Practice
English practice 7: future plans and predictions
Sign in to saveYour friend says, "I forgot my umbrella." You can answer, "I'll lend you mine." If you made the plan earlier, you might say, "I'm going to buy an umbrella after work." The situation helps you choose the future form.
Choose will, be going to, or a present continuous form to talk clearly about a future decision, plan, arrangement, or prediction.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
We're going to meet on Friday. /wɪə ˈɡəʊ.ɪŋ tə miːt ɒn ˈfraɪ.deɪ/
The short answer
Use will for a decision you make now or a general prediction. Use be going to for an existing plan or evidence you can see now. Use the present continuous when an arrangement is already set.
I think the bus will be late today.
Why it works: I think introduces a general prediction, so will is a natural choice.
6 more examples
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I'll carry those bags for you.
The speaker offers help after seeing the bags, so the decision is made at that moment.
Not this:
I'm going to carrymy bag on the walk home. What changes: This sentence describes the speaker's own plan rather than a new offer. -
Mina is going to start a cooking course next month.
The course is part of Mina's plan for next month.
Not this:Mina
will starta cooking course when she finds one she likes. What changes: Will is possible for a future expectation, but the sentence does not say that Mina has already made a plan. -
We're meeting the estate agent at the flat on Friday.
The meeting has a person, place, and time, so it is a fixed arrangement.
Not this:
We're going to meetan estate agent when we choose a flat. What changes: Going to describes an intention. The arrangement is less specific because no meeting time is set. -
Look at those dark clouds. It's going to rain.
The speaker can see clouds that give evidence for the prediction.
Not this:I think it
will rainduring the weekend. What changes: This is a general prediction. The speaker does not point to evidence that is visible now. -
I think people will use this new path quickly.
I think shows the speaker's opinion about the future.
Not this:People
are going to usethe new path after the council opens it tomorrow. What changes: The opening gives a known future situation, so going to can describe the expected result. -
Are you going to join the book club this term?
This question asks about the listener's intention or plan.
Not this:
Are you joiningthe book club on Tuesday? What changes: The present continuous asks about a particular arrangement, with Tuesday giving a specific time.
Read the full guide
Do not choose a future form from the time word alone. Tomorrow can appear with all three patterns. Ask one question first: am I deciding now, describing a plan, referring to an arrangement, or making a prediction? Then check the grammar that follows. Will takes a base verb, going to takes a base verb after be, and the present continuous uses be plus an -ing form.
Choose the meaning before the form
Future time does not automatically mean will. The form depends on what the speaker is doing with the sentence. A person may make a decision now, describe a plan already made, mention an arranged meeting, or give a prediction. Read the whole situation before choosing the verb.
The phone is ringing. I'll answer it.
The decision happens when the speaker hears the phone, so will fits the immediate response.
Which question helps you choose a future form?
Ask what the speaker means: a decision now, a plan, an arrangement, or a prediction.
Use will for decisions, offers, and predictions
Use will when you decide something while you are speaking. It is common in offers, promises, and quick responses. Will also works with opinions and general predictions, especially after phrases such as I think, probably, and perhaps. Use the base form after will.
Don't worry. I'll send the directions tonight.
The speaker makes a promise during the conversation. Send stays in the base form after will.
I think the match will finish late.
This is the speaker's prediction. Will finish is followed by the base verb finish.
Which response is natural when someone asks for help: I'll help or I'm helping?
Use I'll help when you decide to help at that moment.
Use be going to for plans you already have
Use be going to when an intention existed before the moment of speaking. The plan can be simple or detailed. Choose am, is, or are to match the subject, then add going to and the base verb. A time phrase can make the plan clearer, but it does not create the form by itself.
We're going to paint the kitchen during the holiday.
We're is the form of be for we. Paint is the base verb after going to.
My brother is going to apply for a new job.
The sentence describes an intention that my brother already has.
What word comes after going to in They are going to ___ early?
Use a base verb, such as leave: They are going to leave early.
Use be going to when present evidence supports a prediction
Be going to can also describe a prediction when the speaker can see or know evidence now. The evidence does not need to guarantee the result. It gives a reason for the prediction at this moment.
That shelf is shaking. It's going to fall.
The shaking shelf is evidence that supports the prediction.
The baby is rubbing her eyes. She's going to sleep soon.
Her tired behavior is the evidence that the speaker notices now.
Which form often fits a prediction after Look at those clouds?
Use be going to: Look at those clouds. It's going to rain.
Use the present continuous for arrangements
The present continuous can refer to the future when a personal arrangement is fixed. The sentence often includes another person, a place, or a time. Use am, is, or are plus a verb ending in -ing. This form is useful for appointments, travel plans, and social meetings.
I'm seeing the nurse at half past ten tomorrow.
The appointment has a person and a clear time, so the present continuous describes the arrangement.
They are catching the early train on Saturday.
The early train and Saturday make this planned travel arrangement specific.
How do you describe a fixed dinner plan for Thursday?
You can say, We're having dinner with Eva on Thursday.
Check the grammar after you choose the form
Each future pattern has its own grammar. After will, use the base verb, not to or an -ing form. After be going to, use the base verb. In a present-continuous arrangement, use be plus an -ing form. A negative sentence changes the helper: won't, am not going to, or isn't meeting.
She will call after lunch.
Call is the base verb after will. She will to call is not correct.
We aren't going to stay late.
Aren't makes the be going to plan negative, while stay remains the base verb.
Which sentence is correct: He will arrives at six or He will arrive at six?
Use He will arrive at six. The verb after will stays in the base form.
Before you go
Remember this
First decide what the speaker means. Use will for a new decision, offer, promise, or general prediction. Use be going to for an existing intention or a prediction with evidence. Use the present continuous for a planned arrangement with details. Then check that the verb after the future form has the right shape.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice 7: future plans and predictions"
When should I use will to talk about the future?
Use will for a decision you make as you speak, an offer, a promise, or a general prediction. For example, I'll carry those bags for you is an offer made after the speaker sees the bags. I think people will use this new path quickly is a prediction based on the speaker's opinion.
I'll carry those bags for you.
What is the difference between will and be going to?
Will often expresses a new decision or a general prediction. Be going to usually expresses an intention that already exists or a prediction supported by present evidence. Compare I'll carry those bags for you with Mina is going to start a cooking course next month.
I'm going to carry my bag on the walk home.
Why can be going to describe a prediction?
Use be going to for a prediction when something you can see now gives you a reason for it. In Look at those dark clouds. It's going to rain, the clouds are present evidence. In I think it will rain during the weekend, the speaker gives a more general opinion.
Mina is going to start a cooking course next month.
When do I use the present continuous for future plans?
Use the present continuous for a personal arrangement that is already fixed, especially when the sentence gives details such as a person, place, or time. We're meeting the estate agent at the flat on Friday describes an arranged meeting. Are you joining the book club on Tuesday asks about a particular arrangement.
Mina will start a cooking course when she finds one she likes.
What verb form comes after will and going to?
Use the base verb after will and after going to. Say I think it will rain and Mina is going to start a cooking course. Do not add -s, -ed, or -ing to the main verb in these patterns unless another grammar rule requires it.
We're meeting the estate agent at the flat on Friday.