Do you know how to talk about future plans using will, going to, and the present continuous? Enhance your knowledge with a lesson given below and the grammar explanation to guide you better.
Check out these examples to see how will, going to, and the present continuous are used:
Awesome! The concert has been rescheduled. I'll catch up on my reading instead.
I'm going to start learning Spanish next month.
The movie starts at 7. We're meeting for dinner at The Grill beforehand.
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Grammar explanation - Future forms: 'will', 'be going to' and present continuous
We use different verb forms to talk about future plans depending on the type of plan: a spontaneous decision, a pre-arranged plan, or a confirmed arrangement.
Will: We use will to talk about spontaneous plans made at the moment of speaking.
Oh no, I forgot to send the email! I'll send it right after lunch.
I’m not sure what to cook for dinner. Wait, I’ll make pasta!
The printer is out of paper. I’ll pick some up when I go out.
Going to: We use going to for plans decided before the moment of speaking.
I'm going to call my sister tonight. I promised her we'd catch up.
I'm going to wear my blue jacket tomorrow.
I'm going to stop by the store later. Do we need anything?
Present continuous: We use the present continuous for arrangements that have already been confirmed, usually involving another person, and when the time and place are set.
I’m having dinner with Sarah at 7 p.m. tomorrow.
We're celebrating my birthday next weekend. Want to join?
The present continuous is also commonly used to ask about someone's future plans.
Are you going anywhere special this holiday season?