- Make positive and negative sentences and questions with will and won't
- Use am/is/are going to
- Choose between will and going to depending on the situation
The phone rings and you say: I'll answer it! Another time you tell a friend: I'm going to visit my grandma in Lankaran this weekend. Both sentences are about the future, but they mean different things: the first is a decision made right now, the second is a plan made earlier. English has two main ways to talk about the future: will and going to.
Will
Will is the same for all persons, and it is followed by the base form of the verb — without to. In speech we use the short form 'll, and the negative is won't (will not).
| Sentence | Example |
|---|---|
| Positive | I will (I'll) help you. She'll be late. |
| Negative | I will not (won't) tell anyone. |
| Question | Will you help me? |
| Short answer | Yes, I will. / No, I won't. |
- A decision made at the moment of speaking: It's cold. I'll close the window.
- Promises and offers: I'll help you with your homework. I won't be late, I promise.
- Predictions based on opinion (with I think, I'm sure, probably): I think our team will win. People will probably live on the Moon one day.
- Requests: Will you open the door, please?
Going to
Going to is formed like this: am/is/are + going to + base form of the verb. Negatives and questions work just like the verb to be.
| Pronoun | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I'm going to travel. | I'm not going to travel. | Am I going to travel? |
| he / she / it | She's going to travel. | She isn't going to travel. | Is she going to travel? |
| you / we / they | We're going to travel. | We aren't going to travel. | Are we going to travel? |
- Plans and intentions decided earlier: I'm going to study medicine. We're going to buy a new car next year.
- Predictions based on what you can see now: Look at those black clouds! It's going to rain. Be careful — you're going to fall!
Will or going to?
| Situation | will | going to |
|---|---|---|
| Decision | made right now: — We have no bread. — OK, I'll buy some. | made earlier: I'm going to buy bread after school. |
| Prediction | based on opinion: I think it will be sunny tomorrow. | based on something you can see: Look at the sky! It's going to rain. |
| Other uses | promises, offers, requests | intentions and plans |
Choose will or going to for each situation:
1) — The phone is ringing. — I ___ answer it.
2) We ___ visit Sheki next month. We booked the hotel yesterday.
3) Look at that boy on the wall! He ___ fall.
4) I think people ___ use flying cars in the future.
5) — I can't open this jar. — Give it to me, I ___ help you.
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2) are going to — a plan made earlier.
3) is going to — we can see the danger now.
4) will — a prediction based on opinion (I think).
5) 'll — an offer made on the spot.
- 1.— We have no bread. — OK, I (buy) some.
- 2.I (not / tell) anyone, I promise!
- 3.Look at those black clouds! It (rain).
- 4.I'll (call) you tomorrow.
- 5.What you going to do after school?
- 6.Are you going to travel this summer? — Yes, I .
- 7.Will you be at the party? — No, I .
Key points
- Will + base form: I'll help, she won't come, Will you …?
- Will is for decisions made while speaking, promises, offers and predictions based on opinion.
- Am/is/are going to + verb is for plans and for predictions based on what we can see.
- No to after will: I will go, not I will to go.
- The Present Continuous is also used for fixed arrangements: I'm meeting Leyla at 6.
Check yourself
10 questions. Every correct answer earns XP.