Future simple / perfect
Grammar 4: Future Simple vs. Future Perfect
As a 2ème Année Bac student in Morocco, mastering future tenses is essential for writing, speaking, and grammar sections. Let’s break down the Future Simple and Future Perfect—two key tenses that express actions in the future, but in very different ways.
1. Future Simple: “Will + Base Verb”
Use it for:
- Predictions: It will rain tomorrow.
- Spontaneous decisions: I’ll help you with your homework.
- Promises or offers: She will call you later.
- Facts about the future: The exam will start at 9 a.m.
Structure: Subject + will + base verb
Examples:
→ They will travel to Casablanca next week.
→ I think he will pass the Bac.
2. Future Perfect: “Will Have + Past Participle”
Use it for:
- An action that **will be completed before a specific time or event in the future**.
→ By June, I will have finished all my revision.
→ At 6 p.m., she will have left school.
Structure: Subject + will have + past participle
Examples:
→ By the time you arrive, we will have eaten.
→ They will have submitted their projects by Friday.
Key Signal Words
These often appear with the Future Perfect:
- By + time: By 2027, I will have graduated.
- By the time...: By the time he wakes up, the sun will have risen.
- Before... (referring to a future moment): Before the exam, I will have reviewed everything.
Future Simple vs. Future Perfect – Compare!
| Future Simple | Future Perfect |
|---|---|
| I will study tonight. | By midnight, I will have studied for 4 hours. |
| They will visit Fez next summer. | By next summer, they will have visited five Moroccan cities. |
Quick Practice (Bac Exam Style)
Choose the correct tense:
- Don’t call at 8 p.m.—I ______ (watch / will be watching / will have watched) the news.
- By the end of this year, she ______ (will finish / will have finished) her Bac preparation.
- I think robots ______ (will replace / will have replaced) many jobs in the future.
✅ Answers: 1. will be watching (or will watch, depending on context—but Future Simple fits best here)
2. will have finished
3. will replace
Final Tips for Bac Students
- Use Future Perfect only when there’s a clear future deadline or reference point (“by Friday,” “by the time…”).
- In essays or letters, Future Perfect shows advanced grammar—great for higher marks!
- Avoid overusing “will”—sometimes “going to” is better for plans, but stick to “will” for predictions and promises in formal writing.
With practice, you’ll know exactly when to use each future tense. Keep going—you’re on your way to Bac success!