The Future Of Investing: Navigating The Complex World Of 'Will Invest' Tense

The verb to invest has several forms in different tenses. In the present simple (indefinite) tense, it is invest, while in the present continuous (progressive) tense, it becomes is investing. The past tense of invest is invested, and in the past continuous (progressive) tense, it is was investing. In the future simple (indefinite) tense, invest becomes will invest, and in the future continuous (progressive) tense, it is will be investing.

Simple future tense

The simple future tense is used to refer to actions or states that will begin and end in the future. These events have not happened yet, but will happen at some point in the future.

The simple future tense is formed using the auxiliary verb "will" with a main verb. The formula is "will" + [root form of the main verb]. For example:

> I will learn a new language.

> Frey will perform the lead role in the play.

> I will have more information for you the next time we talk.

"Will" is conjugated the same way, regardless of the sentence's subject, person, or number. Unlike verbs in many other languages, English verbs don't change form, which is known as conjugation. The word "will" is the only thing needed to convey that the action takes place in the future.

To indicate that something won't happen, a similar formula is followed but with the addition of the word "not" to indicate the negative: "will" + "not" + [root form of the main verb]. For example:

> The package will not arrive in time for the party.

> I will not finish washing the dishes before I have to leave for class.

> They will not tell us anything about their new friend.

The simple future tense can be used in various ways, including:

• Making predictions or guesses about the future: "He said it will rain tomorrow."
• Asking questions about the future: "Will we find the pirate treasure?"
• Expressing factual statements about the future: "It will be a leap year next year."
• Considering future possibilities or conditions: "If I fail this test, my parents will take away my phone."
• Making commands: "You will do exactly as I say."

Future progressive tense

The future progressive tense, also known as the future continuous tense, is used to describe an ongoing action that will occur in the future. It is formed with the words "will" and "be" plus the present participle of the verb. For example, "John will be baking a cake" and "They will be painting the fence" are both sentences constructed in the future progressive tense.

The future progressive tense is useful when describing multiple actions happening in the future or planned/confirmed future events taking place at a specific time. It is also used to describe a future action that will be interrupted by another action. For example, "I will be taking a shower when the guests arrive".

The future progressive tense can be used to make polite offers or inquiries, giving a less direct and more formal tone. For example, "Will you be needing any help?". It can also be used to describe likely hypothetical situations in the future. For instance, "We'll be driving hover cars any day now".

The future progressive tense is one of four future tenses. The other three are the future perfect tense, the future perfect progressive, and the simple future tense. The future progressive tense differs from the simple future tense in that it refers to a continuous action over a specific period of time in the future. For example, "I will be dancing all night" is future progressive, while "I will dance" is simple future.

The future progressive tense is formed as follows:

[will] + [be] + [present participle of verb]

For example, "She will be speaking in the auditorium this evening". When using the future progressive tense in a negative sentence, insert "not" after "will" and before "be". For example, "She will not be joining us this evening".

Future perfect tense

The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will be completed at a specified point in the future. It is formed by using "will have" followed by the past participle of the verb. For example:

> By 9 a.m., I will have finished my breakfast.

Here, the future perfect action (finishing breakfast) will be completed at a specified point in the future (by 9 a.m.).

The future perfect tense is often used with a time expression that identifies a point in the future. For example:

> John will have baked a cake before you arrive.

Here, the future perfect action (baking a cake) will be completed before another future action (you arriving).

The future perfect tense can also be used to express a conviction about something that will happen at a certain time in the future:

> I don't think she will have finished her homework by the time the teacher collects it.

Here, the speaker is expressing their belief that the future perfect action (finishing homework) will not be completed before a specified point in the future (the teacher collecting the homework).

The future perfect tense is typically used to say that a future event will be completed before another one begins. For example:

> When the sun rises, we will have left.

Here, the future perfect action (leaving) will be completed before another future event (the sun rising).

It is important to note that the future perfect tense is only used when there is a stated deadline or when comparing future events. If there is no deadline mentioned, the simple future tense should be used instead. For example:

> ❌ Incorrect: I will have become a famous musician someday.

> ✅ Correct: I will become a famous musician someday.

In summary, the future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will be completed at a specified point in the future, and it follows the formula: subject + "will have" + past participle. It is used to talk about events that will be finished before another point in the future or before another event, and it helps to indicate the sequence of future events.

Future continuous tense

The future continuous tense is a verb tense that describes an action that will continue over a specific period of time in the future. It is formed by using the words "will" and "be" plus the present participle of the verb, and it indicates an ongoing action that will be happening at a given point in the future. For example, "I will be dancing all night" indicates a continuous action over a specific period of time, whereas "I will dance" indicates an intention to dance in the future without specifying the duration.

The future continuous tense is often confused with other future tenses, such as the simple future tense and the future perfect continuous tense. Unlike the simple future tense, the future continuous tense is used with a specified period of time and indicates more certainty about the action taking place. For instance, "They will be promoting me to manager on Friday" is in the future continuous tense and expresses certainty, while "They will promote me to manager one day" is in the simple future tense and expresses less certainty.

The future continuous tense is also different from the future perfect continuous tense, which describes actions that will continue into the future without a specified end date. For example, "I will be working as a sales assistant from November to December" is in the future continuous tense because it specifies a time frame, whereas "In December, I will have been working as a sales assistant for a year" is in the future perfect continuous tense because it lacks a specific end date.

The future continuous tense can be used in various ways, including affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. Here are some examples:

• Affirmative: "I will be going to the movies tomorrow."
• Negative: "I won't be going to the party tonight."
• Interrogative: "Will your parents be coming to the party?"

It is important to note that the future continuous tense should not be used with stative verbs like "want," "need," "love," or "hate." Instead, the simple future tense should be used with these verbs. For example, "I will be needing help tomorrow" is incorrect, and the correct form would be "I will need help tomorrow."

In summary, the future continuous tense is used to describe ongoing actions that will happen over a specific period of time in the future. It is formed by using "will", "be", and the present participle of the verb, and it is helpful for expressing multiple future actions, planned events at specific times, and likely hypothetical situations.

Future perfect continuous tense

The future perfect continuous tense is a verb tense that describes actions that will continue up until a point in the future. It is composed of the future perfect of the verb "to be" ("will have been") plus the present participle of the main verb (base verb + "ing"). This tense is not often used in conversation due to its complexity.

Subject + Helping verbs (will + have + been) + Present participle form of the main verb + the rest of the sentence

For example:

"By January, I will have been living in San Francisco for ten years."

"By the time I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years."

"By next summer, I will have been saving for a new car."

The future perfect continuous tense is used to project ourselves forward in time and to look back at the duration of an activity. The activity may have begun in the past, present, or future, but it is expected to continue into the future. It is often used with a time expression to emphasise the length of an activity or event.

Some more examples of the future perfect continuous tense in use:

"By the time I turn thirty, I will have been playing piano for twenty-one years."

"By the time we finish the race, we will have been running for two hours."

"When I come at 6:00, will you have been practicing long?"

Frequently asked questions