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future tense

edgood — Grammar Tips

The future tense shows actions or states of being that will occur in the future. Please note, however, that we can show futurity in other ways as well. The simple present tense can show futurity: The game begins tonight.

We form the future tense by combining the auxiliary verb will with the base infinitive of the verb. In America, we use will for all persons and numbers, including the first person. Thus:

I will walk to the movie. (first person)

He will walk to the movie. (third person)

In England, writers often use shall to form the future tense in the first person. Thus:

I shall walk to the movie. (first person)

He will walk to the movie. (third person)

On the BBC Radio website, however, we find this statement:

There is no semantic difference when shall and will are used to refer to the simple future. Will can be used in all persons.

BBC.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv43.shtml