "I want to go to Disneyland next year."

    • "She would like to attend university after high school."

    • "We plan to sell our house five years from now."

• Intermediate | Developing Precision and Nuance (B1-B2)

  • Future continuous (will be + -ing) for actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.

    • "We'll be waiting for you in front of the building."

  • Be about to for near-future actions and events.

    • "The game is about to start."

    • "They're about to leave."

  • Modal verbs: should, might, may, can, could, must.

    • "I should be there by 9 o'clock."

    • "I can help you pack this weekend."

  • Semi-modal phrases: have to, need to, ought to, had better, be supposed to, be able to.

    • "I have to leave class early tomorrow."

    • "We ought to get ready soon."

    • "It's supposed to rain tomorrow."

    • "We won't be able to have the picnic."

      
      

• Advanced | Rare Usage (B2-C1)

  • Future perfect (will have + past participle) for actions that will be finished by a specific time in the future.

    • "He'll have finished work by then."

  • Future perfect continuous (will have been + -ing) for actions that will have started before and will still be in progress at a specific time in the future.

    • "If she's still at the library by then, she'll have been studying for over three hours."

  • Be going to with continuous and perfect forms. (Rare; most speakers just use will.)

  • Future continuous with be going to.

    • "He's going to be practicing all morning."

  • Future perfect with be going to.

    • "They're going to have finished it by then."

  • Future perfect continuous with be going to.

    • "By the time she's done on the phone, she's going to have been talking for 3 hours."

How to Talk about the Future in English: A Study Guide for Learners

If you are an English learner, there is a good chance that will was the first word you learned to talk about the future. That is okay! Will is an important word, but it is just a starting point. In reality, there are many ways to talk about the future in English. Some of those ways include will, but many of them do not.

This guide will help you learn and practice the various ways that you can talk about the future in English. The best part? The guide is divided into three sections: Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced. This way, you can learn about the future forms that are appropriate for your current English level. You can also look ahead to see what you have to learn in the future.

Are you ready? Let's learn about English future forms.

Elementary | Building Your Foundation (for A2-B1 Learners)

If you are an English beginner or a low-intermediate learner, here are the forms you should learn to talk about the future in English.

1. Present Simple

When we know about the time of a future event, we usually use the present simple. To be more specific, we can use the present simple to talk about schedules, timetables, and appointments.

Schedules and Timetables

"The bus arrives at 8:10 tonight."

"My next class starts at 11:30."

"It's my mom's birthday tomorrow."

"The store closes at 9 today."

Appointments (usually with have or be)

"I have a blood test on Friday."

"My appointment is in 20 minutes."

"I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon."

"When is your next dental cleaning?"

Practice: Complete the sentences.

My class doesn't start until _____.

I have [a/an] _____ appointment at _____.

The meeting starts at _____.

2. Present Continuous

The present continuous can be used for planned arrangements. These are plans that are 99% certain because you have thought about them and made decisions about them before.

Planned arrangements

"I'm visiting my aunt tomorrow." (I have talked to my aunt and I fully intend to visit her.)

"We're going to the zoo this weekend." (Maybe I have already bought the tickets.)

"She can't come with us tonight. She's having dinner with her parents."

"He's leaving work after lunch today."

Practice: Answer the questions.

Are you going anywhere this evening, or are you staying home?

What are you doing tomorrow? Are you working? Are you taking the day off? Are you going to school?

3. Be Going to

Be going to is used for future plans, intentions, and confident predictions. These are predictions that have evidence or that you feel very strongly about.

You can make confident predictions and predictions with evidence with be going to!

Plans and intentions

"I'm going to talk to Jim tomorrow." (I planned this before. I intend to talk to Jim tomorrow.)

"She's going to quit her job next week." (She told me that this is her plan and intention.)

"We're going to watch a movie tonight." (We talked about this plan before. We intend to watch a movie tonight.)

"Are you going to call your dad tonight?" (Do you plan to call him?)

Confident predictions / Predictions with evidence

"Your ice cream is going to melt. Eat faster." (It's a hot day. It's clear that your ice cream is going to melt if you don't eat it quickly.)

"It looks like it's going to rain. The sky is really grey."

"We're going to have a baby!" (We have confirmed this with a doctor.)

"I think they're going to win the championship this year. They have a really good team!" (I feel very strongly about this.)

Practice: Complete the sentences.

Tonight, I'm going to _____.

My weather app says that it's going to be _____ tomorrow.

When are you going to _____?

4. Will

Will is used to talk about future facts, promises, offers, intentions, and predictions or beliefs. This usage of will is also known as the future simple. The structure for the future simple is will + bare infinitive verb.

Future facts

"The game will start at 8 o'clock."

"Just wait. The water will start to boil at 100 degrees Celsius." (This might be in a science class.)

"The sun will rise at 5:45 a.m. tomorrow."

"Next year, we will celebrate our fifteenth wedding anniversary."

Promises

"I will always love you."

"I promise that he won't be late."

"I will give you the money tomorrow. I promise."

"I will pick you up at 5 o'clock today. Make sure you're ready."

Offers

These are often made at the moment of speaking.

"Those bags look heavy. I'll carry this one and you can carry the other one, okay?"

"Come in! Make yourself at home! I'll take your jacket."

"If you're thirsty, I'll make you a cup of tea." (conditional offer)

"I'll drive you to the station if you need a ride."

Intentions

These are also often made at the moment of speaking.

"I'll start going to the gym again next week."

"I will try harder next time."

"I'll call them again tomorrow if they don't call back today." (conditional intention)

"We'll get a birthday gift before we go to the party."

Predictions and Beliefs

Be going to has a stronger degree of certainty than will in these cases.

"What time do you think they will arrive?"

"I think he'll pass his driving exam this time."

"I bet the test will be really easy." (Maybe the teacher has a history of writing easy tests.)

"He'll regret this!" (This could also be a promise.)

Practice: Answer the questions.

What time do you think you'll wake up tomorrow?

Where will you be at this time tomorrow?

What do you intend to do if it rains tomorrow? (Or, "What will you do...?")

5. Present Verbs for Future Plans, Intentions, and Desires

There are several present verbs that you can use to express future plans and intentions. These include verbs like want, hope, plan, would like, and intend. Even though you are using them in the present tense, they express a future plan, intention, or desire.

Yes! You can use present verbs to talk about future plans, intentions, and desires.

"I really want to see Grandma this weekend."

"She hopes to finish her college diploma before the summer."

"Would you like to see a movie this weekend?"

"The city plans to build new houses in that area next year."

"When do you intend to make a decision?"

Practice: Complete the sentences.

Next week, I hope to _____.

This weekend, we intend to _____.

I would really like to have _____ for dinner tonight.

When do you plan to _____?

Intermediate | Developing Precision and Nuance (for B1-B2 Learners)

Now that you are comfortable with the basics, it is time to develop some precision and nuance when you are talking about the future.

6. Future Continuous

The future continuous is used for actions that will be in progress at a specific time or during a specific period in the future. The structure is will be + -ing.

"At 6 o'clock, I'll be having dinner."

"We'll be working until 9 o'clock tonight."

"Don't call me at 10. I'll be sleeping."

"At this time next year, she'll be finishing her university degree." (This means she will be in the final days, weeks, or months of her university degree.)

Practice: Finish the sentences with an -ing verb.

At this time tomorrow, I'll probably be _____.

Don't bother them at that time. They'll be _____.

At 2 a.m. tonight, I will be _____.

7. Be About to

Be about to is used for near-future actions and events. These are things that are set to happen in the immediate future—maybe even two seconds from now. The structure for this form is be about to + bare infinitive verb. You can use be going to in some of these cases, but be about to has a more immediate sense.

"They're about to win the game! There are just twenty seconds remaining!"

"If you want to talk to Cindy, do it now. She's about to leave the house."

"Hurry! The movie is about to start!"

"Sorry, I can't talk right now. I'm about to make dinner." (I have probably taken out some of the food items and/or pots and pans that I intend to use.)

Practice: Complete the sentences.

Sorry. I can't talk right now. I'm about to _____.

Joanna is about to _____.

Are you about to _____?

8. Modal Verbs

You can use modal verbs that you can use to talk about future possibility, expectation, obligation, necessity, and advice. In addition to will, the English modal verbs include should, might, may, can, could, and must.

"I can help you" means it is possible for me to help you. If you specify a future time, like tomorrow, it means "It will be possible for me to help you. I have time and I am willing to do it."

Possibility (might, may, can, could)

"I might be 15 minutes late tonight." (might = it's possible. "Maybe.")

"They may not believe you." (may = it's possible. "Maybe.")

"You can come at 6 o'clock." (can = it's possible. You have the ability to do this.)

"We could go to the museum next week instead." (could = it's possible. Less certain than "can." Hypothetical future suggestion.)

Expectation (should)

"At 11 o'clock, she should already be in bed." (This could be a parent talking about their expectations to a babysitter.)

"They should call you if they need you tomorrow."

"The report should be finished by Friday."

"Dinner should be ready in an hour. Just relax for now."

Obligation (must)

Obligations come from external rules and authorities, such as companies, teachers, etc.

"Starting next week, employees must arrive to work at 7:55 a.m."

"As of next September, students must wear uniforms to school."

"Employee vacation requests must be submitted by 3 o'clock this afternoon." (If they are not submitted by this time, there are probably consequences.)

"Students must leave their books in their lockers for tomorrow's test."

Necessity (must)

Necessity is situational and depends on a person's feelings and opinions, not rules.

"We must leave the house before 7 if we want to avoid traffic tomorrow morning."

"You must remember to call me tonight."

"The children must be on the school bus by 9:30 if they want to go on the field trip today."

"Dinner must be on the table no later than 5 o'clock tonight if we want to watch a movie at 6:30."

Advice (should)

You can also use ought to and had better for advice. See the next section for these.

"You should apologize to him when you see him."

"We shouldn't go outside this afternoon. There's going to be a storm."

"You should try calling the bank again in the morning."

"Do you think we should wake up earlier tomorrow?"

Practice: Finish the sentences.

Tonight, we could _____. (Suggest something that is possible for you to do.)

The weather should be _____ tomorrow.

The new company policy says that, starting next week, we must _____.

If we don't want to be late, we must _____.

You shouldn't _____ this weekend.

9. Semi-Modal Phrases

In addition to modal verbs, there are many semi-modal phrases that you can use to talk about future obligation, necessity, expectation, advice, and ability. These include have to, need to, ought to, had better, be supposed to, and be able to.

Obligation (have to, need to)

Remember, obligations are imposed by rules, policies, etc.

"We have to make a decision by tomorrow." (If we do not, there will be consequences.)

"If you want to return that shirt to the store, you need to do it by next Monday." (This is the store's policy. It is a rule.)

"I'm working until 9:30 tonight. I have to close the store."

"I need to transfer the money by tomorrow, or the deal will be terminated."

Necessity (have to, need to)

Remember, necessities are situational and are often based on feelings and opinions.

"You have to read the first book if you want to understand the second one."

"She needs to pack her things tonight for tomorrow's trip."

"I need to do the dishes before we leave."

"I have to finish reading this book by tonight. Darek wants it back tomorrow."

Expectation (be supposed to)

"The concert is supposed to start in 15 minutes."

"We're supposed to sit in the waiting room until the doctor calls us."

"It's supposed to be a beautiful day tomorrow."

"Are we supposed to pay at the beginning or the end of the course?"

Advice (ought to, had better)

Ought to is similar to should. Had better is stronger and more urgent than both of them. It implies that there will be a negative consequence if the advice is not followed.

"You ought to text her tonight."

"You had better talk to him this afternoon."

"They ought to make an offer on the house this weekend."

"We had better stop at a gas station soon. The tank is almost empty."

Ability (be able to)

It is common to use the present form (be able to) and the future form (will be able to).

"Are you able to help me paint my living room this weekend?"

"We'll be able to fix the car by tomorrow afternoon."

"I won't be able to come to your birthday party next week." (I will not have the ability to come; it will not be possible.)

"She will be able to finish work early tomorrow."

Practice: Answer the questions.

Is there anything that you have to do this weekend?

If you want to cancel your phone plan tomorrow, what do you need to do?

Are you supposed to call anyone or go anywhere this week?

Will you be able to go out tonight?

Advanced | Rare Usage (for B2-C1 Learners)

At this point, you already have everything you need to talk about the future in English. However, there are still two well-known tenses and three be going to uses that you might see and hear from time to time. For that reason, it is important to at least be aware of these forms even if you do not use them very often.

10. Future Perfect

We use the future perfect to talk about actions that will be finished by a particular time in the future. The structure is will have + past participle. The word by is often used with a future time marker with the future perfect.

Your English muscles will have become stronger as a result of your hard work. You should feel proud of yourself.

"By 2035, we will have paid off our mortgage." (This means we will have finished paying for our house.)

"Will you have finished your homework by 7:30?"

"Sorry, but I won't have finished it by then."

"By the time you arrive, we will have already left."

Practice: Complete the sentences.

By this time next year, I will have _____.

I think they will have _____ before the end of this month.

11. Future Perfect Continuous

The future perfect continuous is used to talk about actions that will have started before and will still be in progress at a specific time in the future. The structure is will have been + -ing.

"In five minutes, you will have been playing that game for three hours straight."

"In two minutes, he'll have been standing in the rain for thirty minutes."

"By the end of this month, he'll have been running his own company for ten years."

"When you arrive, we'll have been waiting for over an hour."

Practice: Complete the sentences.

By this time next month, she will have been working at this company for _____.

They will have been dating for _____ by the beginning of next month.

12. Future Continuous and Perfect Forms with Be Going to

You can use be going to instead of will in the future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous forms, but this usage is rare. Most people just use will. However, it is always a good idea to know what is possible so that you are not surprised when you hear it in a movie or see it in a book.

Be Going to with Future Continuous

Structure: be going to be + -ing

"We're going to be leaving soon."

"She's going to be playing video games all night!"

Be Going to with Future Perfect

Structure: be going to have + past participle

"Are you going to have finished using my tablet by 8 o'clock?"

"I'm going to have read the entire trilogy by then."

Be Going to with Future Perfect Continuous

Structure: be going to have been + -ing

"By January, we're going to have been living here for ten years."

"By this time next month, she's going to have been taking karate lessons for three years."

Practice: Complete the sentences.

I'm going to be _____ all day tomorrow. (-ing)

He's going to have _____ by then. (past participle)

By five o'clock, we're going to have been _____ for three hours.

We are almost finished. There is just one more common English learner question that I would like to address.

What's Stronger? Will, Be Going to, or the Present Continuous?

Here is a clear chart to answer this very popular question.

Present Continuous	Future plans and arrangements that are 99% certain. You have thought about these plans carefully and made arrangements for them. You probably know the time, place, and people involved.	"We're driving to Niagara Falls this weekend." (Unless something dramatic happens, this plan is definite.)
Be Going to	Future plans and intentions. You have usually thought about these plans before the moment of speaking. Also used for confident future predictions, especially with evidence.	"I'm going to buy a new phone next month." (plan/intention) "She's going to do well on her test." (confident prediction with evidence. I know she studied hard.)
Will	Intentions, promises, offers, decisions at the moment of speaking, predictions, future facts.	"I'll call you after class, okay?" (promise/intention) "I don't think he'll be there on time." (prediction)

In short, the present continuous is stronger than both, be going to and will when you are talking about the certainty of future plans.

That's it! I hope this information was useful for you, and that you will come back to this page often. Remember, this is a guide FOR YOU, so I hope you will use it often.

If you think my work is valuable, please consider getting one of my books. They are available in PDF, e-book, and paperback formats. I wrote all of them for English learners just like you. Thank you! Until next time, keep learning and keep practicing.

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