Future: Will vs. Be going to – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You and your colleague are stuck in heavy traffic, watching the clock tick down, realizing you are going to be late for an important meeting.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to fill in the blank. Pay close attention to the context: you are making a prediction because you can physically see the evidence right now (the traffic, the clock).
1 “Look at this terrible traffic! We ______ late for the morning meeting.”
(A) will be
(B) are going to be
(C) are go to be
(D) are being
2 “The meeting starts in five minutes, and we are not moving at all. We ______ it on time.”
(A) won’t make
(B) aren’t go to make
(C) don’t make
(D) aren’t going to make
3 “Look at the clock! It is already 8:55 The boss ______ very angry.”
(A) is going to be
(B) is
(C) is going be
(D) will be
4 “There is a huge accident ahead. We ______ stuck here for at least an hour.”
(A) be
(B) will be
(C) are going to be
(D) are going to being
5 “I can see the office building, but the light is red. We ______ the start of the presentation.”
(A) are going to miss
(B) will miss
(C) miss
(D) are going to missing
6 “We are driving at 10 miles per hour. We ______ at the office by 9:00 AM.”
(A) won’t arrive
(B) don’t arrive
(C) aren’t going to arrive
(D) aren’t going arrive
7 “The cars in front of us are completely stopped. We ______ anywhere soon.”
(A) aren’t going to going
(B) aren’t going to go
(C) won’t go
(D) aren’t go
8 “Look at that long line of cars! This ______ a disaster.”
(A) is
(B) will be
(C) is go to be
(D) is going to be
9 “We only have three minutes left. We ______ into the meeting room after everyone else.”
(A) will walk
(B) are going to walk
(C) are go to walk
(D) walk
10 “The traffic light is broken. We ______ a lot of time waiting here.”
(A) are going to waste
(B) waste
(C) will waste
(D) are going to wasting
11 “Our manager is looking at his watch right now, I am sure. He ______ us about this.”
(A) will ask
(B) is going to asks
(C) is going to ask
(D) asks
12 “Listen to the radio! The news says the bridge is closed. We ______ an alternative route.”
(A) are going to need
(B) will need
(C) need
(D) are going to needing
13 “We are still five miles away. We ______ the first half of the discussion.”
(A) missing
(B) will miss
(C) are going to miss
(D) are going miss
14 “I can see the parking lot is completely full. We ______ trouble finding a spot.”
(A) are going to have
(B) will have
(C) have
(D) are going to having
15 “It is already 9:05 They ______ the meeting without us.”
(A) will start
(B) start
(C) are going to start
(D) are go to start
16 “The engine of the car in front of us just died! We ______ completely blocked.”
(A) are
(B) are going to be
(C) will be
(D) are going to being
17 “Look at the dark clouds and the heavy rain starting. The traffic ______ even worse.”
(A) will get
(B) is go to get
(C) gets
(D) is going to get
18 “We are barely moving. I think we ______ our chance to present the project.”
(A) are going to lose
(B) will lose
(C) are going to losing
(D) lose
19 “My phone shows a red line all along Main Street. This drive ______ forever.”
(A) takes
(B) will take
(C) is going to take
(D) is go to take
20 “We are definitely the last ones to arrive. Everyone ______ at us when we enter.”
(A) will look
(B) is going to looking
(C) looks
(D) is going to look
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B)
Explanation: You can see the traffic right now (present evidence), so you must use “be going to” for the prediction. Option (A) is a Common Mistake; learners often use “will” for all future situations, but “will” is for beliefs or opinions without present evidence. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “ing”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap (wrong tense).
2 (D)
Explanation: The clock showing five minutes is hard evidence that you will fail to arrive on time. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
3 (A)
Explanation: The clock is the physical evidence that triggers the negative prediction. Option (D) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
4 (C)
Explanation: The accident is visible evidence that you will be stuck. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error (going to + V-ing). Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
5 (A)
Explanation: The red light is the immediate evidence causing the delay. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
6 (C)
Explanation: The speedometer showing 10 miles per hour is the proof. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (B) is grammatically incorrect for a future prediction.
7 (B)
Explanation: The stopped cars are present evidence. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (“to going”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
8 (D)
Explanation: The visual of the long line of cars justifies “be going to”. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
9 (B)
Explanation: Knowing there are only three minutes left is the evidence for this prediction. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
10 (A)
Explanation: A broken traffic light is a clear sign that a delay is certain. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
11 (C)
Explanation: The certainty based on the manager’s current action requires “be going to”. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error (adds an “s” to the base verb). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
12 (A)
Explanation: The radio news provides the concrete proof that you will have to change routes. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
13 (C)
Explanation: The distance left to travel combined with the lack of time is the evidence. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is grammatically incorrect.
14 (A)
Explanation: Seeing a full parking lot is direct evidence of future trouble. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
15 (C)
Explanation: The time on the clock (9:05) guarantees the meeting is beginning. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
16 (B)
Explanation: A broken-down car directly in front of you is undeniable present evidence of being blocked. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
17 (D)
Explanation: Dark clouds and rain are physical signs that traffic will worsen. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
18 (A)
Explanation: The extremely slow movement is the evidence of failure. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
19 (C)
Explanation: The GPS app showing a red line is modern, digital evidence of a delay. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
20 (D)
Explanation: Being the last to arrive is the factual setup for everyone staring. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap. (“Everyone” is a singular subject, so it correctly takes “is”, but the verb after “to” must remain base form).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Present Evidence: When you can see, hear, or feel something right now that makes you 100% sure about what will happen in the future, you MUST use “Be going to”. (For example: Looking at a clock and realizing you are late).
- “Will” vs. “Be going to”: Do not use “Will” when you have physical proof. “Will” is used for predictions based on your personal opinion, guesses, or beliefs without hard evidence (e.g., “I think it will rain someday”).
- The Structure Rule: The correct formula is always: Subject + am/is/are + going to + Base Verb. Watch out for common structural errors like forgetting the “to be” verb, forgetting “to”, or incorrectly adding “-ing” or “-s” to the main verb (e.g., “is going to looking” is strictly wrong).