Explanation

Future tenses

You use the future tense to talk about something that still has to happen or when something will happen in the future.

There are 4 different ways to use the future tense:

 

Will

When do you use will?

You use will when you have a prediction without proof or when you decide to do something in the heat of the moment.

For example:
I will go to Africa someday (You don't know when you will go, there is no proof).
I will do my homework (You decide to do that now, in the heat of the moment).

 

How do you use will?

You use Will + werkwoord.

Tabel 7: future will

 

Will + Werkwoord

Will + Werkwoord

I

will go

will do

She/he/it

will go

will do

They/we

will go

will do

You

will go

will do

Opmerking. Aangepast overgenomen uit simple present versus present continuous (uitleg) door B. Trimbos, 2020. Geraadpleegd op 25 oktober 2020, van http://www.bastrimbos.com/grammar/simple_present_versus_present_continuous.htm

 

To be going to

When do you use to be going to?

You use to be going to when you have a prediction with proof or when you are going to do something that is planned.

 

For example:
I am going to do my homework tonight.
Look at those clouds! I think it is going to rain.  

 

How do you use to be going to?

When you have to use to be going to, you put am/is/are + going to + werkwoord in the sentence.

Tabel 8: future to be going to

 

To be

Going to

Werkwoord

I

am

going to

do

She/he/it

is

going to

do

They/we

are

going to

do

You

are

going to

do

Opmerking. Aangepast overgenomen uit simple present versus present continuous (uitleg) door B. Trimbos, 2020. Geraadpleegd op 25 oktober 2020, van http://www.bastrimbos.com/grammar/simple_present_versus_present_continuous.htm

 

Present continuous

When do you use the present continuous?

You use the present continuous when something is planned (party, concert) or when something is going to happen soon.

 

For example:
Tonight I am meeting my friends.
Peter is taking Wendy out for dinner tonight.

 

How do you use the present continuous?

When you have to use the present continuous, you put am/is/are + werkwoord + ing in your sentence.

Tabel 9: future present continuous

 

To be

Werkwoord + ing

I

am

meeting

She/he/it

is

meeting

They/we

are

meeting

You

are

meeting

Opmerking. Aangepast overgenomen uit simple present versus present continuous (uitleg) door B. Trimbos, 2020. Geraadpleegd op 25 oktober 2020, van http://www.bastrimbos.com/grammar/simple_present_versus_present_continuous.htm

 

Present simple

When do you use the present simple?

You use the present simple when something is happening according to a schedule (Bus schedules, closing times).

 

For example:
My train arrives at platform 10.
Our train leaves at 6 O’clock.

 

How do you use the present simple?

For the present simple, you have: hele werkwoord (+ s with he, she & it).

Tabel 10: future present simple

 

Werkwoord

I

leave

She/he/it

leaves

They/we

leave

You

leave

Opmerking. Aangepast overgenomen uit simple present versus present continuous (uitleg) door B. Trimbos, 2020. Geraadpleegd op 25 oktober 2020, van http://www.bastrimbos.com/grammar/simple_present_versus_present_continuous.htm

 

(Swan, M., 2017, pp. 35-43).