Future forms: 'will', 'be going to' and present continuous

Do you know how to talk about future plans using will, going to and the present continuous? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

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: Future plans: 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: Future plans: Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B1 - Intermediate

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Hi Anisha00329,

Yes, there are a lot of ways to refer to the future :) Let me try to explain.

The new film is opening on Saturday. The present continuous means that the action is already arranged (i.e. it has been confirmed, and people know about it).
The new film opens on Saturday. The present simple means that this (the opening) is a fact, or that it is part of a schedule. The present simple is often used for events on schedules or timetables like this.
The new film is due to open on Saturday. This phrase emphasises that the opening is expected (i.e. planned or scheduled). Compared with sentence 1, it's less focused on the action and more focused on the expectation.
The new film is to open on Saturday. This phrase (be + to + verb) also shows a certain, planned action. It's often used in newspaper writing and to make official announcements.
The new film will open on Saturday. This is a certain, factual statement.
The new film will be opening on Saturday. The future continuous represents the action (opening) as having a duration (i.e. going on for a period time), not just as happening in a single moment (like sentence 5).

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.

Hello Saamongo,

Yes, the materials on LearnEnglish are available for use to all, even if someone is not a British Council student.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

When I get my pay rise i'm going to have a bigger flat. I mean this is a future purpose but not a decided situation. Here is the first conditional form.

Hello Saamongo,

It's perfectly fine to use going to in the result clause like this. It expresses an intention rather than a prediction.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Future forms: 'will', 'be going to' and present continuous

Grammar explanation

will

going to

Present continuous

Language level

Online courses