Future Time: Be Going

To, Will, and the Present

Continuous
Grammar Sense 2,
Chapter 7

The Future with Be Going to

and the Present Continuous

The Future with Be Going To

Affirmative Statements
SUBJECT
BE GOING TO BASE FORM OF VERB
I
am going to
help
later.
You
are
going to
help
later.
He
is going to
help
later.
She
is going to
help
later.
It
is going to
help
later.
We
are going to
help
later.
You
are going to
help
later.
They
are going to
help
later.

The Future with Be Going

To
Negative Statements
SUBJECT BENOT
GOING TO BASE FORM OF VERB
I am not
going to
help later.
You are not
going to
help later.
He is
not
going to
help later.
She is
not
going to
help later.
It is
not
going to
help later.
We are not
going to
help later.
You are not
going to
help later.
They are not
going to
help later.

The Future with Be Going

To
Yes/No Questions and Short Answers
BE
Are

SUBJECT
GOING TO
you going to
help

BASE FORM OF VERB

later? Yes, I am./No, Im

not.

Is

she

going to

help later? Yes, she is/No, she

isnt.

Are

they

are./No, they

going to

help
arent.

later? Yes, they

The Future with Be Going

To
Information Questions
WH-WORD BE

Who
What
When

SUBJECT

GOING TO

are you going to

is she going to
are they
going to

WH-WORD
VERB
Who
What

BE
is
is

BASE FORM OF VERB

call
later?
do tomorrow?
study at the library?

GOING TO
going to
going to

BASE FORM OF
win
happen

the election?
next?

The Present
Continuous as
Future

The Present Continuous

as Future
Affirmative Statements
SUBJECT

She

BE BASE FORM OF VERB + ING

is helping

later.

Negative Statements
SUBJECT

She

BE NOT

is not

BASE FORM OF VERB + ING

helping

later.

The Present Continuous

as Future
Yes/No Questions
BE

Are

SUBJECT

they

BASE FORM OF VERB + ING

helping

later?

Information Questions
WH-WORD BE
ING

SUBJECT

When

they

are

BASE FORM OF VERB +

helping?

Be Going To and the

Present Continuous
as Future
Meaning and Use Notes

Meaning and Use: Be Going To and

the Present Continuous as Future

Use be going to to talk about intentions or

future plans.
Im going to study hard for the test.
Im going to visit Greece this summer.
A: What is Josh going to study at college?
B: Hes going to study chemistry.

Meaning and Use: Be Going To and

the Present Continuous as Future

Use the present continuous tense to talk about

intentions or future plans.
A future time expression is usually used with the
present continuous to show that the sentence refers
to the future (and not something happening now).
The verbs go, come, do, and have, as well as verbs
related to travel, are especially common with the
present continuous as future.

Meaning and Use: Be Going To and

the Present Continuous as Future

Examples:
When are you coming to see me?
Im visiting Greece this summer.
My flight is arriving in the afternoon.
My father is meeting me at the airport.
A: What are you doing tomorrow?
B: Im having lunch with friends. Then were going to a
movie.

Meaning and Use: Be Going To and

the Present Continuous as Future

The present continuous often refers to more

definite plans than be going to.
With be going to, the speaker often has not
decided on the details.

Meaning and Use: Be Going To and

the Present Continuous as Future

Present Continuous as Future (Details Definite)

Im taking a 3:00 flight to Chicago. In Chicago, Im
changing planes and flying on to Miami.
Be Going To (Details Not Definite)
A: Im going to buy a car.
B: What kind are you going to get?
A: I dont know yet.

Meaning and Use: Be Going To and

the Present Continuous as Future

Use be going to for predictions (guesses about the

future), especially when there is evidence that
something is just about to happen.
The present continuous is not used to make
predictions.
Be careful! That glass is going to fall!
Its cloudy. I think its going to rain tonight.
X Its cloudy. I think its raining tonight. (INCORRECT)

Future Time Expressions

today
tonight
tomorrow
the day after tomorrow
tomorrow morning/afternoon/night

Theyre arriving tomorrow.

in five minutes
in a few days
in a few months
Hes going to call in a few hours.

Future Time Expressions

this afternoon
this Sunday
this week
this year
This spring

Im leaving this week.

next
next
next
next
next

Next week Im visiting Ana.

Sunday
week
August
month
year

Future Time Expressions

the
the
the
the

week after next

weekend after next
month after next
year after next

Were having a test the week after next

The Future Will

Affirmative Statements
SUBJECT
I
will
You
will
He
will
She
will
It
will
We
will
You
will
They

WILL
leave
leave
leave
leave
leave
leave
leave
will leave

BASE FORM OF VERB

tomorrow.
tomorrow.
tomorrow.
tomorrow.
tomorrow.
tomorrow.
tomorrow.
tomorrow.

The Future Will

Negative Statements
SUBJECT
WILL NOT BASE FORM OF VERB
I will not leave tomorrow.
You will not leave
tomorrow.
He will not leave tomorrow.
She will not leave tomorrow.
It will not leave tomorrow.
We will not leave tomorrow.
You will not leave tomorrow.
They will not leave tomorrow.

The Future Will

Contractions
I will leave tomorrow.
Ill leave tomorrow.
She will leave tomorrow.
Shell leave tomorrow.
They will leave tomorrow.
Theyll leave tomorrow.

The Future Will

Contractions
I will not leave tomorrow.
I wont leave tomorrow.
She will not leave tomorrow.
She wont leave tomorrow.
They will not leave tomorrow.
They wont leave tomorrow.

The Future Will

Yes/No Questions
WILL
SUBJECT
VERB
Will
Will
Will

you
she
they

BASE FORM OF

leave tomorrow? Yes, I will./No I wont.

leave tomorrow? Yes, she will./No, she wont.
leave tomorrow? Yes, they will./No, they wont.

The Future Will

Information Questions
WH-WORD WILL

Who
What

SUBJECT

BASE FORM OF VERB

will he see
at the wedding tomorrow?
will they do
later?

WH-WORD WILL
BASE FORM OF VERB
Who
will
leave first?
What
will
happen
next?

Will vs. Be Going To

Predictions with Will and Be Going To
Use will or be going to to make predictions (guesses about the
future). You can also use probably and other adverbs with will and be
going to to express certainty.
Will
Electric cars will become popular in the next ten years.
Theyll probably win the championship.
Be Going To
Electric cars are going to become popular in the next ten years.
Theyre probably going to win the championship.

Will vs. Be Going To

With predictions, the meanings of will and
be going to are not exactly the same.
Use be going to when you are more certain
that an event will happen because there is
evidence. Do not use will in this situation.
Shes going to have a baby.
(INCORRECT)

X Shell have a baby!

Will vs. Be Going To

Quick Decisions vs. Advance Plans
In statements with I, will, and be going to have
different meanings:
willoften used to express a quick decision at the time
of speaking (such as an offer to help).
be going toshows that you have thought about
something in advance. Do not use be going to for
quick decisions.