Will vs. Going to vs. Present Continuous (for future) – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You and your friend are walking down the street when the weather suddenly changes. Choose the correct future form (A, B, C, or D) to complete your conversation naturally.
1 You: “Look up at the sky! Those black clouds are huge and moving fast. It ______ very soon.”
(A) will rain
(B) is going to rain
(C) rains
(D) is raining
2 Friend: “Oh no, I forgot my jacket at home.”
You: “Don’t worry, let’s run to that convenience store and I ______ an umbrella for us.”
(A) am buying
(B) am going to buy
(C) will buy
(D) buy
3 Friend: “We need to find shelter quickly. Our bus back home ______ at exactly 3:15 PM.”
(A) will leave
(B) is leaving
(C) leaves
(D) is going to leave
4 You: “We can’t get completely wet! We ______ dinner with our boss at a fancy restaurant tonight. The table is already booked!”
(A) will have
(B) are having
(C) have
(D) will be have
5 Friend: “The wind is pushing that old wooden sign so hard. Watch out, it ______!”
(A) is going to fall
(B) falls
(C) will fall
(D) is falling
6 You: “You are shivering! Here, give me your heavy backpack. I ______ it for you while we run.”
(A) am going to hold
(B) am holding
(C) hold
(D) will hold
7 Friend: “Let’s run into the public library over there. It ______ until 6:00 PM, so we can stay warm inside.”
(A) won’t close
(B) doesn’t close
(C) isn’t closing
(D) isn’t going to close
8 You: “I am freezing. When I finally get back to my apartment, I ______ a hot bath. That’s my plan.”
(A) am going to take
(B) am taking
(C) take
(D) will taking
9 Friend: “Do you think this terrible weather ______ our weekend trip tomorrow?”
(A) is ruining
(B) ruins
(C) will ruin
(D) is going to ruining
10 You: “Stop looking at your phone! There’s a huge puddle of water right in front of you. You ______ in it!”
(A) will step
(B) are stepping
(C) are going to step
(D) step
11 Friend: “Let’s wait under this balcony. I ______ Sarah right now to tell her we are delayed.”
(A) call
(B) am going to call
(C) will call
(D) am calling
12 You: “We are so lucky we didn’t go to the park. The outdoor concert ______ at exactly 4:00 PM, and everyone there will be soaked.”
(A) starts
(B) is starting
(C) will start
(D) is going to start
13 Friend: “Look at that guy running without a coat. He ______ completely sick!”
(A) will gets
(B) is getting
(C) is going to get
(D) gets
14 You: “If it doesn’t stop raining soon, we can’t walk. Don’t worry about the cost, I ______ for a taxi.”
(A) am going to pay
(B) pay
(C) will pay
(D) am paying
15 Friend: “Wait, Sarah just texted me. She ______ us up in her car in five minutes! She’s already on the way.”
(A) picks
(B) is picking
(C) will to pick
(D) is going pick
16 You: “Wow, that lightning was dangerously close! I ______ inside this cafe until it completely stops. I refuse to move.”
(A) am staying
(B) am going to stay
(C) will stay
(D) stay
17 Friend: “What ______ tomorrow if the roads are completely flooded? We won’t be able to drive to work.”
(A) will we do
(B) do we do
(C) are we doing
(D) will we doing
18 You: “The weather forecast said the storm is huge. I am pretty sure it ______ before midnight.”
(A) isn’t ending
(B) isn’t going to end
(C) won’t end
(D) doesn’t end
19 Friend: “I booked indoor museum tickets for tomorrow just in case. We ______ the new exhibition at 10 AM.”
(A) will see
(B) see
(C) are seeing
(D) will going to see
20 You: “I promise that next time we go for a walk, I ______ the weather app first!”
(A) am going to check
(B) check
(C) will check
(D) am checking
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) is going to rain
Why it is correct: When you make a prediction based on clear, present evidence that you can see right now (the huge black clouds), you MUST use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) “will rain” is used for guesses or opinions without physical evidence. (D) “is raining” means water is currently falling, but the prompt says “very soon”.
2 (C) will buy
Why it is correct: You are making a spontaneous, instant decision to solve a sudden problem (forgetting the jacket). Spontaneous decisions require “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (B) implies you planned to buy an umbrella before you left the house.
3 (C) leaves
Why it is correct: Public transport (buses, trains, flights) runs on an official timetable. For fixed public schedules, we use the Present Simple tense.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) are incorrect for public timetables.
4 (B) are having
Why it is correct: The table is booked and the boss is involved. This is a 100% confirmed, fixed arrangement in the diary. We use Present Continuous for this.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for sudden decisions. (C) is for routines.
5 (A) is going to fall
Why it is correct: Similar to question 1, you can physically see the evidence right now (the wind pushing the sign hard). The action is inevitable, so we use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (C) “will fall” lacks the immediacy of physical evidence.
6 (D) will hold
Why it is correct: You notice your friend is shivering and immediately offer to help by carrying their bag. Spontaneous offers of help always take “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) and (B) imply prior planning before the friend started shivering.
7 (B) doesn’t close
Why it is correct: The opening and closing times of a public building (like a library) are fixed timetables. We use the Present Simple.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) do not follow the timetable rule.
8 (A) am going to take
Why it is correct: “That’s my plan.” You have already formed a personal intention in your mind about what you will do later. For personal intentions, use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (B) implies an arrangement (but you can’t arrange a bath with yourself). (C) is a routine.
9 (C) will ruin
Why it is correct: The friend is asking for your opinion or a guess about tomorrow. Predictions based on thoughts, opinions, or beliefs (often with verbs like think, hope, believe) use “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (D) is structurally incorrect (“to ruining”). (A) means it is ruining it right now.
10 (C) are going to step
Why it is correct: Visual evidence! You can see the puddle, and you can see the person walking blindly toward it. A crash or accident about to happen requires “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) “will step” is a guess, but this is a certain prediction based on immediate observation.
11 (C) will call
Why it is correct: Making a sudden decision to act (“I will call Sarah right now”) requires “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (B) “am going to call” would mean you had this plan before getting stuck in the rain.
12 (A) starts
Why it is correct: The concert has an official start time. Scheduled public events use Present Simple.
Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) are not standard for official timetables.
13 (C) is going to get
Why it is correct: You are observing the man running without a coat in the heavy rain. Based on this present evidence, you predict he will get sick. Use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) has a grammar error (“will gets”).
14 (C) will pay
Why it is correct: The speaker is making a spontaneous offer/promise to cover the cost to alleviate the friend’s worry. Offers require “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) and (D) imply a pre-made arrangement.
15 (B) is picking
Why it is correct: “She’s already on the way.” Sarah has agreed to this plan, making it a fixed, confirmed arrangement between people. We use Present Continuous.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for timetables. (C) has a grammar error (“will to”).
16 (C) will stay
Why it is correct: The lightning strikes, and the speaker makes an instant, spontaneous decision out of fear (“I will stay here. I refuse to move”).
Distractor Analysis: (B) implies the speaker planned to stay inside before the lightning struck.
17 (A) will we do
Why it is correct: This is an open question asking for a prediction or a spontaneous idea about a hypothetical future situation.
Distractor Analysis: (C) “are we doing” asks about a fixed diary arrangement, which doesn’t fit the context of an unpredictable flood.
18 (C) won’t end
Why it is correct: When making general predictions about the weather (without immediate visual evidence of the end of the storm), or stating what you are “sure” of, “will/won’t” is the standard form.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for timetables. Weather does not follow a timetable.
19 (C) are seeing
Why it is correct: “I booked indoor museum tickets.” Having tickets means the plan is 100% locked in as a fixed arrangement. Present Continuous is required.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for spontaneous decisions. (D) is fake grammar.
20 (C) will check
Why it is correct: We ALWAYS use “will” when making a promise for the future.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) cannot be used to make a promise.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
To master future forms at the B1 level, you must ask yourself HOW and WHEN the event was decided:
- Be Going To (Evidence-Based Prediction):
- If you can see, hear, or feel evidence right now that something is about to happen, use be going to.
- Example: Looking at black clouds → “It is going to rain.” / Seeing someone trip → “He is going to fall!”
- Be Going To (Personal Intentions):
- Use it for plans you made in your head before speaking.
- Example: “I am going to take a hot bath when I get home.”
- Will (Spontaneous Decisions & Promises):
- Use will when you decide something exactly at the moment you speak (instant reactions, offers of help, promises).
- Example: “You forgot your coat? I will lend you mine.” / “I promise I will check the app.”
- Present Continuous (Fixed Arrangements):
- Use this for plans that are 100% confirmed, usually involving bookings, tickets, or agreements with other people.
- Example: “We are having dinner with the boss tonight.” (The table is booked).
- Present Simple (Timetables):
- Use this for official, public schedules that you cannot change (buses, trains, flights, movies, store opening hours).
- Example: “The bus leaves at 3:15 PM.” / “The library closes at 6:00 PM.”