Hello, little time explorer! What are your plans for tomorrow? Will you play with your toys? Are you going to visit the park? We have a special way to talk about things that have not happened yet. We talk about things that will happen later. This is called the simple future tense. It is like a magic crystal ball! You can look into it and see what is coming. Today, we will learn to use one hundred of the most common verbs in the simple future tense. Your guide is Wally the Wizard. Wally has a shiny crystal ball. He looks into the future. He sees what will happen at home, the playground, school, and in nature. Let's look into the crystal ball together!
What Is the Simple Future Tense? The simple future tense is a verb form. It tells us about actions that have not happened yet. These actions will happen after now. Think of it like a plan or a promise for later. "I will play with my friend tomorrow." The playing is in the future. "We are going to have a party next week." The party is in the future. It is for things that are coming soon. We will use one hundred common verbs to make plans and promises for the future.
Why Learn to Talk About Tomorrow? The simple future helps you make plans. It helps your ears listen. You can understand what others plan to do. "Dad said he will fix my bike." It helps your mouth speak. You can tell others about your dreams. "I will be a doctor someday!" It helps your eyes read. You will see it in stories about what comes next. It helps your hand write. You can write about your weekend plans. Knowing the simple future tense lets you share your hopes and dreams.
Two Magic Ways to See the Future Wally says we have two main ways to talk about the simple future. Let's look into his crystal ball.
Using 'Will' (The Instant Magic Spell): We use 'will' for quick decisions, promises, or things we think will happen. It is like instant magic! "I think it will rain later." "I will help you clean your room." "I promise I will call you."
Using 'Be Going To' (The Careful Plan): We use 'am/is/are going to' for plans we have already made. It is like a map for the future! "I am going to visit my grandma on Sunday." "She is going to have a birthday party." "They are going to build a treehouse."
How Can You Spot the Simple Future? Look for the magic helpers 'will' or 'going to'. The word 'will' comes before the main verb. "I will eat. You will see. He will go." The words 'am/is/are going to' also come before the main verb. "I am going to eat. She is going to see. They are going to go."
Look for future time words. Words like: tomorrow, later, next week, next year, soon, in an hour. "I will go to bed soon. We are going to the zoo next week."
Ask: Is this about something that has not happened yet? Is it about later? If the answer is yes, it's likely simple future. "What are your plans for later?" "I will read a book."
Listen for the sound. 'Will' is often said as a short sound like "I'll, you'll, he'll." 'Going to' is often said as "gonna" when we talk fast. "I'm gonna play."
Wally shows us. Look at "I will draw a picture tomorrow." The helper is 'will'. The verb is 'draw'. The time is 'tomorrow'. The action is in the future. This is the simple future tense. Also, "She is going to jump on the bed." The helper is 'is going to'. The verb is 'jump'. The action is a plan for the future.
How Do We Make Sentences About Tomorrow? The pattern is fun. We have two magic formulas.
Using 'Will' (For everyone: I, you, he, she, it, we, they): [Person] + will + [basic verb]. "I will play. You will sing. He will run. She will laugh. It will rain. We will eat. They will sleep." For negative, add 'not': will not (won't) + verb. "I will not go. / I won't go." For questions, move 'will' to the front: Will + [person] + verb? "Will you come? Will it rain?"
Using 'Be Going To': You need the right part of 'be': am, is, are. I am going to + verb. "I am going to dance." He/She/It is going to + verb. "He is going to swim." You/We/They are going to + verb. "They are going to play." For negative, add 'not' to 'am/is/are': "I am not going to cry. She is not going to fall." For questions, move 'am/is/are' to the front: "Are you going to stay? Is she going to call?"
Let's Fix Some Crystal Ball Mistakes. Sometimes our future magic gets mixed up. Let's fix it.
Forgetting 'to' in 'going to'. "I am going eat." This is missing the 'to'. The correct sentence is "I am going to eat."
Using 'will' with 'to'. "I will to go to the park." With 'will', we do not use 'to'. Just use the basic verb. "I will go to the park."
Using the wrong form of 'be' with 'going to'. "He are going to sleep." For 'he', we need 'is'. "He is going to sleep."
Using past verbs for the future. "I played tomorrow." 'Played' is for yesterday. For tomorrow, we need future tense. "I will play tomorrow." or "I am going to play tomorrow."
Can You Be a Future Teller? You are great at this! Let's play. I say: "Tomorrow, I (eat) ice cream." Will you use 'will' or 'going to'? Let's use 'will'. "Tomorrow, I will eat ice cream." Good! Now, "Next Saturday, we (have) a party." This sounds like a plan. Let's use 'going to'. "Next Saturday, we are going to have a party." Perfect! Ask a question with 'will': "Will you play with me?" Excellent future telling!
Wally's Crystal Ball Gallery: 100 Common Verbs in Simple Future. Here is a list of one hundred common verbs. We will see them in the simple future tense with 'will'. Remember, you can also use 'going to'!
I Will (Plans and Promises for Later): I will play. / I will eat my lunch. I will drink my milk. / I will sleep in my bed. I will run fast. / I will jump high. I will walk to school. / I will talk to my friend. I will help my mom. / I will clean my room. I will wash my hands. / I will brush my teeth. I will watch a show. / I will read a book. I will draw a picture. / I will write my name. I will sing a song. / I will dance. I will laugh. / I will smile. I will learn new things. / I will listen to the teacher. I will open the door. / I will close the window. I will wait for you. / I will look for my toy. I will find it! / I will ask a question. I will call my grandma. / I will need a nap. I will want a cookie. / I will see you later. I will go to the park. / I will take my ball. I will give you a hug. / I will make a card. I will put on my shoes. / I will get a drink.
He/She/It Will (What Others Will Do): Mom will cook dinner. / Dad will read a story. My sister will cry. / The baby will sleep. The dog will bark. / The cat will meow. The sun will shine. / The rain will fall. The bus will come soon. / The bell will ring. The teacher will smile. / My friend will share.
We/They Will (What Groups Will Do): We will have fun. / We will play a game. We will learn a song. / We will eat snacks. We will see a movie. / We will visit the zoo. They will build a fort. / They will climb the tree. They will swim in the pool. / They will ride their bikes.
Using 'Going To' for Plans: I am going to paint. / I am going to try. He is going to win. / She is going to lose. It is going to snow. / We are going to win. You are going to love it. / They are going to arrive. I am going to tell a secret. / She is going to buy a gift. We are going to plant a seed. / They are going to catch a ball.
Examples in Your World.
At Home (Tonight and Tomorrow): "Tonight, I will help set the table. Tomorrow, Dad will make pancakes. My sister is going to watch her favorite show. Our dog will wait for a treat."
At the Playground (Plans for Later): "Later, I will go on the swing. My friend will slide with me. We are going to play tag. The big kids are going to play soccer."
At School (What Will Happen Next): "Next, we will read a story. Then, we will draw. The teacher is going to show us a game. I think I will like it."
In Nature (Predictions and Plans): "Look at the clouds! It is going to rain. The flowers will grow tall. I will look for bugs. The birds are going to sing in the morning."
You Are a Master of Tomorrow! You did it! You know that the simple future talks about things that have not happened yet. You can use 'will' for quick decisions and promises. You can use 'am/is/are going to' for plans. It is like a magic crystal ball. Wally the Wizard gives you a shiny star. You have learned one hundred common verbs in the simple future tense. You can now talk about your wonderful plans.
Here is what you learned from our crystal ball adventure. You know the simple future tense is for actions that will happen. You can use 'will' or 'be going to'. You remember to use the basic verb after these helpers. You can make promises and share your plans for tomorrow.
Now, let's do some life practice! Your mission is tonight. At dinner, tell your family two things you will do tomorrow. Use 'will' and 'going to'. Say: "Tomorrow, I will help you clean up. I am going to draw a picture for Grandma." Keep sharing your bright future!