Future Forms: Will vs. Going to – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Two friends (Emma and Tom) are walking down the street when they suddenly notice a drastic change in the weather.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each conversation. Pay attention to the context to decide whether the future action is a prediction based on present evidence, or a sudden, spontaneous decision.
1 Emma: “Look up! The sky is completely grey and dark.”
Tom: “Oh no! It ______ soon.”
(A) is go to rain
(B) will rain
(C) is going to rain
(D) rains
2 Emma: “I don’t have my umbrella with me.”
Tom: “Don’t worry. I ______ my umbrella with you.”
(A) will share
(B) am going to share
(C) share
(D) will to share
3 Emma: “The wind is blowing so hard! Look at that old tree.”
Tom: “Watch out! That big branch ______.”
(A) will break
(B) breaks
(C) is going to break
(D) is going to breaking
4 Emma: “We can’t walk in this weather.”
Tom: “You’re right. I ______ a taxi right now.”
(A) am going to call
(B) will calling
(C) call
(D) will call
5 Emma: “Did you hear that loud thunder?”
Tom: “Yes! We ______ a terrible thunderstorm.”
(A) have
(B) are going to have
(C) will have
(D) are go to have
6 Emma: “I am only wearing a light t-shirt.”
Tom: “With this heavy rain coming, you ______ completely wet!”
(A) are going to get
(B) are going get
(C) will get
(D) get
7 Emma: “I feel really cold already.”
Tom: “Here, take this. I ______ you my jacket.”
(A) am going to give
(B) give
(C) will gives
(D) will give
8 Emma: “Look at those huge water drops on the sidewalk.”
Tom: “It ______ heavily in just a few seconds!”
(A) is going pour
(B) is going to pour
(C) will pour
(D) pours
9 Emma: “My shoes are starting to get wet.”
Tom: “Let’s step inside this cafe. I ______ two hot teas for us.”
(A) order
(B) will to order
(C) will order
(D) am going to order
10 Emma: “Do you think we will be stuck here for a long time?”
Tom: “I’m not sure, but I think the storm ______ in an hour.”
(A) will stop
(B) is going to stop
(C) stops
(D) will stopping
11 Emma: “Look at those people running without umbrellas.”
Tom: “They ______ soaked before they reach the bus stop!”
(A) are going be
(B) are
(C) will be
(D) are going to be
12 Emma: “Oh no, I left my phone in my jacket pocket, and it’s getting wet!”
Tom: “Give it to me! I ______ it in my waterproof bag.”
(A) will put
(B) put
(C) am going to put
(D) will putting
13 Emma: “The street is already flooding with water.”
Tom: “We ______ stuck here for a while.”
(A) are go to be
(B) are going to be
(C) will be
(D) be
14 Emma: “I need to tell my mom that I’m safe in the cafe.”
Tom: “Use my phone. I ______ her number for you.”
(A) will dial
(B) am going to dial
(C) dial
(D) will to dial
15 Emma: “Look! The wind is blowing the cafe’s chairs away.”
Tom: “That umbrella outside ______ away too!”
(A) will fly
(B) flies
(C) is going to fly
(D) is going fly
16 Emma: “I am so hungry, but we can’t leave this cafe.”
Tom: “Look at the menu. I ______ a sandwich for you.”
(A) am going to buy
(B) will buys
(C) will buy
(D) buy
17 Emma: “The clouds are moving so fast.”
Tom: “Yes, look at the sky clearing up over there. The sun ______ out soon.”
(A) comes
(B) is going to come
(C) will come
(D) is go to come
18 Emma: “The rain has almost stopped, but there are huge puddles everywhere.”
Tom: “I ______ you carry your bags so they don’t get dirty.”
(A) help
(B) am going to help
(C) will helping
(D) will help
19 Emma: “Look at that car driving so fast towards the puddle!”
Tom: “Step back! It ______ water all over us!”
(A) will splash
(B) is going splash
(C) splashes
(D) is going to splash
20 Emma: “Finally, the rain stopped! Let’s go home.”
Tom: “Wait, the ground is very slippery. I ______ your hand.”
(A) will hold
(B) will to hold
(C) am going to hold
(D) hold
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) is going to rain
- Why it is correct: The dark and grey sky is clear present evidence. We use “Be going to” for predictions based on what we can see right now.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) will rain is a meaning trap (used for predictions without present evidence). (D) rains is a common mistake (Present Simple). (A) is go to rain is a structural error.
2 (A) will share
- Why it is correct: This is an instant decision and an offer to help, made spontaneously at the moment Tom realizes Emma has no umbrella.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) am going to share is a meaning trap (Tom didn’t plan this before). (C) share is the wrong tense. (D) will to share is a structural error.
3 (C) is going to break
- Why it is correct: The strong wind is present physical evidence. Thus, the prediction that the branch is about to break requires “Be going to”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) will break is a meaning trap. (B) breaks is the wrong tense. (D) is going to breaking is a structural error (needs base verb after “to”).
4 (D) will call
- Why it is correct: Calling a taxi is an instant decision made directly in response to the current bad situation.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) am going to call is a meaning trap (not a pre-arranged plan). (C) call is the wrong tense. (B) will calling is a structural error.
5 (B) are going to have
- Why it is correct: The loud thunder serves as clear evidence that a thunderstorm is coming.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) will have is a meaning trap. (A) have is the wrong tense. (D) are go to have is a structural error.
6 (A) are going to get
- Why it is correct: Wearing a light t-shirt in heavy rain is absolute evidence that Emma is going to get wet.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) will get is a meaning trap. (D) get is the wrong tense. (B) are going get is a structural error (missing “to”).
7 (D) will give
- Why it is correct: Tom makes an instant offer to give his jacket when he sees Emma shivering.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) am going to give is a meaning trap (not planned beforehand). (B) give is the wrong tense. (C) will gives is a structural error.
8 (B) is going to pour
- Why it is correct: Huge water drops already falling are undeniable evidence that it is about to rain heavily (pour).
- Distractor Analysis: (C) will pour is a meaning trap. (D) pours is the wrong tense. (A) is going pour is a structural error (missing “to”).
9 (C) will order
- Why it is correct: Deciding to order tea upon stepping into the cafe is a spontaneous, instant decision.
- Distractor Analysis: (D) am going to order is a meaning trap. (A) order is the wrong tense. (B) will to order is a structural error.
10 (A) will stop
- Why it is correct (Analyze & Exception): The phrase “I’m not sure, but I think…” indicates a subjective guess or personal belief without concrete evidence. In this case, we must use “Will”.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) is going to stop is a meaning trap (no present evidence to support this). (C) stops is the wrong tense. (D) will stopping is a structural error.
11 (D) are going to be
- Why it is correct: Seeing people running without umbrellas in the rain is present evidence that they are going to get soaked.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) will be is a meaning trap. (B) are is the wrong tense. (A) are going be is a structural error.
12 (A) will put
- Why it is correct: An instant reaction and offer to save Emma’s phone from getting ruined.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) am going to put is a meaning trap. (B) put is the wrong tense. (D) will putting is a structural error.
13 (B) are going to be
- Why it is correct: The flooded street is direct evidence causing them to be stuck.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) will be is a meaning trap. (D) be is the wrong tense. (A) are go to be is a structural error.
14 (A) will dial
- Why it is correct: An instant offer to dial the number after Emma says she needs to contact her mom.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) am going to dial is a meaning trap. (C) dial is the wrong tense. (D) will to dial is a structural error.
15 (C) is going to fly
- Why it is correct: The chairs blowing away provide strong present evidence that the umbrella will also be blown away.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) will fly is a meaning trap. (B) flies is the wrong tense. (D) is going fly is a structural error.
16 (C) will buy
- Why it is correct: An instant decision to buy food upon realizing Emma is hungry.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) am going to buy is a meaning trap. (D) buy is the wrong tense. (B) will buys is a structural error.
17 (B) is going to come
- Why it is correct: The sky clearing up is visible evidence that the sun is about to appear.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) will come is a meaning trap. (A) comes is the wrong tense. (D) is go to come is a structural error.
18 (D) will help
- Why it is correct: A spontaneous offer to help carry bags to avoid the puddles.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) am going to help is a meaning trap. (A) help is the wrong tense. (C) will helping is a structural error.
19 (D) is going to splash
- Why it is correct: The car driving fast towards the puddle is an immediate physical threat (evidence) that water will be splashed.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) will splash is a meaning trap. (C) splashes is the wrong tense. (B) is going splash is a structural error.
20 (A) will hold
- Why it is correct: An instant offer to hold hands when Tom realizes the ground is slippery.
- Distractor Analysis: (C) am going to hold is a meaning trap. (D) hold is the wrong tense. (B) will to hold is a structural error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 “Be going to” (Prediction based on present evidence)
- Function: Used to predict that something is about to happen in the very near future based on clear signs, clues, or evidence that we can see, hear, or feel at the present moment.
- Examples in context: Dark clouds, loud thunder, strong winds, or a car speeding towards a puddle.
- Structure: S + am/is/are + going to + V (base form).
2 “Will” (Instant Decisions & Offers)
- Function: Even within a chaotic situation (like a sudden storm), any actions taken immediately to react to the problem (e.g., offering to share an umbrella, deciding to call a taxi, offering a jacket) must use “Will” because they are spontaneous and not pre-planned.
- Structure: S + will + V (base form).
3 “Will” (Subjective Predictions – The Exception)
- Important Note (Question 10): If a prediction is made without any clear physical evidence and is purely based on personal belief, intuition, or guesswork (often introduced by phrases like I think, I’m not sure, or I believe), we use “Will” instead of “Be going to”.