Will, Be Going To vs. Present Continuous

We can use three verb forms to talk about the future: will, going to + infinitive and the present continuous tense.

Will + infinitive

The simple future tense (will + first form of the verb) has several functions. For example, it can be used to make a prediction about the future. When you use the simple future tense to talk about the future, you are merely looking at the probability that something is likely to happen.

The simple future tense is also used to announce decisions that are quickly made at the moment of speaking.

As you can see in all of these situations, there are no definite arrangements for these events. None of these decisions were made before speaking.

Be + going to

The structure going to + infinitive is sometimes used interchangeably with will. However, there are some differences. Going to is preferred in cases where there is present evidence.

Of course, the simple future tense is also possible in this case, but the form with going to will sound more natural to a native English speaker. Note that the present continuous tense is not possible in this case. For example, we can’t say She is becoming a great scholar someday or She is having a baby in December.

In cases where there is present evidence, use going to.

Going to is also used to talk about our intentions.

The present continuous tense

In cases where you have not only decided to do something but also made all the necessary arrangements, you are more likely to use the present continuous tense.

Compare:

The simple present tense is also used to talk about the future. This usually happens in cases where we are talking about timetabled future events.

Sections in this article

Future tense worksheet
Future perfect tense

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