Look at these examples to see how will, going to and the present continuous are used.
Oh great! That meeting after work's been cancelled. I'll go to that yoga class instead.
I'm going to try to visit my relatives in Australia this year.
The restaurant is reserved for 8. We're having a drink at Beale's first.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Grammar explanation
We use different verb forms to talk about our plans for the future, depending on what kind of plan it is: a spontaneous plan, a pre-decided plan or an arrangement.
will
We use will to talk about spontaneous plans decided at the moment of speaking.
Oops, I forgot to phone Mum! I'll do it after dinner.
I can't decide what to wear tonight. I know! I'll wear my green shirt.
There's no milk. I'll buy some when I go to the shops.
going to
We use going to to talk about plans decided before the moment of speaking.
I'm going to phone Mum after dinner. I told her I'd call at 8 o'clock.
I'm going to wear my black dress tonight.
I'm going to go to the supermarket after work. What do we need?
Present continuous
We usually use the present continuous when the plan is an arrangement – already confirmed with at least one other person and we know the time and place.
I'm meeting Jane at 8 o'clock on Saturday.
We're having a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?
We often use the present continuous to ask about people's future plans.
Are you doing anything interesting this weekend?
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Comments
This is a really helpful rule on how to tell the difference between will, to be going to and present continuous, which is not only understandable but has pretty good examples that show how one can actually use it in their speech or essays. For students who are willing to pass the language examination, it is essential to know the ways to express their future plans and just be able to make a point using complex grammar.
Excellent information regarding Simple Future Tense.Different uses were explained with ample examples.
Hi Sir,
I am very confused about the use of future tenses.
The new film is opening (How about: opens, is due to open, is to open, will open, will be opening) at the Eldorado on Saturday.
We are to receive (receive, are due to receive, are receiving, will receive, will be receiving) a per cent wage rise in June.
The President is to return to Brazil today (returns, is due to return, is returning, will return, will be returning).
Thanks a lot for your help teachers!
Hi Anisha00329,
Yes, there are a lot of ways to refer to the future :) Let me try to explain.
As you can see, some meanings are similar. In real language use, there are usually several possible ways to say something, and not just a single correct answer. The option we choose depends on how we want to represent the action (e.g. as a fact, a scheduled event, an organised event that people know about, etc.). So, it usually depends a lot on the context in which we are speaking or writing.
For more about the meanings in 1 and 5, have a look at the examples above on this page. For more about sentence 2, see the section titled Present simple and future time here. For more about the future continuous (sentence 6), see this page.
I hope that helps to make sense of the second set of examples too.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
It's very important for future tense
it is really wonderful and useful in future
Hi!
In this exercise: "What _are you going to do_ after you finish university?"
I don't understand why is "are you going to" instead of "are you doing", for is asking someone about their future plans.
Thanks!
Hi Claudia,
You're right that What are you doing after you finish university? is about future plans. But the present continuous is for plans that are already arranged and confirmed (see the Present continuous section above for some examples). So, What are you doing ...? is fine, if you want to ask someone specifically about their confirmed future plans.
But often, we want to ask someone more generally about their ideas or intentions for the future (i.e. not necessarily confirmed arrangements). What are you going to do? is the best question in this case.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Very useful! Thank you.
Please moderator! Can we continue using this site even at the end of the 30 days? beacause i find it very very useful for teachers in charge of the courses.
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