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The future in English can be rather confusing. There are two future forms used in most
conversations: the future with 'will' and the future with 'going to'. The main difference
between the two forms is that 'going to' is used for plans and intentions made before the
moment of speaking, and the 'will' to speak about the future at the moment of speaking.
Study these basic forms and then use the referenced resources to practice these forms.
Teachers can print out these materials for use in-class, or find help with how to teach
future forms, as well as the lesson plans suggested below.
There are two basic future tenses used to describe things that happen in the future. Besides
these two there are some other future tenses which can be started on the advanced
future tenses page. The first future tense is the future with 'will'. Use the future with will to
talk about an event in the future that you have just decided to do, for predictions and for
promises.
The future with 'going to' is used to express events you have already planned in the future
and your intentions for the future. We sometimes also use the present continuous for
planned events in the near future.
Positive
Negative
Questions
Positive
Negative
Questions
Planning a
(two neighbors talking)
Martha:...What a horrible weather today. I'd love to go out, but I think it _______(1) continue
raining.
Jane:Oh, I don't know. Maybe the sun _______(2) come out later this afternoon.
Martha:I hope you're right. Listen, I________(3) have a party this Saturday. Would you like to
come?
Jane:Oh, I'd love to come. Thank you for inviting me. Who________(4) come to the party?
Martha:Well, some people haven't told me yet. But, Peter and Mark __________(5) help out with
the cooking!
Jane:Hey, I_____(6) help, too!
Martha:No, I don't think so. Just a chance to get together and have fun.
Jane:I'm sure it____(12) be lots of fun.
Martha:No, no. As I child, I always wanted a clown. Now, I__________(14) have my clown at my own
party.
Jane:I'm sure everyone ______(15) have a good laugh.
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
How does Jane react to the news about the Italian cousins?
Does Martha know exactly how many people are going to come? If yes, how many. If
not, why not?
Go to work
Make lunch
Have a a party
4. Why does Jane change her mind about cooking lasagna for the party?
There'll be a clown.
Multiple choice.
It's beautiful.
It's terrible.
It's snowing.
Q5: How does Jane react to the news about the Italian cousins?
Q8: Does Martha know exactly how many people are going to come?
Q9: How does Jane think people will react to the clown?
You can use both 'will' or 'going to' in the future, but we generally use 'going to' when
speaking about plans:
Make promises:
GRAMMAR QUIZ
1. What _____ you _______ (do) next weekend? Do you have any plans?
2. David: I'm hungry! Ken: I ________ (make) you a sandwich. What do you want?
3. I __________ (finish) the report by the end of next week. You can believe me.
4. What do you think you ________ (study) when you go to college in five years?
5. He promises they _______ (deliver) the package by the end of the week.
6. I've finally made up my mind. I __________ (become) a lawyer when I grown up.
7. It's hard to predict the future. I think we _______ (live) here for a long time, but you
never know.
5. The weather ___________(be) dreadful tomorrow. But I doubt that it _____________(snow) in June.
7. In 300 years people __________________ (travel) with flying cars instead of airplanes.
10. I think that schools __________ (not/use) ______________ books- they _______ (give) every child a
tablet computer.