Grammar

Future Simple tense with will

2,010 fill-in-the-gap exercises across 4 forms

One form for every subject. Will is for predictions, offers and decisions taken at the moment of speaking.

Pick a form to practice

When you need it

• A prediction. It will rain later.
• A decision made right now. The phone is ringing — I’ll get it.
• A promise or an offer. I’ll help you with that.
• A refusal, in the negative. The door won’t open.
• A future fact you cannot control. She will be forty in June.

will or going to

Both point at the future; they differ in where the future comes from.

will — the idea arrives as you speak, or you are guessing:

I think it will be cold. — Fine, I*’ll** bring a jacket.*

going to — the plan already exists, or the evidence is in front of you:

I*’m going to** repaint the kitchen.* — decided earlier. Look at those clouds. It*’s going to** rain.* — the evidence is visible.

In most sentences either is understandable. The clearest difference is with an on-the-spot decision, where only will works.

Present Continuous for arrangements

A third option covers plans that are already fixed with someone else:

We are meeting the supplier at four.

So there are three future forms, and they line up like this: will for the idea now, going to for the intention, the Present Continuous for the arrangement.

The verb after will never changes

There is one form for every subject and no -s, no -ed, no to:

I will go. She will go. They will go.

After when and if, use the present

This catches almost everyone. In a clause beginning with when, if, as soon as, until, before, after, English uses the present even though the meaning is future:

I’ll call you when I arrive. — not when I will arrive. If it rains, we’ll stay in. — not if it will rain.

Will stays in the main clause only.

All forms

Mistakes to avoid