The future simple with will. In Level A1, we looked at using the future simple tense with be going to. On this page, we will look at the future simple with will. Here are some examples:
- A: “Oh no! We don’t have any milk!” B: “No problem – we will go to the shop and get some.”
- A: “Does Jane like milk in her coffee?” B: “I don’t know – I will ask her.”
- A: “There’s something wrong with the car. It won’t start” B: “Oh – you will have to go by bus then.”
Forming the future simple with will is easy – you just use will + the verb.
- No problem – we will go to the shop and get some. (or we’ll go)
- I don’t know – I will ask her. (or I’ll ask)
- Oh – you will have to go by bus then. (or you’ll have)
For the negative form of the future with will, we just add not. Here are some examples:
- We will not go to the shop and get some. (or we won’t go)
- I don’t know – I will not ask her. (or I won’t ask)
- Oh – you will not have to go by bus then. (or you won’t have)
For questions, we change the word order and put the correct form of the verb first, then the pronoun. For example:
- Will we arrive on time do you think?
- Will I have to speak at the conference?
- Will you have to go by bus?
So what’s the difference between going to and will?
Well, there are quite a few different differences, but in this lesson we will look at 2 differences:
- We use ‘going to’ to talk about plans we have already made.
- We use ‘will’ to talk about something in the future event decided at the moment you speak. It wasn’t a plan before you started talking.
Here are some examples:
- A: “We’re going to the beach after lunch!” (going to for a plan already made)
- B: “Really? Do you know it’s raining?”
- A: “Oh. OK, we’ll go to the cinema then” (will for a plan made right now)
- A: I’m going to have dinner with John at a restaurant tonight. (going to for a plan already made)
- B: But John can’t go – he has to work until 11pm.
- A: Oh, OK. I‘ll have dinner at home instead then. (will for a plan made right now)