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5 - Future Simple With Going To Vs Will

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14 views5 pages

5 - Future Simple With Going To Vs Will

Uploaded by

Fernando Sabino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What's the difference?

'Will' and 'be


going to'

Will + infinitive Be going to + infinitive


A decision at the moment of
A decision before the moment of speaking:
speaking:
Julie: There's no milk.
Julie: There's no milk.
John: I know. I'm going to go and get some when
John: Really? In that case, I'll go
this TV programme finishes.
and get some.
A prediction based on opinion: A prediction based on something we can see (or
hear) now:
I think the Conservatives will win
the next election. The Conservatives are going to win the election.
They already have most of the votes.
A future fact:

The sun will rise tomorrow.


For promises / requests / refusals /
offers:

I'll help you tomorrow, if you like.

More examples:

 (The phone rings)


Julie: I'll get it!
('I'm going to get it' is very strange, because it makes us think that Julie knew the
phone was going to ring before it did).

 I'm going to go on holiday next week.


('I'll go on holiday next week' makes it sound like you've only just decided at
that minute. Of course, this is possible, but normally we plan our holidays more
in advance!).

Other points about the future:

We use the present continuous tense for definite future arrangements. Often, it doesn't
really matter if we choose 'be going to' or the present continuous. In the following
example, there is really very little difference in meaning:

 I'm going to the cinema tonight.


 I'm going to go to the cinema tonight.

We use the present simple tense in two cases. First, we use it for a timetabled event in
the future, like public transport or the start of a class:

 My train leaves at six tonight.


 His class starts at 9am tomorrow.

Second, we use it after certain words, when the sentence has a future meaning. These
words are: before / after / as soon as / until / when:

 I'll call you when I get home.


 She's going to study after she finishes dinner.
 Please drink some water as soon as you complete the race.

Will and Going To


When talking about the future, we can use will..., going to...or the Present Continuous.

Use will to talk facts or things that we believe are true.


"I'm sure you will love learning English in Malta. It's a great place."

Going to is used with predictions.

When you are making a decision use will; use going to after the decision has been
made. We sometimes also use the present continuous for planned events in the near
future.

When we want to talk about future facts or things we believe to be true about the future,
we use will.

Would you like to learn English abroad? Visit EC English and start your journey to
success.

 1. "Where are you going on holiday?" I don't know yet, maybe ___ to India.

I will go

I am going

 2. Are you watching the game? It's 5 - 2, they ___ win the match!

are going to

will

 3. I think you ___ like this movie.

will

are going to

 4. We ___ get married next year.


will

are getting

 5. I can't join you at the party, I ___ away for two weeks.

will be

am going to be

 6. You ___ Mr Thompson tomorrow at 10.00.

will see

are seeing

 7. Have you heard? Jean is pregnant – ___ have a baby.

she will

is going to

 8. This exercise looks really hard – I ___ help you.

will

am going to

 9. Don't forget that we ___ out with Sue and Peter tonight!

are going

will go
 10. Look at that beautiful sky! It most certainly ___ rain today.

isn't going to

won't

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