Future: Will vs. Be going to – English Grammar Exercises for A2
A group of friends is sharing what they plan to change in the upcoming year.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to fill in the blank. Pay close attention to the context: you are stating an intention or a goal that you have already set for yourself.
1 “This year, I ______ start going to the gym three times a week.”
(A) am going to
(B) will
(C) going to
(D) start
2 “My brother bought a used acoustic guitar. He ______ learn how to play it.”
(A) will
(B) is going
(C) is going to
(D) learns
3 “We have a new financial goal. We ______ spend less money on fast food.”
(A) are go to
(B) will
(C) spend
(D) are going to
4 “I have thought about this for a long time. I ______ read at least one book every month.”
(A) will read
(B) am going to read
(C) am read
(D) read
5 “My best friend wants to be healthier, so she ______ quit smoking this year.”
(A) is going to quit
(B) will quit
(C) going to quit
(D) quits
6 “What is your main resolution?” – “I ______ travel to Japan next autumn.”
(A) will
(B) am going to
(C) will to
(D) travel
7 “We bought a nice camera because we ______ take more family photos from now on.”
(A) are going to
(B) will
(C) are going
(D) will taking
8 “Starting in January, I ______ wake up at 6 AM every day to meditate.”
(A) am going to waking
(B) will
(C) am going to
(D) wake
9 “My parents saved enough money, and they ______ renovate the kitchen this spring.”
(A) renovate
(B) are going to
(C) are going to renovating
(D) will
10 “I bought a large water bottle. I ______ drink more water and less soda.”
(A) will
(B) going to
(C) am going to
(D) drink
11 “My sister ______ save half of her salary every month to buy a car.”
(A) will save
(B) is going to saving
(C) saves
(D) is going to save
12 “To improve my sleep, I ______ spend less time scrolling on my phone before bed.”
(A) am go to
(B) am going to
(C) will
(D) spend
13 “We talked about it last night, and we ______ adopt a rescue dog this year.”
(A) are going to
(B) will
(C) will adopting
(D) adopt
14 “I ______ learn Spanish so I can finally talk to my new neighbors.”
(A) am going to
(B) will
(C) am going learn
(D) learn
15 “My husband ______ run a marathon in November. He is very determined!”
(A) will
(B) is go to
(C) will running
(D) is going to
16 “I ______ stop eating sugar for thirty days to see how my body feels.”
(A) will stop
(B) stop
(C) am going to stop
(D) am going to stopping
17 “We decided that we ______ volunteer at the local animal shelter on weekends.”
(A) will to
(B) are going to
(C) will
(D) volunteer
18 “I ______ write a journal entry every evening to track my mood.”
(A) will
(B) am going to
(C) going to
(D) write
19 “This year, our family ______ plant a big vegetable garden in the backyard.”
(A) plants
(B) will
(C) is going
(D) is going to
20 “I promised myself that I ______ take better care of my mental health.”
(A) will taken
(B) am going to taking
(C) am going to
(D) will
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A)
Explanation: Going to the gym is a premeditated New Year’s resolution (an intention). Option (B) “will” is a Common Mistake; learners often use “will” for all future actions, but it is for instant decisions, not planned goals. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “am”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap (Present Simple is for habits, but the sentence starts with “This year, I…”, indicating a future change).
2 (C)
Explanation: He already bought the guitar, showing his clear intention to learn. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (D) is a tense trap.
3 (D)
Explanation: They have a new goal, meaning they already decided to spend less. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (“are go to”). Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
4 (B)
Explanation: “I have thought about this” proves it is an intention. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
5 (A)
Explanation: Quitting smoking is a classic resolution. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “is”). Option (D) is a tense trap.
6 (B)
Explanation: Answering a question about a “resolution” requires the future of intention. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
7 (A)
Explanation: Buying the camera is the preparation for the intention to take photos. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (D) is a Structural Error (will + V-ing).
8 (C)
Explanation: Setting a daily goal starting in January is a planned intention. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (adding “-ing” after “to”). Option (D) is a meaning trap.
9 (B)
Explanation: Saving money was the preparation for this big goal. Option (D) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (“renovating”). Option (A) is a tense trap.
10 (C)
Explanation: Buying the bottle shows the intention is already in motion. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error (missing “am”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
11 (D)
Explanation: Saving money for a car is a long-term goal/intention. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error (be going to + V-ing). Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
12 (B)
Explanation: Changing a habit is a resolution. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (“am go to”). Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
13 (A)
Explanation: “We talked about it” means the decision was made before this conversation. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a meaning trap.
14 (A)
Explanation: Learning a language for a specific reason is a clear intention. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “to”). Option (D) is a tense trap.
15 (D)
Explanation: Running a marathon requires a premeditated decision. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Structural Error.
16 (C)
Explanation: A 30-day challenge is a set goal. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
17 (B)
Explanation: “We decided” dictates the use of “be going to”. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a meaning trap.
18 (B)
Explanation: Starting a journal is a personal resolution. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error (missing “am”). Option (D) is a tense trap.
19 (D)
Explanation: “Family” (as a single unit) takes “is going to” for a shared goal. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
20 (C)
Explanation: Promising yourself to change is the definition of an intention. Option (D) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Structural Error (will + V3).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Intentions and Goals: When you talk about something you have already thought about, decided to do, or set as a personal goal (like a New Year’s Resolution), you MUST use “Be going to + Base Verb”.
- The “Will” Mistake: Do not use “Will” to talk about your life goals or resolutions. “Will” is used when you make a sudden decision exactly at the moment you are speaking (Instant Decision). If you have been thinking about it before speaking, “Will” is incorrect.
- The Golden Structure: Always use the full formula: Subject + am/is/are + going to + Base Verb. Watch out for missing the “to be” verb (e.g., “I going to”) or forgetting the word “to” (e.g., “I am going learn”).
- Present Simple vs. Future: Don’t use the Present Simple (e.g., “I go to the gym”) to state a resolution. Present Simple means you already do it every day as a habit. To say you want to make it a new habit in the future, you must use “I am going to go…”.