simple explanation of Will & To be going to

1. Future tenses:
Will
be Going To
Shall
Grammar by lligeon

2. Contents
 What is a future tense?
 The rule
 The form
 Negative sentences
 Questions

3. What is a future tense?
A future tense is a construction we use when we want to say something about:
 …a fact about a future action or state.
 …plans for the future.
 …predictions for the future.
 …intentions for the future.
 …hopes for the future.
Example: It will be a nice day tomorrow.
I hope you will come to my party.
They are going to move to Manchester.

4. What is a future tens?
In the previous slide we have seen that the examples featured two forms of a future tense:
 Will
 (To be) going to  to be is between brackets because you never use the whole verb.
But more on that later.
Will and to be going to are both future tenses, so how do we know which one to use?
That is what we will discover in this presentation.

5. The rule
In this presentation we will be discussing two forms, namely will and to be going to.
But when do we use will and when do we use to be going to?
We use to be going to when:
 we want to talk about plans and intentions.  I have already paid for the tickets, so I am going to fly to
Madrid next week.
 We can see that something is likely to happen.  I just felt a drop, so I think it is going to rain.
We use will when:
 We make predictions.  I’m sure you will enjoy the film.
 We mean want to or be willing to.  I hope you will come to my party.
 We want to make offers and promises.  I will help you clean up tomorrow.
 We want to talk about offers and promises.  Mary will help with the cooking.

6. The form
When we use the two present tenses, what do they look like?
Will  you put will between the subject (I, we, John) and the whole verb.
Example: I enjoy movies.  I will enjoy movies.
She enjoys movies.  She will enjoy movies. (use the WHOLE verb)
The school purchases new furniture.  The school will purchase new furniture.
To be going to  the verb to be can take on three forms: am/is/are
you put one of those forms + going to between the subject and the whole verb.
Examples: I fly to Madrid every year.  I am going to fly to Madrid tomorrow.
She pays her taxes on time.  She is going to pay her taxes at the end of the week.
We always work late.  We are going to work late today again.

7. The form
So the verb to be in to be going to has three forms.  am/is/are
How do we know which one to use?
That’s easy! 1e person singular am  I am going to …
3e person singular  is  He/She/It/My grandmother is going to …
The rest  are  They/We/You are going to …
Quick check:
Which form do the following subjects get? Answers:
The building accross the street is
The children playing in the street are
My cousin’s girlfriend is

8. Negative sentences
How do we make negative sentences with will and to be going to?
That’s easy!
Will  just put the word not after will.
Example: She will enjoy the movie.  She will not enjoy the movie.
They will help with the preparations.  They will not help with the preparations.
will not = won’t (both are correct)
To be going to  just put the word not between to be and going to.
Example: I am going to Morocco tomorrow.  I am not going to Morocco tomorrow.
He is going to sell his bycicle.  He is not going to sell his bycicle.
We are going to wake up early.  We are not going to wake up early.

9. Questions
How do we make questions with will and to be going to?
That’s easy!
Will  the order of the sentence changes and looks like:
will + subject + whole verb  Will they enjoy the movie?
You will come to my party.  Will you come to my party?
HOWEVER, When the subject is either 1e person singular or 1e person plural (I or We), we use shall in stead of will
to make a question.
Will I make your bed? = WRONG  Shall I make your bed?
Will we walk together? = WRONG Shall we walk together?
To be going to  the order of the sentence changes and looks like:
am/is/are + subject + going to + whole verb  Is she going to fly to Madrid tomorrow?
They are going to build a computer.  Are they going to build a computer?
I am going to visit my parents.  Am I going to visit my parents?