We use the Future Simple tense:
1.When there is no plan or decision to do something before we speak. We make the decision spontaneously at the time of speaking.
Hold on. I’ll get a pen.
We will see what we can do to help you.
Maybe we’ll stay in and watch television tonight.
2.To make a prediction about the future.
It will rain tomorrow.
People won’t go to Jupiter before the 22nd century.
Who do you think will get the job?
Use the simple future to talk about an action or condition that will begin and end in the future.
Affirmative Form:
will + root form of verb
I will learn how to drive.
Maria will buy a dress.
Important Note:
It doesn’t matter if the subject is singular or plural; the formula for the future simple tense doesn’t change.
But…
There is another way to show that something will happen in the future. It follows the formula
am/is/are + going to + root form of verb
Examples:
I am going to learn how to speak English.
Maria is going to buy a dress.
Important Note 2:
We mainly use the going to form when we use informal speech.
Negative Form:
will + not + [root form]
Jenifer will not go to the cinema tonight.
Using the going to construction:
am/is/are + not + going to + root form of verb
Jenifer is not going to go to the cinema tonight
Interrogative Form:
will + subject + root form of verb
What will you do tonight?
When using going to:
am/is/are + subject +going to + root form of verb
What are you going to do tonight?
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
| I am going to go | I am not going to see | Am I going to see? |
| You are going to go | You are not going to see | Are you going to see? |
| He/She/It is going to go |
He/She/It is not going to see |
Is he/she/it going to see? |
| We are going to go | We are not going to see | Are we going to see? |
| You are going to go | You are not going to see | Are you going to see? |
| They are going to go | They are not going to see | Are they going to see? |
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative | Interrogative negative |
| I will/shall go |
I will/shall not/won’t see |
Will I see? Shall I see? |
Won’t I try? Shall I not try? |
| You will go | You will not/won’t see | Will you see? | Won’t you try? |
| He/She/It will go |
He/She/It will not/won’t see |
Will he see? | Won’t he/she/it try? |
| We will/shall go |
We will/won’t see | Will we see? Shall we see? |
Won’t we try? |
| You will go | You will not/won’t see | Will you see? | Won’t you try? |
| They will go | They will not/won’t see | Will they see? | Won’t they try? |
The rule is that shall is used with first person pronouns (i.e. I and we) , while will is used with second and third person forms (i.e. you, he, she, it, they).
But…
When we express a strong determination to do something:
I will not tolerate such behaviour.
You shall go to the ball!
Note: The form “it will” is not normally shortened.
