What's the difference between simple future tense and progressive future tense?

What's the difference between simple future tense and progressive future tense?

by Rham Ferrer
(Philippines)

I will be leaving tomorrow...

What's the difference between simple future tense and progressive future tense?

What's the difference between the two tenses?

For example:
Simple future tense – I will leave tomorrow.
Progressive Future Tense - I will be leaving tomorrow.

Do they have the same meaning?

Thank you very much for your help. This is a wonderful site to learn english.

Comments for What's the difference between simple future tense and progressive future tense?

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 14, 2013
Wow
by: Anonymous

The explanation is really good and helpful for the parents as well as students.

Feb 10, 2012
Aboout Simple Future
by: Anonymous

Thanks for the information you wrote. It was really helpful in my assignments,
and I really appreciate it.

Dec 04, 2010
Cool :)
by: Ola Zur

Hi,

Thanks! I am happy this explanation was helpful :)

And feel free to let me know if there is some subject you want to learn which is not on the site.

Now, regarding your grammar:
Generally speaking it seems quite good. There are, however, two important recommendations I would like to give you:
1) Use capital letters when needed. Here is a great summary of the subject: Capitalization

2) Use a spell checker. Even the best writers can make typing mistakes. It is very helpful to check anything you write in a spell checking software. For example, I am using Microsoft Word. It tells me if I've done a spelling mistake, and it can also tell me if I've done a grammar mistake (although it usually doesn't say which one).

Otherwise, keep up the good work!

Dec 04, 2010
very good explanation
by: Anonymous

madam Ola,
thank you very much for your response. you explained it very well and i understand now the difference..
the past few months i tried to apply as a call center agent but i was denied because i had a lot of mistakes in my grammar. i know that studying in your site will help me become a fluent english speaker someday. thanks and godbless!

P.S
if you find a mistake in my grammar pls correct me.

Dec 02, 2010
The difference...
by: Ola Zur

Hi Rham,

That's a good question.

Basically, both tenses tell you that the action will happen in the future.

If you simply want to state that the action will happen in the future ? you can use the simple present. This tense gives no other data than the time --> Future.

The future progressive, however, tells you two things.
1) It tells you the time of the action --> Future
2) It tells you that the action will be IN PROGRESS.
For example:
"Tomorrow at nine o'clock I will be watching TV ? so don't call me."
This sentence tells you that the action of watching will be IN PROGRESS at nine o'clock.

In conclusion, if you would like to say that the action will happen ? you can use the simple future tense.

If you would like to say that the action will happen, and you want to emphasize that it will be in progress at some time ? you can use the future progressive tense.

So "I will leave tomorrow" and "I will be leaving tomorrow" do have a very similar meaning! However, the second one puts emphasis on the continuation of the action.

Click on the following links for more data on:
- The simple future tense
- The future progressive tense

I hope this helps,
Ola

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Questions and Answers about English.