future tense

American  

[fyoo-cher tens] / ˈfyu tʃər ˈtɛns /

future

noun

Grammar.

1. in English, the simple future.

2. any verb formation or construction used to express an action or state that is to occur at a time after the present, such as, in English, the future perfect or future progressive tenses.

3. an instance or form of a verb expressing an action or state that is to occur at a time after the present.

   “I will go” is the first person singular future tense of “go.”

   Find all the future tenses in the following paragraph.

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Etymology

Origin of future tense

First recorded in 1550–60

Example Sentences

In post-interviews, contestants are asked to answer questions in past, present and future tense.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 1, 2023

The text next to an image of Halley’s Comet refers to its 1986 appearance in the future tense.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2023

"In previous reports, we've been largely talking about the impacts of climate in the future tense," Professor Emma Johnston, another report chief author, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2022

Many of us thought that by now we’d be looking at the virus in retrospect, instead of living in a kind of perpetually deferred future tense.

From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2022

“Kiddo, there’s not room on this page for future tense or conditional verbs or nuance,” Joe had said.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix