FUTURE TENSES
GOING TO
WILL
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
FUTURE TENSES
In English, we have some ways of talking
about the future: GOING TO, WILL, and So,
how are they different?
GOING TO
Read these sentences. What is the common future theme?
• I’m going to stay with some friends over the Easter holiday.
• Are you going to mention the mistake to your boss? FUTURE PLANS
AND
• She isn’t going to accept that job offer – the salary is too low. INTENTIONS
• I’m not going to go out tonight – I’m very tired.
GOING TO
Did the person decide at that moment, or did they previously make that decision?
• I’m going to stay with some friends over the Easter holiday.
• Are you going to mention the mistake to your boss?
• She isn’t going to accept that job offer – the salary is too low.
• I’m not going to go out tonight – I’m very tired.
THEY MADE THAT DECISION PREVIOUSLY
GOING TO
Okay, so ‘going to + infinitive’ is used to talk about future PLANS AND INTENTIONS.
Make questions from the prompts below, and then ask and answer each other in pairs in
the break out rooms.
1. You / buy / anything this week? What / you / buy?
2. You /continue / studying at Cambridge / next year? Why (not)?
3. You / go / on holiday / this summer? Where/ you / go?
4. You / go out / this weekend? What / you / do?
GOING TO
Okay, so ‘going to + infinitive’ is used to talk about future PLANS AND INTENTIONS.
Make questions from the prompts below, and then ask and answer each other in pairs in
the break out rooms.
1. Are you going to buy anything this week? What are you going to buy?
2. Are you going to continue studying at Cambridge next year? Why (not)?
3. Are you going to go on holiday this summer? Where are you going to go?
4. Are you going to go out this weekend? What are you going to do?
GOING TO
We can also use GOING TO another way. We use it when we predict the future, based on
what we can see, hear, or if we already have experience of something.
EXAMPLES:
• The baby is very close to the oven - she’s going to burn her hand!
• The judges all love your work – you’re going to win the competition.
• Oh, No! Mark is going to give the presentation – it’s going to be really boring!
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
IT’S GOING TO RAIN
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
HE’S GOING TO SCORE A GOAL
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
THE DOGS ARE GOING TO RUN
INTO THE ROAD
WILL
THERE ARE FOUR WAYS OF USING FUTURE WILL:
1 PREDICTIONS BASED ON HOPES AND BELIEFS ex: I hope it will be sunny at the weekend.
2 SPONTANEOUS DECISIONS ex: I’m hungry. I know! I’ll order a pizza!
3 OFFERS (also use ‘shall’) ex: I’ll drive you home. Shall I make some tea?
4 PROMISES ex: I will always love him. I won’t tell anyone your secret.
WILL
WILL is a modal verb, so we use will + infinitive to make sentences.
We contract will to ‘ll, and will + not is won’t. Ex: I’ll come to the party, but I won’t dance.
For questions, we use will + subject + infinitive. Ex: Will he be late?
When we answer a question, we say: Yes, subject will, or No, subject won’t.
WILL
Decide if these sentences are predictions, promises, instant decisions, or offers.
1. I’ll phone her right away. Instant decision
2. I’ll pay you back tomorrow. Promise
3. I’ll cook dinner tonight. Offer
4. You’ll love this restaurant – it’s Brenda’s favourite. Prediction
Promise
5. I won’t forget your birthday!
Offer
6. Shall I turn on the air conditioning?
Instant decision
7. I’ll have the toasted sandwich and a coke, please.
What's the difference
between 'Will' and 'be going
WILL + INFINITIVE
A decision at the moment of speaking:
to‘? BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE
A decision before the moment of speaking:
Julie: There's no milk. Julie: There's no milk.
John: Really? In that case, I'll go and get some. John: I know. I'm going to go and get some when this
TV programme finishes.
A prediction based on opinion: A prediction based on something we can see (or
hear) now:
I think the Purple Party will win the next election.
The Purple Party are going to win the election. They
already have most of the votes.
For promises / requests / refusals / offers:
I'll help you tomorrow, if you like.
Directions: Circle the correct future tense phrase in the following sentences.
1. I am feeling energetic. So, I think I (will / am going to) wash my car.
2. It has been decided that we (will / are going to) to climb Mount Everest next week.
3. Who wants to come with me to the movie tonight? -Oh that sounds fun. I (will / am going to) come with you.
4. We have already made plans for the vacation. We have decided that we (will / are going to) visit Uncle Bill in
Montana.
5. Tonight seems like a nice night to be outside. I think I (will / am going to) go for a walk after dinner.
6. Have you thought about what you want to do after college? -Yes, I have decided that I (will / am going to)
become an engineer.
7. I guess I (will / am going to) help you clean the kitchen if no one else will.
8. My car tires look low on air. I think I (will / am going to) fill them up at the next gas station.
9. The weather man said that it (will / is going to) rain tomorrow.
10. Okay, I have an idea. After we play the game, we (will / are going to) get some ice cream!
11. I think my dad said we (will / are going to) go to the beach this weekend.
12. Look at that man jumping on that roof! He (will / is going to) fall!