Future: Will, Going to, and Present Continuous

Will

Simple future tense helps indicate that something will happen in the future. A future tense with will is used to state something with absolute certainty.

The structure for a future tense with will is: subject + will + base of a verb.

Grammatical structure

I will eat at Fuddruckers. ---------------- Positive sentence

The structure of a negative future tense is: subject + will + not + base of a verb.

I will not join you for lunch today.

Remember, that won’t is a contraction of will not.

(Doorbell rings) “That will be Jeremy, I invited him for coffee.” (belief – present)

I think it’ll rain this weekend. (prediction)

I don’t think you will like him. (negative prediction)

Notice that for negative predictions, we make the “think” negative, not the “will”.

examples

Although we don’t generally use “will” to talk about plans for the future, we can use it to talk about beliefs or predictions.

​Believes about the present or future

1. I’ll just have a coffee, I’m not hungry.

2. I’m not sure when I’m free, I’ll let you know by tomorrow.

3. I’m cold, I think I’ll turn the heating on.

​Examples

In a restaurant when the waiter or waitress asks you what you would like, you normally make a decision at more or less the time of speaking, for this reason we use the expression “I’ll have…”

to express willingness – offers

1. Don’t worry, I’ll go shopping tomorrow.

2. I’ll help you make dinner!

3. Will you marry me?

Examples

Willingness is a complicated word to explain, however, it is clear that it is derived from the word “will”. If I want to do something, if I am happy to volunteer to do something, I am willing to help. So when I speak to express that I am willing to help or to offer to do something I use “will”.

to refuse to do something

1. She won’t tell you her secrets.

2. I won’t allow this to continue.

Examples

In the same way that we can show willingness by using “will”, we can show the opposite attitude, a refusal to help with “will not” or “won’t”. Interestingly, this applies to animals and inanimate objects too.

1. I swear I’ll never cheat on you again.

2. I assure you we will do our best to get to the bottom of this.

3. You’ll never be alone, I’ll be there for you

Examples

We often use words like “I promise, I swear, I assure you… ” to emphasise a promise about the future with will.

to make requests:

1. Will you help me on this project, please?

2. Will you sign this petition?

3. Will you please be quiet!

Examples

With this type of question, we are asking if someone is willing to carry out the request.

to make a threat or give a warning

going to

Going to is not a tense. It is a special structure that we use to talk about the future.

Ex:

I am going to buy a new car.

Subject + be + going + to-infinitive

The verb be is conjugated according to the subject (am, are, is)

​I am going to approve all my subjects (positive sentence)

He is not going to take the exam. (negative sentence)

Are we going to look the meteor shower tonight? (question)

• We're not going to paint our bedroom tomorrow.

• When are you going to go on holiday?

  .

Examples

We use going to when we have the intention to do something before we speak. We have already made a decision before speaking.

For intention

​We had an intention or plan before speaking. The decision was made before speaking

Things that have already been decided.

• I'm really tired so I'm going to sleep early tonight.

• He's not going to speak at the conference.

• Are you going to come to my place tomorrow?

Examples

We can use "going to" to describe a planned action that will happen in the near future. In this situation, we've already decided or planned this action.

• It's 7 PM and the sun is going down. It's going to be dark soon.

• Only five people signed up? My boss is not going to speak to such a small audience.

Examples

We can use "going to" to express a prediction  (a guess or estimate) about what may happen in the future based on what is happening right now.

The present continuous can refer to the future. It shows that we have already decided something and usually that we have already made a plan or arrangements:

The band is visiting Denmark next May.

I am taking the train to Paris tomorrow.

⚠️Warning⚠️

We don’t use the present continuous when we predict something. Instead, we use going to or will:

It’s going to rain again soon.

❌Not: It’s raining again soon.❌