Future: Will vs. Be going to – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are talking to your teacher or boss to ask for tomorrow afternoon off because you have a pre-booked dentist appointment.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to fill in the blank. Pay close attention to the context: you are talking about an appointment that was planned before this conversation took place.
1 “Mr. Smith, I already booked the time. I ______ the dentist at 3 PM tomorrow.”
(A) will see
(B) am going to see
(C) am go to see
(D) see
2 “I have a scheduled appointment, so I ______ at work tomorrow afternoon.”
(A) am not going to be
(B) won’t be
(C) not going to be
(D) don’t be
3 “My tooth really hurts, and I finally got a slot. I ______ at lunchtime today.”
(A) leave
(B) will leave
(C) am going to leaving
(D) am going to leave
4 “The clinic called me to confirm. They ______ my wisdom tooth tomorrow.”
(A) going to extract
(B) are going to extract
(C) will extract
(D) are extract
5 “I cannot finish this project today because I ______ the afternoon off for a medical reason.”
(A) will take
(B) take
(C) am going to take
(D) am going take
6 “Mr. Davis, I ______ your lecture tomorrow due to a dental appointment I booked yesterday.”
(A) am going to miss
(B) am missing to
(C) will miss
(D) missed
7 “I already asked my team to cover for me while I ______ at the dentist’s office.”
(A) will be
(B) am going to be
(C) am go to be
(D) am being
8 “My dentist is very strict with time, so I ______ there exactly at 2:00 PM.”
(A) will arriving
(B) will arrive
(C) arrive
(D) am going to arrive
9 “I made this plan a week ago. I ______ a minor dental surgery tomorrow.”
(A) am going to undergo
(B) will undergo
(C) going to undergo
(D) am undergo
10 “I won’t be able to attend the seminar because I ______ to the city hospital.”
(A) will drive
(B) drive
(C) am going to drive
(D) am go to drive
11 “Please email me the notes. I ______ into the online class tomorrow afternoon.”
(A) won’t log
(B) am not log
(C) am not going to log
(D) don’t going to log
12 “The receptionist booked me for 4 PM, so I ______ the last hour of our shift.”
(A) am going skip
(B) am going to skip
(C) will skip
(D) skip
13 “My mother already paid for the treatment, so I ______ my braces fixed tomorrow.”
(A) am going to getting
(B) will get
(C) get
(D) am going to get
14 “Are you free for a quick chat at 3 PM tomorrow?” – “Sorry, I ______ in the dentist’s chair by then.”
(A) will sit
(B) sit
(C) am going to sit
(D) going to sit
15 “I cannot change the schedule now. The doctor ______ the procedure tomorrow afternoon.”
(A) is going to perform
(B) will perform
(C) performs
(D) is going perform
16 “Since I have a scheduled check-up, I ______ my laptop at the office today.”
(A) am going to leaving
(B) will leave
(C) am going to leave
(D) leave
17 “I planned my whole week around this. I ______ a taxi to the clinic right after lunch.”
(A) will take
(B) take
(C) am going to take
(D) am go to take
18 “Did you forget our meeting?” – “No, but I told you yesterday that I ______ my orthodontist.”
(A) will visit
(B) am going to visit
(C) going to visit
(D) visit
19 “I already submitted my leave request because I ______ tomorrow afternoon at the dental clinic.”
(A) am going to spend
(B) am spend
(C) will spend
(D) am going to spending
20 “My dentist only works on Thursdays, so I ______ the whole afternoon off.”
(A) will taking
(B) will take
(C) am going to take
(D) take
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B)
Explanation: The phrase “I already booked the time” proves this is a prior plan. Option (A) is a Common Mistake, as learners often use “will” for all future actions instead of reserving it for instant decisions. Option (C) is a Structural Error (“go to” instead of “going to”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap; the present simple is not used for personal future appointments.
2 (A)
Explanation: A scheduled appointment requires “be going to” for the future result. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing the “am”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap, translating poorly into English grammar rules.
3 (D)
Explanation: Getting a slot means the plan is set. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (adding “-ing” after “to”). Option (A) is a Meaning Trap (wrong tense for a future plan).
4 (B)
Explanation: The clinic confirming the appointment makes it a solid arrangement. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (missing “are”). Option (D) is grammatically nonsensical.
5 (C)
Explanation: Taking the afternoon off is a premeditated action. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
6 (A)
Explanation: The speaker explicitly says they booked it yesterday, making it a prior plan. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap (wrong tense).
7 (B)
Explanation: Having already asked the team to cover proves the absence is planned. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
8 (D)
Explanation: The arrival time is based on a strict, pre-arranged schedule. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
9 (A)
Explanation: “I made this plan a week ago” strongly dictates the use of “be going to”. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is grammatically incorrect.
10 (C)
Explanation: Driving to the hospital is the planned reason for missing the seminar. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
11 (C)
Explanation: Not logging in is the result of the planned appointment. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is grammatically incorrect.
12 (B)
Explanation: Being booked for 4 PM makes skipping the last hour a prior intention. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
13 (D)
Explanation: The mother paying in advance confirms it is a fixed plan. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (“getting”). Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
14 (C)
Explanation: Rejecting a meeting because of a schedule conflict. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error (missing “am”). Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
15 (A)
Explanation: The doctor’s schedule cannot be changed; it is an arrangement. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap (Present Simple is for public timetables like trains, not personal doctor appointments).
16 (C)
Explanation: Leaving the laptop is a planned action based on the check-up. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
17 (C)
Explanation: “I planned my whole week around this” is the ultimate clue for “be going to”. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
18 (B)
Explanation: Telling the person yesterday means the decision was made before the current conversation. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
19 (A)
Explanation: Submitting a leave request proves the action was premeditated. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is grammatically incorrect.
20 (C)
Explanation: The dentist’s working hours force a pre-planned decision to take the afternoon off. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Prior Plans and Arrangements: When you have made a decision before the current conversation (e.g., booking an appointment, asking for time off, paying in advance), you must use “Be going to”.
- The “Will” Mistake: A very common error is using “will” for everything in the future. “Will” is used for instant decisions made at the exact moment of speaking. If you say “I will see the dentist tomorrow,” it sounds like you just decided it right this second, which doesn’t make sense for a medical appointment.
- The Present Simple Trap: Do not use the present simple tense (e.g., “I see the dentist tomorrow”) for personal plans. The present simple is only used for fixed public timetables (like flights, train schedules, or cinema times).
- The Golden Structure: Ensure you always use the complete structure: Subject + am/is/are + going to + Base Verb. Watch out for missing “to be” verbs or accidentally adding “-ing” to the main verb!