Welcome to the Future. Be sure to watch the introductory grammar video on the left before continuing to read this section. There are two ways to form the future:

will + verb
be + going to + verb

Use will or be going to for facts about the future and for predictions.

When we have a plan to do something, we usually use be going to.

When we make a promise or offer to help, we usually use will.

I am going to speak
you are going to speak
he/she/it is going to speak
we are going to speak
they are going to speak
OR
I will speak
you will speak
he/she/it will speak
we will speak
they will speak

Forming Negatives
Look at the samples below:
I will not go tonight?
I am not going to go tonight?

Forming Questions
Look at the samples below:
Will you go tonight?
Are you going to go tonight?

Try the games below to practice what you learned:

Future Simple Word Order
Going to Games
Present Simple vs Future

See how well you do distinguishing between present simple, going to and will.

Present Simple vs Future Quiz

Future Tips

The future is used to express an action that happens in the future and there are two ways to form it:

will + verb
be + going to + verb

Use will or be going to for facts about the future and for predictions.

Use be going to when you have a plan to do something.

Use will when you make a promise or offer to help, and use the contracted forms below:

I will-I'll/I will not-I won't
You will-you'll/You will not-you won't
He will-he'll/He will not-he won't
She will-she'll/She will not-she won't
It will-it'll/It will not-it won't
We will-we'll/We will not-we won't
They will-they'll/They will not-they won't

Use the present and present progressive to show future when you are talking about schedules and timetables:

Steve is getting married next week.
The store closes at 5:00 pm.