There is no obvious future tense in English corresponding to the time/tense relation for present and past. Instead there are several possibilities for denoting future time.. Futurity, modality and aspect are closely related, and future time is rendered by means of modal auxiliaries or semi-auxiliaries, or by simple present forms or progressive forms.
The future and modal functions of the auxiliaries SHALL and WILL can hardly be separated, but SHALL and, particularly, WILL are the closest approximation to a colourless, neutral future. WILL for future can be used in all persons, whereas SHALL for first person is ;argely restricted.
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