Future Tenses Exercises
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How English talks about the future
English has no single future tense. We choose will, going to, the present continuous or the present simple, depending on the situation.
- will:
- quick decisions, offers, promises and opinions about the future: I'll help you.
- going to:
- plans you made before, and things you can see now: We're going to move. / It's going to rain.
- Present continuous:
- plans with other people and a time: I'm meeting Tom at six.
- Present simple:
- timetables: The train leaves at 9:40.
- Signal words:
- tomorrow, next week, soon, in 2030, tonight
Examples
I'm tired — I think I will stay home tonight.
decision made at the moment of speaking
We are going to paint the kitchen this summer.
plan decided earlier
Look at those clouds! It is going to rain.
prediction: you can see it now
She is having dinner with a friend on Friday.
plan with a person and a time — continuous
The last bus leaves at 11:30 p.m.
timetable — present simple
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Choose the best future form
Select the form that best fits each situation.
1.The phone is ringing. — Don't worry, I ___ it.
2.What are you doing on Saturday? — I ___ my grandmother at four.
3.Watch out! That cup ___ off the table!
4.Our train ___ at 9:40 tomorrow. Look at the timetable.
5.I promise I ___ anyone about the party.
Complete the sentences
Type the missing words. Use will or going to, as the situation shows.
Put the words in order
Click the words in the correct order to build the sentence.
11. Build the sentence:
12. Build the sentence:
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
True or false?
Decide if each statement about future forms is true or false.
15.We use 'going to' for a prediction when we can see something now.
16.For a plan already arranged with Tom for six o’clock, "I’m meeting Tom at six" is usually more natural than "I’ll meet Tom at six".
17.In a future time clause after "when", use the present simple: "I’ll call you when I arrive."
Future forms in English: how to choose
English has no special future tense. Instead, it uses other forms: 'will', 'going to' and the two present tenses. Each form shows how the speaker sees the future. To choose, ask one question: is this a quick decision, a plan, a prediction or a timetable?
If you decide at the moment of speaking, use 'will'. We use it for offers ('I'll carry that'), promises ('I'll never do it again') and quick decisions ('I'll have the soup'). We also use 'will' for opinions about the future, often after 'I think' or 'probably': "I think she'll win."
If you decided before, use 'going to': "We're going to paint the house" is a plan you made earlier. 'Going to' is also for things you can see now. When the sky is black, you can see what comes next, so you say "It's going to rain."
A plan with other people and a time is an arrangement. Use the present continuous: "I'm meeting the team at ten", "They're getting married in June." For trains, flights, classes and films, use the present simple, because the time is on a timetable: "The film starts at eight."
Be careful with when, before, after, until and as soon as. After these words, use the present simple, even for the future: "I'll text you as soon as I arrive." And remember that the forms are not the same: the choice changes the meaning. The exercises above use short situations to help you choose. If will and going to are the hard part, the Will vs Going To Exercises page practises just those two.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 'will' and 'going to'?
'Will' is for decisions at the moment of speaking, offers, promises and opinions. 'Going to' is for plans you made before and for things you can see now. Often both are possible, with a small difference.
When do we use the present continuous for the future?
For plans with other people, usually with a time or a place: "I'm seeing the dentist on Tuesday." If it is in your calendar, use the present continuous.
Can the present simple refer to the future?
Yes, for timetables: “The plane lands at 14:20.” We also use the present simple in future time clauses after when, before, after, until and as soon as: “I’ll call you when I arrive.”
How do I make questions and negatives with 'will'?
For a question, put will before the subject: "Will you help me?" For a negative, use won't (will not) + the base verb: "I won't be late." The verb after will never changes.
Why is "I'll call you when I will arrive" wrong?
In a future time clause after when, use the present simple: “I’ll call you when I arrive.” In an indirect question, will is possible: “I don’t know when it will arrive.”
Answer key
1. The phone is ringing. — Don't worry, I ___ it.
Answer: will answer
A decision made at this moment takes 'will': I'll answer it.
2. What are you doing on Saturday? — I ___ my grandmother at four.
Answer: am visiting
A plan with a person and a time uses the present continuous: I'm visiting my grandmother.
3. Watch out! That cup ___ off the table!
Answer: is going to fall
You can see it now, so use 'going to': it's going to fall.
4. Our train ___ at 9:40 tomorrow. Look at the timetable.
Answer: leaves
A timetable uses the present simple: leaves.
5. I promise I ___ anyone about the party.
Answer: won't tell
Promises use 'will/won't': I won't tell.
6. I decided last week: I ___ for a new job next month.
Answer: am going to look
A plan you made before speaking: am going to look.
7. It's cold in here. I ___ the window.
Answer: will close
Deciding as you speak: I'll close the window.
8. Our team has three goals and the other team has none. We ___ the game.
Answer: are going to win
You can see the score now, so use 'going to': are going to win.
9. Don't carry all that alone — I ___ you.
Answer: will help
Offers use 'will': I'll help you.
10. I think the weather ___ nice tomorrow.
Answer: will be
An opinion about the future uses 'will': will be.
11. going to / we / buy / are / a new car
Answer: we are going to buy a new car
Subject + am/is/are + going to + base verb + object.
12. marry / you / ? / will / me
Answer: will you marry me ?
Will-questions put will before the subject.
13. are / what / you / doing / on Saturday / ?
Answer: what are you doing on Saturday ?
Questions about plans use the present continuous: what + are + you + -ing.
14. won't / I / be / late again
Answer: I won't be late again
Negative promise: subject + won't + base verb.
15. We use 'going to' for a prediction when we can see something now.
Answer: True
True — "Look at those clouds! It's going to rain." You can see the clouds now.
16. For a plan already arranged with Tom for six o’clock, "I’m meeting Tom at six" is usually more natural than "I’ll meet Tom at six".
Answer: True
True — the present continuous is the usual choice for an arrangement, although will can be grammatical in other contexts.
17. In a future time clause after "when", use the present simple: "I’ll call you when I arrive."
Answer: True
True — future time clauses with when, before, after and as soon as normally use the present simple.