Talk about the future
I can talk about the future in three ways and choose between them.
Declared core time. Two of the core blocks carry no figure at all, so the real lesson is longer than this sum.
Grammar
5 minEnglish has three ways to talk about the future, and you cannot swap one for another.
| form | when | example |
|---|---|---|
| will | a decision at the moment of speaking, a prediction, a promise | It's cold — I'll close the window. |
| be going to | an intention decided earlier; a prediction you can see coming | I'm going to visit my sister next week. |
| Present Continuous | an arrangement with other people, a fixed time | I'm meeting Tom at five. |
will in all its forms:
| I will help you. → I'll help you. | |
| I won't be late. | won't = will not |
| Will you help me? — Yes, I will. |
will is the same for all persons; after it the verb is in its basic form, with no to.
How to choose — one question: when did you decide?
| decided just now | The phone is ringing. I'll answer it. |
| decided earlier | I'm going to answer all my letters today. |
| arranged with someone | I'm answering questions at the meeting tomorrow. |
Common learner errors
written for your languagewill for everything
✗ I will visit my sister next week about an old plan → ✓ I'm going to visit. Italian, Greek and German use their future form (visiterò, tha, werde … besuchen) for plans too, so will looks universal. But about a plan decided earlier English usually says going to, not will.
The present for an arrangement
✗ Tomorrow I go to the cinema (the tickets are bought) → ✓ I'm going to the cinema tomorrow; ✗ I meet Tom at five → ✓ I'm meeting Tom at five. In German, Dutch, Swedish, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese the present is normal for a plan. In English an arrangement takes the Present Continuous, and a simple intention I'm going to go.
The present for a decision now
✗ The phone is ringing. I answer it.
✓ I'll answer it.
German, Dutch, Spanish and Italian use the present when you decide or offer something at the moment of speaking. English uses will: I'll help you.
will as "want"
✗ I will a new phone → ✓ I want a new phone; ✗ I will to help → ✓ I will help. German, Dutch and Swedish will, wil, vill mean "want". English will talks about the future, and the verb after it has no to.
Pronunciation
3 min'll is almost silent — it is one consonant /l/ stuck to the pronoun: I'll /aɪl/, he'll /hiːl/, they'll /ðeɪl/.
won't is /wəʊnt/, with the diphthong /əʊ/. Do not mix it up with want /wɒnt/: I won't go means "I will not go", I want to go is a wish. The only difference is the vowel, and it changes the meaning.
Text
3 minAre you free on Saturday?
No, I'm meeting my sister at twelve. We're going to the theatre.
And on Sunday?
I'm going to stay at home. I have a lot of work.
It's raining. Take my umbrella.
Thanks, I'll bring it back on Monday. I won't forget.
Exercises
8–10 min1. Multiple choice.
- The phone is ringing. I answer it
- I visit my sister next week — I decided last month
- I Tom at five — we agreed on Monday
Show the answers
2. Gap fill.
- I help you. (you are offering help)
- I be late, I promise
- you open the window?
Show the answers
3. Error correction.
- I will to help you.
- I'm going visit my sister next week.
- Tomorrow I go to the cinema. (the tickets are bought)
Show the answers
4. Matching.
- will
- going to
- Present Continuous
Show the answers
Summary
Covered
- will and won't
- three ways to talk about the future and the rule for choosing between them
Next — lesson 10: rules and obligations.
End of the core
The lesson counts as done once the exercises are done. Everything after this is optional.
optional
Vocabulary for your deck
12 words- won't /wəʊnt/ will not
- promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ to say that you will certainly do something
- agree /əˈɡriː/ to think the same; to decide something together
- free /friː/ not busy
- busy /ˈbɪzi/ with a lot to do; not free
- theatre /ˈθɪətə/ a building where actors perform plays
- umbrella /ʌmˈbrelə/ a thing you hold over your head in the rain
- bring back /brɪŋ ˈbæk/ to return something to where it was
- answer /ˈɑːnsə/ to say or write something back; to pick up the phone
- meeting /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ a time when people meet; a talk at work with colleagues
- decide /dɪˈsaɪd/ to choose what to do
- sure /ʃʊə/ certain; with no doubt
Writing
Four sentences about your next weekend: one arrangement, one intention, one promise.
Example
I'm meeting my sister on Saturday. We're going to the theatre. On Sunday I'm going to stay at home. I won't work at all.
Checklist
Practise this lesson in the other sections
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⚑ optional