Can we use the Present Simple for the Future? The Present Simple is the tense we use to express ordinary, regular actions in the present. But besides this, we can also talk about the future using the Present Simple.
Usually, we use the Present Simple to talk about a fact or a well-known truth:
Lions live in Africa.
Therefore, we use the Present Simple when we talk about the future.
The main rule when we use Present Simple for Future
The main rule is: we use the Present Simple in this case only if we are talking about something that will happen because it is a fact.
It means we use the Present Simple for:
- Timetables of transport, buses, trains, aircraft, etc.
- Schedules of events, concerts, seminars, and holidays.
- Schedules of sessions in theaters, cinemas, sports competitions, etc.
- Plans that are fixed and therefore cannot be changed.
We do not use the Present Simple to express our guesses about what will or will not happen.
The Present Simple expresses what has been planned and often happens on a regular basis.
How to form sentences in Present Simple for Future
When we use the Present Simple to talk about the future, we form affirmative (positive), interrogative (question), and negative sentences according to all the rules of the Present Simple.
Affirmative (Positive) Sentences.
We use the common order of words in our affirmative (positive) sentences. We use the base form of the main verb. We add the -s ending (or -es) to the main verb if we use a verb with the subject in the third-person singular (he, she, it).
Subject (I, you, John, friends, dog,) + main verb (love, watch, jump) + the rest of the sentence.
The plane arrives at 16:00 from Zurich.
His ship leaves at four o’clock.
Negative Sentences.
We form a negative sentence with the help of the auxiliary verb do and the negative not.
Do + not = Do not.
For the 3rd person singular (He, She, It) we use does + not = Does not.
Subject (I, you, John, friends, dog,) + do not / does not + main verb (love, watch, jump) + the rest of the sentence.
She does not leave the city tomorrow.
Interrogative (Question) Sentences.
To ask a question, we put the auxiliary verb do first. If the subject in the sentence is the third-person singular (he, she, it) then we must use does.
do/does + subject (I, you, John, friends, dog) + main verb (love, watch, jump) + the rest of the sentence.
Does my plane leave in seven hours?
Do they leave in three weeks?
If we ask a Wh-Question, then we put at the very beginning a question word or phrase:
question word or phrase + do/does + subject (I, you, John, friends, dog,) + main verb (love, watch, jump) + the rest of the sentence.
Why does my plane leave in seven hours?
Where do they leave in three weeks?
You can also read the main article about The Present Simple.
When we use Present Simple to indicate the future?
Let’s see in what cases we use the Present Simple when we talk about the future.
- We use the Present Simple for Transport schedules.
The ship leaves at 12 pm.
Your train leaves from Platform 10.
- We use the Present Simple for Schedules of events.
The party starts at 5 pm tomorrow.
Target opens at 9:00, I think.
The museum opens at 10 am, it gives us 15 hours.
- We use the Present Simple for Schedules of sessions.
My daughter’s school play starts at 1:00.
The evening show starts at 7:30.
The briefing starts at 2:00.
- We use the Present Simple for Plans that are fixed and cannot be changed.
I go to the dentist on Tuesday.
Present Simple after words after, before, as soon as, when, once, until
There is another case when we use the Present Simple although we are talking about something that will happen in the future.
We use the Present Simple after the words:
- when
- once
- until
- after
- before
- as soon as
She will be fine as soon as she is home.
I will be staying with him until he recovers.
I will let you out, as soon as she leaves.
I’ll look at it before I eat and before I sleep.
I’ll handle it after you go.
Should I stay here after you go?
