The simple future tense of a verb expresses an action that will take place in the future.

Read and study these sentences.

• Eric will practice medicine in his hometown.

• He will serve his countrymen even if they cannot pay him.

• "I shall help my countrymen," he declared.

• "They will need me," he declared.

• Eric decided that he will stay there for good.

Notice that the verbs in italics - will practice, will serve, shall help, will need, and will stay - express actions that will take place in the future.

These verbs are in the simple future tense. The simple future tense of the verb is formed by adding will or shall before the base form of the verb.

The traditional rules for the use of shall and will are as follows:

1. To express the simple future tense of the verb,

shall is paired with the first person pronouns I and we

will is paired with the second and third pronouns you, he, she, it, and they

Examples:

• Efren Penaflorida said, "I shall give a lecture on personal advocacy next Friday."

• They will finish their reports by next week.

The traditional rules for the use of shall and will are as follows:

2. To express determination, promise, obligation, and permission,

will is paired with the first person pronouns

shall is paired with the second and third pronouns

Examples:

• Efren Penaflorida said, "I will donate my prize money to the street children of Manila."

• You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Today, will is more commonly used than shall to express the simple future tense, totally neglecting the old rules.

Shall is used in all persons in formal writing and speech to express determination, and in the language of laws and rules.

Some time expressions that indicate future actions are:

• later
• tomorrow
• tonight
• afterwards
• in the next day
• on Friday
• next week