Future forms:

Present continuous
ARRANGEMENT:
What are you doing tomorrow? What, when, why, who, where, etc
I’m meeting my friends

Going to
What are you going to do when the quarantine is over?
I’m going to do lots of things I can’t do now.
Look at those clouds! I think it’s going to rain!
PLAN:
What, when, why, who, where, etc???

PREDICTION:
You can “see” the future now.

Will SPONTANEOUS:
Restaurant orders
I’ll have the fish! Predictions
You’ll love London! Offers
Promises
I think it’ll rain. Timetables
Shall I make you a cup tea?
I’ll study more English, I promise!
I’ll keep your secret. I won’t tell a soul!
The train will stop at Paddington.

1. The train leaves at 11:45.

2. We are going to have dinner at a nice restaurant on Saturday, but we have't booked a table
yet.
3. My ski instructor believes it will snow in the mountains tomorrow evening.
4. On Sunday at 8 o'clock I am meeting my friend.
5. They are flying to London on Friday evening at 8:15.
6. Wait! I will drive you to the station.
7. The English lesson starts at 8:45.
 8. I am going to see my sister in April.
9. Look at the clouds - it is going to rain in a few minutes.
10. Listen! There's someone at the door. I will open the door for you.

1. Use of Future Tenses in English

going to- Simple Present Future Future
will-future
future Present Progressive Progressive Perfect

 future
plann
actions happen
ed action in sth. will
without the action will
the future already have
speaker's future action planned definitely
 logic happened
intention is fixed (e.g. action in the happen (it
al before a
 predictio timetable) near future usually
consequence certain time in
n, assumption happens)
(sth. is going the future
 spontane
to happen)
ous action

There is often very little difference between the future tenses. It often depends where you live (in
Britain or the USA) and when you use the sentence (in spoken or written communication).

In newsapapers we often use the will-future, when the going to-future is used in oral communication.

newspaper:
The headmaster will close the old gym.

oral:
The headmaster is going to close the old gym.

We can substitute the going to-future with the Present Progressive when using an expression of
time.

She is going to see Frank at the airport at 8.30. = She is seeing Frank at the airport at 8.30.

2. Signal words
There are no unambiguous signal words for the future tenses. That's why you should analyse the
actions carefully and then define the tense.

3. Form
going to- Simple Present Future Future
will-future
future Present Progressive Progressive Perfect

infinitive
to be
3rd person to be
(am, are, is
will + infinit singular (he, (am, are, is) will + be + infiniti will + have + p
) + going
ive she, + infinitive  ve + -ing ast participle
to + infiniti
it) infinitive  + -ing
ve
+ -s
4. Examples

4.1. Affirmative sentences

going to- Simple Present Future Future
will-future
future Present Progressive Progressive Perfect

They will
She will
The We are going The I am going to be playing fo
have written 
sun will shine  to fly to Leeds train leaves at a party otball on
the letter by
tomorrow. in summer. 6.45. tonight. Sunday
tomorrow.
afternoon.

4.2. Negative sentences

going to- Simple Present Future Future
will-future
future Present Progressive Progressive Perfect

They will not 
The We are not g She will not h
The I am not goin be playing fo
sun will not s oing to fly to ave written th
train does not  g to a party otball on
hine tomorro Leeds in e letter by
leave at 6.45. tonight. Sunday
w. summer. tomorrow.
afternoon.

4.3. Questions
going to- Simple Present Future
will-future Future Perfect
future Present Progressive Progressive

Are we going Will they be  Will she have 

Will the Does the Am I going t
to fly to playing footb written the
sun shine tom train leave at o a party
Leeds in all on Sunday letter by
orrow? 6.45? tonight?
summer? afternoon. tomorrow.