Future with ‘Will’ vs. Present Simple – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Reporting broken machines/equipment and offering a spontaneous solution.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
1 The office printer ______ right now, so I cannot print the report.
(A) don’t work
(B) doesn’t work
(C) won’t work
(D) isn’t work
2 The copier is completely broken. I ______ to the print shop across the street instead.
(A) go
(B) am go
(C) will going
(D) will go
3 This old computer ______ very slow today. I will call IT support.
(A) will run
(B) run
(C) runs
(D) is run
4 I can’t print the document. I ______ it to you by email right now.
(A) send
(B) will send
(C) am sending
(D) will to send
5 Oh no, the coffee machine is out of order! I ______ some green tea.
(A) am make
(B) will make
(C) make
(D) will making
6 My laptop battery is dead. I ______ the charger in my bag.
(A) will find
(B) find
(C) finding
(D) will to find
7 The air conditioner ______ cool the room properly. I will open the window.
(A) don’t
(B) won’t
(C) isn’t
(D) doesn’t
8 The elevator doesn’t work. We ______ the stairs to the second floor.
(A) take
(B) will take
(C) are take
(D) will takes
9 The internet connection usually ______ when it rains heavily.
(A) dropping
(B) drop
(C) drops
(D) will drop
10 The projector won’t turn on. I ______ the presentation on the whiteboard.
(A) draw
(B) am drawing
(C) draws
(D) will draw
11 My microphone doesn’t work for the video meeting. I ______ my message in the chat box.
(A) will type
(B) type
(C) am type
(D) will typing
12 The door lock is jammed. I ______ the security guard for help.
(A) call
(B) calls
(C) am calling
(D) will call
13 The company system ______ down every Friday afternoon.
(A) will go
(B) go
(C) goes
(D) is go
14 Since the system is down right now, I ______ my work on a local hard drive.
(A) save
(B) will save
(C) am save
(D) will saving
15 Our office microwave never ______ the food evenly. I will eat a cold sandwich today.
(A) heat
(B) will heat
(C) to heat
(D) heats
16 The water dispenser is empty. I ______ a new bottle from the storage room.
(A) am bringing
(B) bring
(C) will bring
(D) will to bring
17 My office chair is broken. I ______ a spare one from the meeting room.
(A) take
(B) will take
(C) am take
(D) will takes
18 The scanner often ______ the paper, but we have to use it anyway.
(A) jams
(B) jam
(C) will jam
(D) jamming
19 The lights in the hallway are flickering. I ______ the maintenance team immediately.
(A) contact
(B) will contact
(C) am contact
(D) will to contact
20 This software program ______ to open the file. I will install a different program.
(A) fail
(B) will fail
(C) fails
(D) is fail
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) doesn’t work
- Why it is correct (The Key): Describes the present state of a machine. “The office printer” is a singular subject, so the negative form is “doesn’t work”.
- Error Analysis: (A) don’t work (Common Mistake – wrong auxiliary for a singular subject); (C) won’t work (Meaning Trap – implies a refusal rather than stating a simple present fact); (D) isn’t work (Structural Error – mixing ‘to be’ with a base verb).
2 (D) will go
- Why it is correct (The Key): A spontaneous decision to solve a problem right now (copier is broken -> I will go to the print shop).
- Error Analysis: (A) go (Common Mistake – present simple is not used for a spontaneous decision); (B) am go (Structural Error); (C) will going (Structural Error – “will” must be followed by a base verb).
3 (C) runs
- Why it is correct (The Key): Describing the current, general state of the computer. The singular subject takes “runs”.
- Error Analysis: (A) will run (Meaning Trap – wrong tense for stating a current fact); (B) run (Common Mistake – missing the ‘s’); (D) is run (Structural Error).
4 (B) will send
- Why it is correct (The Key): A quick, on-the-spot solution because the document cannot be printed.
- Error Analysis: (A) send (Common Mistake); (C) am sending (Strong Distractor – present continuous implies a pre-arranged plan, not a spontaneous solution); (D) will to send (Structural Error).
5 (B) will make
- Why it is correct (The Key): Reacting immediately to the broken coffee machine by choosing an alternative (tea).
- Error Analysis: (A) am make (Structural Error); (C) make (Common Mistake); (D) will making (Structural Error).
6 (A) will find
- Why it is correct (The Key): A spontaneous decision to solve the dead battery problem.
- Error Analysis: (B) find (Common Mistake); (C) finding (Structural Error); (D) will to find (Structural Error).
7 (D) doesn’t
- Why it is correct (The Key): Stating a general negative fact about the air conditioner’s current performance.
- Error Analysis: (A) don’t (Common Mistake – wrong auxiliary for a singular subject); (B) won’t (Meaning Trap); (C) isn’t (Structural Error).
8 (B) will take
- Why it is correct (The Key): A sudden decision to use the stairs because the elevator is broken.
- Error Analysis: (A) take (Common Mistake); (C) are take (Structural Error); (D) will takes (Structural Error – never add ‘s’ after ‘will’).
9 (C) drops
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Usually” indicates a regular habit or recurring problem. The singular subject takes “drops”.
- Error Analysis: (A) dropping (Structural Error); (B) drop (Common Mistake); (D) will drop (Meaning Trap).
10 (D) will draw
- Why it is correct (The Key): Finding an immediate alternative because the projector failed.
- Error Analysis: (A) draw (Common Mistake); (B) am drawing (Strong Distractor – implies a planned action rather than a spontaneous reaction); (C) draws (Structural Error).
11 (A) will type
- Why it is correct (The Key): Fixing the communication issue on the spot by deciding to type.
- Error Analysis: (B) type (Common Mistake); (C) am type (Structural Error); (D) will typing (Structural Error).
12 (D) will call
- Why it is correct (The Key): The lock is jammed, so you make a quick decision to call for help.
- Error Analysis: (A) call (Common Mistake); (B) calls (Structural Error); (C) am calling (Strong Distractor).
13 (C) goes
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Every Friday” shows a recurring routine or scheduled error.
- Error Analysis: (A) will go (Meaning Trap); (B) go (Common Mistake); (D) is go (Structural Error).
14 (B) will save
- Why it is correct (The Key): An immediate reaction to the system being down.
- Error Analysis: (A) save (Common Mistake); (C) am save (Structural Error); (D) will saving (Structural Error).
15 (D) heats
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Never” describes a permanent, regular state of the microwave.
- Error Analysis: (A) heat (Common Mistake); (B) will heat (Meaning Trap); (C) to heat (Structural Error).
16 (C) will bring
- Why it is correct (The Key): Offering a quick solution to the empty water dispenser.
- Error Analysis: (A) am bringing (Strong Distractor); (B) bring (Common Mistake); (D) will to bring (Structural Error).
17 (B) will take
- Why it is correct (The Key): A spontaneous action decided at the exact moment the chair is found broken.
- Error Analysis: (A) take (Common Mistake); (C) am take (Structural Error); (D) will takes (Structural Error).
18 (A) jams
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Often” points to a regular problem, requiring the Present Simple.
- Error Analysis: (B) jam (Common Mistake); (C) will jam (Meaning Trap); (D) jamming (Structural Error).
19 (B) will contact
- Why it is correct (The Key): Seeing the flickering lights triggers an immediate decision to contact maintenance.
- Error Analysis: (A) contact (Common Mistake); (C) am contact (Structural Error); (D) will to contact (Structural Error).
20 (C) fails
- Why it is correct (The Key): Describing the current factual state of the software program.
- Error Analysis: (A) fail (Common Mistake); (B) will fail (Meaning Trap); (D) is fail (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 Present Simple – Describing the Problem (Current State/Routine)
- Usage: Use the Present Simple to state facts about how a machine behaves, its regular faults, or its current broken state. Words like usually, never, always, often signal this.
- Formula: Subject (He/She/It) + Verb(-s/-es) OR Subject + does not (doesn’t) + Verb (base).
- Example: The printer doesn’t work. The system often crashes. (Stating the reality of the equipment).
2 Future Simple with ‘Will’ – The Spontaneous Solution
- Usage: Use ‘Will’ to express an immediate decision or an alternative action you take right after discovering the problem. This is not a planned task; it is a quick reaction to fix the situation.
- Formula: Subject + will + Verb (base form).
- Example: The printer doesn’t work. I will print it at another desk! (I just decided this solution right now).
3 Common Traps to Avoid
- Do not use the Present Simple to express your new, sudden solution. (Incorrect: The TV is broken, I read a book. -> Correct: I will read a book.)
- Do not use Present Continuous (am doing) for spontaneous solutions, as it sounds like you planned for the machine to break. (Incorrect: The WiFi is down. I am using my 4G. -> Correct: I will use my 4G.)
- Never change the verb after “will”. (Incorrect: will to use / will using. -> Correct: will use.)