5.2.1: Future- Will or Be Going to
- Page ID
- 271171
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| Explanation | Will | Be Going To |
|---|---|---|
| For a promise | He will call you in 5 minutes. | |
| For an offer to help | I will carry this heavy box for you. | |
| To decide at the time of speaking without a previous plan | Q: What would you like to order? A: I think I will have the chicken. |
|
| For a future action that will happen soon | He is going to teach at the college next month. | |
| For a planned action | My son and his wife are going to adopt a child. | |
| For a fact about the future | The next class will be in room 212. | The next class is going to be in room 212. |
| For a prediction | The teacher will come soon. | The teacher is going to come soon. |
| For a prediction with evidence | He is driving too fast. He is going to crash! |
Practice 4
Directions: Use "will" or "be going to" to fill in the blank. In some sentences, you can use both.
- I love you very much. I _____________________________ you. (always/love)
- We're hungry. We _____________________________ after class. (get something to eat)
- (A) It's hot in here. (B) I _____________________________ a window. (open)
- People _____________________________ more free time in the next 20 years. (have)
- Marco is tired. He _____________________________ at home tonight. (eat dinner)
- (A): I have to move next Sunday. (B): I _____________________________ you pack. (help)
- Larry left the door open. The cat_____________________________ (get) out!
- I think Americans _____________________________ longer in the future. (live)
- (A): I don't want to cook tonight. (B): Take a break. I _____________________________ tonight. (cook)
- The sky is full of dark clouds. It _____________________________ (rain).
Videos and Other Resources
Watch this video to learn more about future tenses...
Watch this video for more information about the future continuous...
Watch this video and this video about future time clauses...
For more information and exercises about future continuous, try this website and this website...
Practice Using the Future Tenses
Read the article "Five Things That Will Make You Happier" by Clara Moskowitz
Make a plan to boost your happiness for the rest of the semester. What do you plan to do? How do you predict it will help? How certain are you about the results? Write a paragraph using some of the future tenses to explain your plans.
Some content on this page from Grammar Slides for English Learners (Ferguson) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Sara Ferguson.