Will vs. Going to vs. Present Continuous (for future) – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are sitting at the dinner table with your family on New Year’s Day, sharing your goals and plans for the year ahead. Choose the correct future form (A, B, C, or D) to complete the conversation naturally.
1 You: “Listen everyone! I have thought about this a lot. This year, I ______ how to cook healthy meals.”
(A) am going to learn
(B) will learn
(C) am learning
(D) learn
2 Dad: “That’s a great goal! Are you joining a class?”
You: “I haven’t registered yet, but I ______ some online tutorials first.”
(A) watch
(B) am watching
(C) will watching
(D) am going to watch
3 Mom: “I want to exercise more. I checked the local gym’s schedule, and it ______ at 5:00 AM every morning.”
(A) opens
(B) is opening
(C) will open
(D) is going to open
4 You: “That’s early! By the way, I haven’t bought any running shoes yet, but my big goal is that I ______ a marathon in November.”
(A) will run
(B) am going to run
(C) am running
(D) run
5 Brother: “Oh no, I just spilled my juice on the floor!”
You: “Don’t move! I ______ a towel from the kitchen.”
(A) am going to get
(B) get
(C) will get
(D) am getting
6 Dad: “Another resolution of mine is about money. I ______ $100 from my salary every month.”
(A) am going to save
(B) save
(C) am saving
(D) will saving
7 You: “That’s smart, Dad. Oh, I forgot to tell you. I already paid for my Spanish classes. I ______ my first lesson next Tuesday!”
(A) will have
(B) have
(C) am having
(D) am going have
8 Sibling: “I want to learn Spanish too, but I don’t know where to start.”
You: “Don’t worry! I ______ you with your vocabulary. Just ask me anytime.”
(A) am going to help
(B) help
(C) am helping
(D) will help
9 Mom: “What about your university studies?”
You: “Well, the spring semester ______ on January 15th, so I need to prepare.”
(A) is starting
(B) starts
(C) will start
(D) is going to start
10 You: “I know I gave up on my resolutions last year, but I swear I ______ harder this time!”
(A) try
(B) am trying
(C) am going to try
(D) will try
11 Brother: “Look at my old jeans. I can’t even close the button! I ______ out of them very soon.”
(A) will grow
(B) am growing
(C) am going to grow
(D) grow
12 You: “So, my main rule for this year is that I ______ any junk food on weekdays.”
(A) am not going to eat
(B) don’t eat
(C) won’t to eat
(D) am not eating
13 Mom: “The organic food market in our town ______ at 6:00 PM, so we should go early tomorrow.”
(A) will close
(B) is closing
(C) closes
(D) is going to close
14 You: “Actually, Mom and I ______ to that market tomorrow morning. We made the shopping list yesterday.”
(A) go
(B) will go
(C) are going
(D) will going
15 Dad: “Who wants the last piece of cake?”
You: “I ______ it! Pass it to me, please.”
(A) am having
(B) will have
(C) have
(D) am going to have
16 You: “Also, I decided yesterday that I ______ less time on social media.”
(A) am going to spend
(B) will spend
(C) spend
(D) am spending
17 Brother: “I hope that by next December, I ______ much healthier and stronger.”
(A) am being
(B) will be
(C) am going to be
(D) am
18 You: “By the way, my friend Anna ______ over for dinner tomorrow. I officially invited her last week.”
(A) comes
(B) is coming
(C) will come
(D) is going come
19 Mom: “That’s wonderful. Who is going to wash the dishes tonight?”
You: “I ______ them! You cooked, so let me clean up.”
(A) wash
(B) am washing
(C) will wash
(D) am going to wash
20 Dad: “Let’s finish dessert quickly. The New Year’s television broadcast ______ at exactly 8:00 PM!”
(A) is starting
(B) will start
(C) starts
(D) is going to start
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) am going to learn
Why it is correct: The speaker says, “I have thought about this a lot.” This is a personal intention or resolution formed before speaking. For pre-planned intentions, we use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (B) is for spontaneous decisions. (C) implies a fixed arrangement with someone else, but learning to cook is a personal goal. (D) is a routine.
2 (D) am going to watch
Why it is correct: “I haven’t registered yet” means there is no fixed arrangement. However, the speaker already has a plan/intention in their head to watch tutorials. “Going to” is perfect for unbooked intentions.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is a routine. (B) would be used if the tutorials were an arranged meeting with a tutor. (C) is grammatically incorrect (“will watching”).
3 (A) opens
Why it is correct: The opening time of a gym is an official, published timetable. For scheduled public hours, we use the Present Simple tense.
Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) do not reflect the strict timetable rule.
4 (B) am going to run
Why it is correct: The speaker says “I haven’t bought running shoes yet,” meaning they haven’t taken concrete steps to arrange it. However, it remains a strong personal intention/resolution for the year.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for sudden choices. (C) “am running” would only be correct if they had already signed up and paid the marathon registration fee.
5 (C) will get
Why it is correct: The sibling just spilled juice, and the speaker makes an instant, spontaneous decision to solve the problem. Sudden reactions require “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) implies the speaker planned to get a towel before the juice was spilled.
6 (A) am going to save
Why it is correct: This is Dad’s New Year’s resolution. It is a personal goal and intention that he thought of before the dinner.
Distractor Analysis: (B) means he already does this every month. (C) implies an arrangement, but saving money is a personal action. (D) is fake grammar.
7 (C) am having
Why it is correct: “I already paid for my Spanish classes.” Because the speaker has paid and enrolled, this is no longer just an intention; it is a 100% confirmed, fixed arrangement. Present Continuous is required.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for spontaneous decisions. (D) has a grammar error (“am going have”).
8 (D) will help
Why it is correct: The sibling expresses a problem (“I don’t know where to start”), and the speaker makes a spontaneous offer to help them (“Don’t worry! I will help you”).
Distractor Analysis: (A) and (C) imply prior planning before the sibling asked.
9 (B) starts
Why it is correct: A university semester start date is a fixed academic timetable. Present Simple is used for official schedules.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) are incorrect for official timetables.
10 (D) will try
Why it is correct: The phrase “I swear” is a solemn promise. We always use “will” when making promises for the future.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) cannot be used to declare a promise.
11 (C) am going to grow
Why it is correct: The brother points to present physical evidence (“I can’t even close the button!”). When making a prediction based on clear evidence you can see right now, use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for guesses without hard evidence.
12 (A) am not going to eat
Why it is correct: This is the speaker’s “main rule” or resolution. It is a firm personal intention formed before speaking.
Distractor Analysis: (B) is a present fact. (C) is grammatically incorrect (“won’t to”).
13 (C) closes
Why it is correct: The closing time of a market is a public timetable. Present Simple is used.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) ignore the timetable rule.
14 (C) are going
Why it is correct: “We made the shopping list yesterday.” This is an agreed, confirmed arrangement between the speaker and Mom. Present Continuous is used for fixed diary plans.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is a routine. (B) is a spontaneous decision.
15 (B) will have
Why it is correct: Dad asks a sudden question (“Who wants the last piece?”), and the speaker makes an instant decision to claim it.
Distractor Analysis: (A) and (D) imply the speaker had already planned to eat it before Dad offered it.
16 (A) am going to spend
Why it is correct: “I decided yesterday…” This explicitly proves the intention was formed before the moment of speaking.
Distractor Analysis: (B) would be used if the speaker decided right now at the dinner table.
17 (B) will be
Why it is correct: “I hope…” Predictions or wishes based on hopes, opinions, or beliefs (without physical evidence) take “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (C) “am going to be” would be used if the brother was actively looking at his muscles in the mirror as evidence.
18 (B) is coming
Why it is correct: “I officially invited her last week.” This is a confirmed social arrangement involving another person. Present Continuous is the standard “diary tense”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for timetables. (C) is for instant decisions.
19 (C) will wash
Why it is correct: Mom asks for a volunteer, and the speaker makes a spontaneous offer to do the chores (“I will wash them!”).
Distractor Analysis: (B) and (D) suggest the speaker planned to do it before Mom even asked.
20 (C) starts
Why it is correct: A television broadcast has an official, scheduled timetable. Present Simple is required.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) do not apply to scheduled TV guides.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 “Be Going To” for Resolutions & Intentions:
- A New Year’s Resolution is a classic example of an Intention. You have thought about it and decided to do it, but you haven’t necessarily booked it yet.
- Example: “I am going to read more books this year.” (It’s my goal).
- Compare with Present Continuous: If you say, “I am meeting a personal trainer tomorrow,” it means you have already paid or booked the time. It is a Fixed Arrangement.
2 “Will” for Spontaneous Dinner Table Talk:
- During a conversation, if someone drops something, asks for a volunteer, or offers food, you use Will to react instantly.
- Example: “You spilled water? I will get a towel.” (Spontaneous Offer).
- Example: “I promise I will exercise.” (Promise).
3 “Present Simple” for Timetables:
- Official opening times, gym schedules, and TV broadcasts don’t care about your personal intentions. They follow a strict timetable.
- Example: “The gym opens at 5:00 AM.”