Will vs. Going to vs. Present Continuous (for future) – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are at school or the office when you notice people around you needing help or dealing with sudden situations. Choose the correct future form (A, B, C, or D) to complete the conversations naturally.
1 You notice your teacher struggling to carry a very heavy box of textbooks.
You: “Excuse me, Mr. Davis! You look exhausted. I ______ that box for you.”
(A) am going to carry
(B) carry
(C) am carrying
(D) will carry
2 Mr. Davis: “Thank you so much! We need to hurry, though. The library ______ at exactly 4:00 PM.”
(A) closes
(B) is closing
(C) will close
(D) is going to close
3 Suddenly, a colleague trips and drops all her printed documents on the floor.
You: “Oh no! Don’t worry, stay there. I ______ you pick them up.”
(A) am helping
(B) help
(C) will help
(D) am going to help
4 Colleague: “Thanks! I am in a rush because I ______ the branch manager at 2:30 PM. We confirmed it yesterday.”
(A) will meet
(B) am meeting
(C) meet
(D) will meeting
5 You see your friend staring at a broken photocopier in frustration.
You: “Is it jammed again? Step aside, I ______ a look at it for you.”
(A) take
(B) am taking
(C) will take
(D) am going to take
6 Friend: “Thanks. I printed these flyers because I ______ them out to students during lunch. That’s my goal today.”
(A) am going to hand
(B) am handing
(C) will hand
(D) hand
7 You look at the tall stack of boxes your friend stacked up.
You: “Watch out! That tower of boxes is leaning too far to the left. It ______!”
(A) falls
(B) will fall
(C) is going to fall
(D) is falling
8 You: “Here, let me hold the boxes steady. I ______ them so they don’t crash.”
(A) support
(B) will support
(C) am going to support
(D) am supporting
9 Another coworker walks in, looking incredibly sweaty and tired.
You: “You look like you just ran a marathon! I ______ you a cold glass of water.”
(A) get
(B) am getting
(C) am going to get
(D) will get
10 Coworker: “Thank you. I had to run because my train ______ at 8:15 AM every morning, and I barely caught it!”
(A) will depart
(B) is departing
(C) departs
(D) is going to depart
11 You are in a meeting and someone asks: “Who can take the meeting minutes today?”
You: “I ______ it! I have my laptop right here.”
(A) am going to do
(B) do
(C) am doing
(D) will do
12 Boss: “Great. Remember, everyone, the official software training session ______ at 10:00 AM sharp tomorrow.”
(A) begins
(B) is beginning
(C) will begin
(D) is going to begin
13 You notice a new employee struggling to open a heavy glass door.
You: “Wait a second, let me swipe my security badge. I ______ the door for you.”
(A) open
(B) am going to open
(C) am opening
(D) will open
14 New Employee: “Thanks! I couldn’t get in. By the way, I ______ the HR director this afternoon to sign my contract. It’s in my schedule.”
(A) see
(B) will see
(C) am seeing
(D) am going see
15 You: “Oh, it’s really dark in this hallway. Someone turned off the switches. I ______ the lights on.”
(A) will turn
(B) turn
(C) am turning
(D) am going to turn
16 Later, you see your friend looking desperately for their wallet.
You: “Did you forget your wallet? Don’t stress, I ______ for your lunch today.”
(A) am paying
(B) pay
(C) am going to pay
(D) will pay
17 Friend: “You’re a lifesaver. I promise I ______ you back tomorrow morning!”
(A) am paying
(B) am going to pay
(C) will pay
(D) pay
18 You: “It’s no problem. Anyway, I bought these sticky notes earlier because I ______ my desk this afternoon.”
(A) will organize
(B) am going to organize
(C) organize
(D) am organizing
19 A student approaches you, looking confused holding a map.
You: “You look lost. I ______ you the way to the science laboratory.”
(A) am going to show
(B) will show
(C) am showing
(D) show
20 Student: “Thank you! I am so late. My chemistry class ______ in five minutes!”
(A) starts
(B) is starting
(C) will start
(D) is going to start
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (D) will carry
Why it is correct: When you see someone struggling and instantly offer to help them, you are making a spontaneous decision. Offers made at the exact moment of speaking always use “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) “am going to carry” implies you planned to carry the box before you even saw the teacher. (B) and (C) are incorrect for spontaneous offers.
2 (A) closes
Why it is correct: The closing time of a library is a fixed, official public schedule (Timetable). We use the Present Simple tense for timetables.
Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) ignore the timetable rule.
3 (C) will help
Why it is correct: The colleague just dropped her papers. You react instantly and offer your assistance (“I will help you…”). Spontaneous offers require “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) and (D) imply you planned to help her before she even dropped the papers!
4 (B) am meeting
Why it is correct: “We confirmed it yesterday.” This is a fixed arrangement with another person at a specific time. We use the Present Continuous for diary arrangements.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for instant decisions. (C) is a routine.
5 (C) will take
Why it is correct: You see the problem (the broken copier) and instantly offer a solution (“Step aside, I will take a look…”).
Distractor Analysis: (B) means you are looking at it exactly right now, but you first tell the friend to “step aside,” making it an immediate future offer. (D) implies prior planning.
6 (A) am going to hand
Why it is correct: “That’s my goal today.” The friend printed the flyers with a clear, pre-existing intention to distribute them. For personal intentions made before speaking, use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (B) is for arrangements involving other people. (C) is for spontaneous decisions.
7 (C) is going to fall
Why it is correct: You are looking at clear, present physical evidence (the tower leaning too far). When predicting an inevitable event based on current visual evidence, use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (B) “will fall” is used for guesses without direct evidence.
8 (B) will support
Why it is correct: You react to the falling boxes by making a spontaneous, instant decision to stop them from crashing.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) do not reflect the sudden nature of the reaction.
9 (D) will get
Why it is correct: You see the coworker sweating and make an immediate offer to help (“I will get you a cold glass of water”).
Distractor Analysis: (C) “am going to get” implies you planned to get the water before the coworker walked in.
10 (C) departs
Why it is correct: Train schedules are published, official public timetables. Present Simple is used.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) do not apply to fixed public transport schedules.
11 (D) will do
Why it is correct: When someone asks a group for a volunteer (“Who can take the minutes?”), answering “I will do it!” is a spontaneous decision and an offer of service.
Distractor Analysis: (A) implies you had decided this before the person even asked for a volunteer.
12 (A) begins
Why it is correct: An official corporate training session has a set, published timetable. Present Simple is used.
Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) are incorrect for official schedules.
13 (D) will open
Why it is correct: You see the employee struggling and offer immediate, spontaneous help.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) do not convey a sudden offer.
14 (C) am seeing
Why it is correct: “It’s in my schedule” to sign a contract. This is a 100% confirmed, booked arrangement with the HR director. Present Continuous is required.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for routines. (B) is for spontaneous choices. (D) is fake grammar.
15 (A) will turn
Why it is correct: You notice the dark hallway and make a sudden decision to fix the situation (“I will turn the lights on”).
Distractor Analysis: (D) implies you planned to turn the lights on before you even knew the hallway was dark.
16 (D) will pay
Why it is correct: You offer to solve your friend’s sudden problem (forgetting the wallet) by paying for their lunch. Spontaneous offers take “will”.
Distractor Analysis: (C) “am going to pay” means you intended to pay for them before they realized they lost their wallet.
17 (C) will pay
Why it is correct: We ALWAYS use “will” when making a promise.
Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) cannot be used to make a direct promise.
18 (B) am going to organize
Why it is correct: “I bought these sticky notes earlier…” You bought the notes because you already had the intention to organize your desk. For personal plans formed before speaking, use “going to”.
Distractor Analysis: (A) is for spontaneous decisions. (C) is a routine.
19 (B) will show
Why it is correct: You see a lost student and spontaneously volunteer to guide them.
Distractor Analysis: (A) implies you planned to show them before knowing they were lost.
20 (A) starts
Why it is correct: The start time of a school class or university lecture is an official timetable. Present Simple is required.
Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) do not follow the timetable rule.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 Volunteering and Offering Help (WILL):
- Whenever you see someone with a problem (carrying heavy things, dropping items, feeling hot/cold) and you step in to help, you are making an Instant Decision.
- You MUST use “Will” for all spontaneous offers and promises.
- Example: “That box looks heavy. I will carry it for you.” (NOT I am going to carry – because you didn’t plan this before seeing the box).
2 Personal Intentions (BE GOING TO):
- Use this when you have a plan in your head before someone asks you or before an event happens.
- Example: “I bought these notes because I am going to organize my desk.”
3 Fixed Arrangements (PRESENT CONTINUOUS):
- Use this when your plan involves other people and is confirmed (like a meeting, an appointment, or a date).
- Example: “I am meeting the HR manager at 2:00 PM.”
4 Timetables (PRESENT SIMPLE):
- Use this for official schedules that nobody can randomly change (trains, flights, store hours, class schedules).
- Example: “My class starts in five minutes.”