The Poligo Future Sentence Patterns Cheat Sheet

By Matthew, 14 September 2011 - 4:28am
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Grammar name (English): 
The Future
Grammar name (日本語): 
未来形

A short list of all the ways to speak about the future in English.

Name Pattern Example
Future simple Predictions will VERB She will enjoy the trip.
Decisions will VERB I think I will watch a movie tonight.
Willingness will VERB I will go if you want.
Decisions/predictions shall VERB
 I shall go there tomorrow.
Future continuous Future periods will be VERB + ing They will be living in the USA for at least five years.
Present continuous Future plans be VERB + ing Ted is meeting them tomorrow.
Present simple Official timetables VERB The train arrives at 10 a.m.
Be + infinitive Plans & orders be to VERB They are to come from the airport by train.
Verb phrases Predictions & plans (informal) be going to VERB Sachi is going to win!
Ability will be able to VERB You will be able to see the aurora.
Plans be thinking about VERB + ing I am thinking about traveling in Asia next year.
Plans plan to VERB Japan plans to invest in green technology.
Intentions intend to VERB We intend to sell our product online.
Expectations be supposed to VERB They are supposed to finish next week.
Expectations expect to VERB I expect to be back next month.
Hopes hope to VERB I hope to be back next month.
Polite desires would like to VERB Would you like to go to the movies with me on Sunday?
Wants & demands want to VERB
He wants to become a doctor.
Modals Obligation should VERB I should go to the gym tomorrow.
Obligation ought to VERB I ought to go to the gym tomorrow.
Requirements have to VERB I have to go to the dentist tomorrow.
Requirements must VERB You must go to the dentist regularly.
Possibility may VERB She may come later.
Possibility might VERB She might come later.
Ability/permission/possibility could VERB Could you do it tomorrow?
Ability/permission can VERB You can take the day off tomorrow.
Passive Future passive will be P.P. We will be chosen to go to the conference.
Future passive continuous will be being P.P. She will be being interviewed at 10 a.m. tomorrow
Perfect Future perfect will have P.P. We will have finished by six o'clock tonight.
Future perfect passive will have been P.P. It will have been repaired by the end of next week.
Future perfect continuous will have been VERB + ing We will have been working for 11 hours by the time we finish.

* P.P. = past participle/過去分詞

Notes: 
  1. This is a Poligo Cheat Sheet for studying future sentence patterns in English. There is also a cheat sheet for past sentences.
  2. Add your own examples to each to make it more memorable: write five sentences for each pattern and send them to Poligo to check.
  3. "Shall" is not used very much anymore. You don't need to worry about it so much. It is common in offers. For example, "Shall I carry that for you?" or "Shall we get something to eat?"
  4. Anything in orange italics is very rare, but possible.
  5. Some of these patterns are present tense, but talk about future events. One part of the sentence (like "want" or "hope") is happening now. However, the rest of the sentence will be about an event in the future. For example, "I want to go to Egypt next year."