Future with ‘Will’ vs. Present Simple – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Getting ready to go outside in winter. Stating facts about the seasonal weather and making spontaneous decisions about what to wear.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
1 In this city, the weather usually ______ very cold in December.
(A) get
(B) gets
(C) will get
(D) is get
2 I am looking at the snow right now. I ______ my thickest sweater!
(A) am wear
(B) wear
(C) will to wear
(D) will wear
3 It always ______ a lot in this region during winter.
(A) snows
(B) snow
(C) will snow
(D) is snow
4 My hands are freezing today! I ______ my woolen gloves.
(A) taking
(B) will take
(C) take
(D) am take
5 You normally ______ cold easily, so please dress warmly.
(A) feels
(B) are feel
(C) will feel
(D) feel
6 The wind is so strong today! I ______ my jacket all the way up.
(A) zip
(B) will zip
(C) am zipping
(D) will zips
7 The sun rarely ______ warmly in the middle of January.
(A) shine
(B) will shine
(C) is shines
(D) shines
8 Since it is freezing outside, I ______ a hot coffee before I go out.
(A) will drink
(B) drink
(C) am drink
(D) will drinking
9 The temperature often ______ below zero at night here.
(A) drop
(B) dropping
(C) drops
(D) will drop
10 I see the temperature is -5°C now! I ______ an extra pair of socks.
(A) put on
(B) am put on
(C) will to put on
(D) will put on
11 ______ it usually snow this much in our town?
(A) Is
(B) Does
(C) Do
(D) Will
12 Yes, it does. Okay, I ______ my heavy boots instead of my sneakers.
(A) will choose
(B) choose
(C) am choose
(D) will choosing
13 The local lake always ______ over by the end of December.
(A) freeze
(B) will freeze
(C) is freeze
(D) freezes
14 I want to walk near the lake, so I ______ very careful on the ice.
(A) am being
(B) will be
(C) am
(D) will to be
15 People in this town never ______ light clothes during this season.
(A) wears
(B) will wear
(C) wear
(D) are wear
16 The radio just said a storm is coming. I ______ my umbrella just in case.
(A) grab
(B) will grab
(C) am grab
(D) will grabbing
17 Winter storms normally ______ for at least three days.
(A) lasts
(B) will last
(C) last
(D) are last
18 If the storm is that long, I ______ some snacks from the store before going home.
(A) buy
(B) am buying
(C) will buy
(D) will buys
19 My thick coat doesn’t ______ me completely warm on windy days.
(A) keeping
(B) keeps
(C) will keep
(D) keep
20 You are right, the wind is bad today. I ______ a thick scarf to protect my neck.
(A) wear
(B) am wearing
(C) will to wear
(D) will wear
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) gets
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Usually” indicates a general fact about the climate. “The weather” is a singular subject, taking the verb with an “-s”.
- Error Analysis: (A) get (Common Mistake – missing the “-s”); (C) will get (Meaning Trap – future tense is not used for a general seasonal truth); (D) is get (Structural Error – incorrect mix of “to be” and a base verb).
2 (D) will wear
- Why it is correct (The Key): A spontaneous personal decision made at the moment of looking at the snow.
- Error Analysis: (A) am wear (Structural Error); (B) wear (Common Mistake – present simple is not for spontaneous decisions); (C) will to wear (Structural Error – “will” must be followed by a bare infinitive).
3 (A) snows
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Always” points to a regular weather pattern or absolute fact of the region. The singular subject “It” takes “snows”.
- Error Analysis: (B) snow (Common Mistake); (C) will snow (Meaning Trap – predicting the future instead of stating a general fact); (D) is snow (Structural Error).
4 (B) will take
- Why it is correct (The Key): Reacting immediately to the feeling of freezing hands by deciding to take gloves.
- Error Analysis: (A) taking (Structural Error); (C) take (Common Mistake); (D) am take (Structural Error).
5 (D) feel
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Normally” expresses a general truth about a person’s body or habit. The subject “You” takes the base verb.
- Error Analysis: (A) feels (Common Mistake – wrong conjugation for “You”); (B) are feel (Structural Error); (C) will feel (Meaning Trap).
6 (B) will zip
- Why it is correct (The Key): Experiencing the strong wind right now triggers an immediate action (zipping up the jacket).
- Error Analysis: (A) zip (Common Mistake); (C) am zipping (Strong Distractor – implies a pre-planned action rather than a spontaneous reaction); (D) will zips (Structural Error).
7 (D) shines
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Rarely” shows a general fact about the winter sun. The singular subject takes “shines”.
- Error Analysis: (A) shine (Common Mistake); (B) will shine (Meaning Trap); (C) is shines (Structural Error).
8 (A) will drink
- Why it is correct (The Key): A sudden decision made to stay warm before stepping out into the freezing weather.
- Error Analysis: (B) drink (Common Mistake); (C) am drink (Structural Error); (D) will drinking (Structural Error).
9 (C) drops
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Often” describes a recurring weather fact. “The temperature” (singular) requires an “-s”.
- Error Analysis: (A) drop (Common Mistake); (B) dropping (Structural Error); (D) will drop (Meaning Trap).
10 (D) will put on
- Why it is correct (The Key): Reading the temperature (-5°C) prompts an immediate decision to wear extra socks.
- Error Analysis: (A) put on (Common Mistake); (B) am put on (Structural Error); (C) will to put on (Structural Error).
11 (B) Does
- Why it is correct (The Key): Asking a question about a general weather fact requires the Present Simple auxiliary “Does” for the singular subject “it”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Is (Structural Error); (C) Do (Common Mistake); (D) Will (Meaning Trap – asking for a prediction rather than a general fact).
12 (A) will choose
- Why it is correct (The Key): Answering the fact with a spontaneous decision about footwear.
- Error Analysis: (B) choose (Common Mistake); (C) am choose (Structural Error); (D) will choosing (Structural Error).
13 (D) freezes
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Always” points to a guaranteed seasonal event. “The local lake” takes “freezes”.
- Error Analysis: (A) freeze (Common Mistake); (B) will freeze (Meaning Trap); (C) is freeze (Structural Error).
14 (B) will be
- Why it is correct (The Key): A personal promise or spontaneous decision regarding one’s behavior (being careful) based on the weather condition.
- Error Analysis: (A) am being (Strong Distractor); (C) am (Common Mistake – present tense cannot be used for a future intention here); (D) will to be (Structural Error).
15 (C) wear
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Never” indicates a cultural or practical habit in this town. “People” is plural, taking the base verb.
- Error Analysis: (A) wears (Common Mistake); (B) will wear (Meaning Trap); (D) are wear (Structural Error).
16 (B) will grab
- Why it is correct (The Key): Hearing the radio warning right now causes a sudden decision to take an umbrella.
- Error Analysis: (A) grab (Common Mistake); (C) am grab (Structural Error); (D) will grabbing (Structural Error).
17 (C) last
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Normally” describes a factual duration. “Winter storms” is plural, so we use “last”.
- Error Analysis: (A) lasts (Common Mistake); (B) will last (Meaning Trap); (D) are last (Structural Error).
18 (C) will buy
- Why it is correct (The Key): A spontaneous decision to get snacks because of the newly learned information about the storm.
- Error Analysis: (A) buy (Common Mistake); (B) am buying (Strong Distractor); (D) will buys (Structural Error).
19 (D) keep
- Why it is correct (The Key): A negative fact about the coat’s ability. “Doesn’t” must be followed by a bare infinitive.
- Error Analysis: (A) keeping (Structural Error); (B) keeps (Common Mistake); (C) will keep (Meaning Trap).
20 (D) will wear
- Why it is correct (The Key): Agreeing that the wind is bad leads to an immediate choice to put on a scarf.
- Error Analysis: (A) wear (Common Mistake); (B) am wearing (Strong Distractor); (C) will to wear (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 Present Simple – Stating Weather Facts
- Usage: Use the Present Simple to talk about the climate, seasonal characteristics, and general facts that are always true. Look for frequency adverbs like usually, always, normally, rarely, often, never.
- Formula: Subject (I/You/We/They) + Verb (base form) OR Subject (He/She/It) + Verb(-s/-es).
- Example: It snows a lot in winter. The sun rarely shines. (These are absolute facts about the season).
2 Future Simple with ‘Will’ – Spontaneous Wardrobe Decisions
- Usage: Use ‘Will’ to express a personal choice or decision made at the exact moment of speaking. In this context, it is your immediate reaction to seeing the weather or feeling cold.
- Formula: Subject + will + Verb (base form).
- Example: It is freezing right now! I will wear my heavy coat. (I just decided this right now based on the cold).
3 Common Traps to Avoid
- Do not use “will” for general weather facts. (Incorrect: Winter will usually be cold. -> Correct: Winter is usually cold.)
- Do not use the Present Simple to state what you are deciding to put on right now. (Incorrect: It is cold, I wear a scarf. -> Correct: It is cold, I will wear a scarf.)
- Never add “to”, “-ing”, or “-s” after “will”. (Incorrect: will to wear / will wearing / will wears. -> Correct: will wear.)