Unit

23 I will and I’m going to

A Future actions
Compare will and (be) going to:
Sarah is talking to Helen: will (We’ll invite …)

Let’s have a party. That’s a great idea. We use will (We’ll invite …) to announce a
We’ll invite lots of people. new decision. The party is a new idea.

decision
now

We’ll …

SARAH HELEN past now future

Later that day, Helen meets Max: (be) going to (We’re going to invite …)
Sarah and I have decided to have a party. We use (be) going to when we have
We’re going to invite lots of people. already decided to do something.
Helen had already decided to invite lots of
people before she spoke to Max.
decision
before

We’re going to …
HELEN MAX
past now future

Compare:
‘Gary has been trying to contact you.’ ‘Has he? OK, I’ll call him.’
‘Gary has been trying to contact you.’ ‘Yes, I know. I’m going to call him.’
‘Anna is in hospital.’ ‘Really? I didn’t know. I’ll go and visit her.’
‘Anna is in hospital.’ ‘Yes, I know. I’m going to visit her this evening.’

B Future happenings and situations (predicting the future)

We use both will and going to for future happenings and situations. So you can say:
I think the weather will be nice later. or
I think the weather is going to be nice later.
Those shoes are well-made. They’ll last a long time. or
Those shoes are well-made. They’re going to last a long time.
When we say something is going to happen, we believe this because of the situation now. What is
happening now shows that something is going to happen in the future. For example:
Look at those black clouds. It’s going to rain. (not it will rain)
(we can see that it is going to rain – the black clouds are in the sky now)
Compare:
We’re going to be late. The meeting starts in five minutes and it takes 15 minutes to get there.
(it is clear now that we don’t have enough time to get there)
Jane will be late for the meeting. She’s always late.
(I believe this because I know what Jane is like)

46 I’m going to ➜ Unit 20 will ➜ Units 21–22 The future ➜ Appendix 3

 Unit
Exercises 23
23.1 Complete the sentences using will (’ll) or (be) going to.
1 a: Why are you turning on the TV?
b: I’m going to watch the news. (I / watch)
2 a: I forgot my wallet. I don’t have any money.
b: Not to worry. you some. (I / lend)
3 a: Why are you filling that bucket with water?
b: the car. (I / wash)
4 a: I don’t know how to use the washing machine.
b: It’s easy. you. (I / show)
5 a: I’ve decided to paint this room.
b: That’s nice. What colour it? (you / paint)
6 a: Where are you going? Are you going shopping?
b: Yes, some things for dinner tonight. (I / buy)
7 a: What would you like to eat?
b: a pizza, please. (I / have)
8 a: This food doesn’t taste very good, does it?
b: No, it’s horrible. it. (I / not / finish)
9 a: Tom is starting an evening class next month.
b: Is he? What ? (he / study)
10 a: Did you call Lisa?
b: Oh, no. I completely forgot. her now. (I / call)
11 a: Has Dan decided what to do when he leaves school?
b: Yes. Everything is planned.
First a holiday for a few weeks. (he / have)
Then a management training course. (he / do)
23.2 Read the situations and complete the sentences using will (’ll) or (be) going to.
1 You want some coffee. You go to the kitchen to make some.
You say (to your friend): I’m going to make some coffee. Would you like some?
2 You’re speaking to a friend and arranging to meet. You suggest a time and place.
You say: you at 10.30 in the hotel lobby, OK? (I/see)
3 You have decided to sell your car. You tell a friend of yours.
You say: I don’t need my car any more. it. (I/sell)
4 Your friend is worried because she has lost her driving licence.
You say: Don’t worry. I’m sure it. (you/find)
5a You have an old camera that is broken. You have decided to throw it away. You tell your friend.
You say: This camera is broken. it away. (I/throw)
5b Your friend loves and collects old cameras. He doesn’t want you to throw it away.
He says: Don’t throw it away! it. (I/have)
6a Joe has to go to the airport tomorrow. He doesn’t know how to get there. Amy offers to take him.
Amy says: Don’t worry about getting to the airport, Joe. you. (I/take)
6b Later that day, Paul offers to take Joe to the airport. Joe tells him that it’s not necessary.
Joe says: Thanks, Paul, but me. (Amy/take)
23.3 Which goes with which?
1 Why don’t you come to the party with us? a He’ll get what he wants. 1 f
2 That ceiling looks dangerous. b He probably won’t remember me. 2
3 He’s looking very tired. c It’s going to be a nice day. 3
4 This table is too big. d It looks as if it’s going to fall down. 4
5 The weather forecast is good. e It’s going to be 200 metres high. 5
6 Jack is very determined. f You’ll enjoy it. 6
7 They are building a new skyscraper here. g I don’t think it will fit in the room. 7
8 I haven’t seen Ben for ages. h I think he’s going to fall asleep. 8

➜ Additional exercises 10–13 (pages 308–10) 47

Unit
24 will be doing and will have done
A Study this example situation:
These people are standing in a queue to get
into the cinema.

now
Half an hour from now, the cinema will be full.
Everyone will be watching the film.

half an hour from now

Three hours from now, the cinema will be empty.
The film will have finished.
Everyone will have gone home.

three hours from now

B I will be doing something (future continuous) = I will be in the middle of doing it:
This time next week I’ll be on holiday. I’ll be lying on the beach or swimming in the sea.
You have no chance of getting the job. You’ll be wasting your time if you apply.
Compare will be (do)ing and will (do):
Don’t phone between 7 and 8. We’ll be eating.
Let’s wait for Liz to arrive and then we’ll eat.
Compare:
At 10 o’clock yesterday, Tina was in her office. She was working. (past continuous)
It’s 10 o’clock now. She is in her office. She is working. (present continuous)
At 10 o’clock tomorrow, she will be in her office. She will be working. (future continuous)

C We also use will be -ing to talk about complete actions in the future. Later in the programme,
For example: I’ll be talking to …
The government will be making a statement
about the crisis later today.
Later in the programme, I’ll be talking to the
Minister of Education.
The team’s star player is injured and won’t
be playing in the game on Saturday.
When we use it in this way, will be (doing) is similar to
will (do) and going to (do).

D I will have done something (future perfect) = it will be complete before a time in the future. For example:
Sally always leaves for work at 8.30 in the morning. She won’t be at home at 9 o’clock –
she’ll have gone to work.
We’re late. The film will already have started by the time we get to the cinema.
Compare:
Ted and Amy have been married for 24 years. (present perfect)
Next year they will have been married for 25 years. (future perfect)
When their son was born, they had been married for three years. (past perfect)

48 will ➜ Units 21–22 by then / by the time ➜ Unit 120 The future ➜ Appendix 3
 Unit
Exercises 24
24.1 Read about Andy. Then tick (✓) the sentences which are true. In each group of sentences at
least one is true.

Andy goes to work every day. He leaves home at 8 o’clock and arrives at work at about 8.45.
He starts work immediately and continues until 12.30 when he has lunch (which takes about
half an hour). He starts work again at 1.15 and goes home at exactly 4.30. Every day he follows
the same routine and tomorrow will be no exception.

1 At 7.45 4 At 12.45
a he’ll be leaving the house a he’ll have lunch
b he’ll have left the house b he’ll be having lunch
c he’ll be at home ✓ c he’ll have finished his lunch
d he’ll be having breakfast ✓ d he’ll have started his lunch

2 At 8.15 5 At 4 o’clock
a he’ll be leaving the house a he’ll have finished work
b he’ll have left the house b he’ll finish work
c he’ll have arrived at work c he’ll be working
d he’ll be arriving at work d he won’t have finished work

3 At 9.15 6 At 4.45
a he’ll be working a he’ll leave work
b he’ll start work b he’ll be leaving work
c he’ll have started work c he’ll have left work
d he’ll be arriving at work d he’ll have arrived home

24.2 Complete the sentences. Choose from the box.

1 There’s an election next week. Who will you be voting for? be watching
2 I’ll shopping later. Can I get you anything? will be landing
3 Emily is not well, so she volleyball tomorrow. won’t be playing
4 Little Emma school soon. She’s growing up fast. will be starting
will you be voting
5 The match is on TV tonight. Will you it?
won’t be going
6 What in your new job? The same as before? be going
7 I to the wedding. I’ll be away on holiday. will you be doing
8 Please fasten your seat belts. The plane in ten minutes.

24.3 Put the verb into the correct form, will be (do)ing or will have (done).
1 Don’t phone between 7 and 8. We’ll be eating then. (we / eat)
2 Tomorrow afternoon we’re going to play tennis from 3 o’clock until 4.30. So at 4 o’clock,
tennis. (we / play)
3 Sarah will meet you at the station. for you when you arrive.
(she / wait)
4 The meeting starts at 9.30 and won’t last longer than an hour. You can be sure that
by 11 o’clock. (it / finish)
5 Do you think in the same place in ten years’ time? (you / still / live)
6 Lisa is travelling in Europe and so far she has travelled about 1,000 miles. By the end of the trip,
more than 3,000 miles. (she / travel)
7 If you need to contact me, at the Lion Hotel until Friday. (I / stay)
8 Ben is on holiday and is spending his money very quickly. If he continues like this,
all his money before the end of his holiday. (he / spend)
9 I’m fed up with my job. I hope it much longer. (I / not / do)

➜ Additional exercises 12–13 (pages 309–10) 49