WILL VS. GOING TO EXERCISE 2 (ESL)
B1–B2 · IntermediateUseful for:✓ IELTS✓ TOEFL✓ TOEIC
In American English, will and going to are both used to talk about the future, but they are not always interchangeable. This exercise focuses on the key distinctions between them. The grammar review below explains when to use each one.
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Complete each sentence with will or going to. Type the full verb phrase (e.g., will call or is going to call).
Grammar review
Will vs. Going To — key differences in American English
Both will and going to express the future, but they are used in different situations.
Use will for:
• Spontaneous decisions made at the moment of speaking:
"The phone is ringing. I'll get it."
• Predictions based on opinion or belief (no clear evidence):
"I think it will rain tomorrow."
• Offers, promises, and requests:
"I'll help you move this weekend."
Use going to for:
• Plans and intentions already decided before speaking:
"We're going to visit my parents next month."
• Predictions based on current evidence or what you can see/know:
"Look at those clouds — it's going to rain."
Note on American English:
In everyday American speech, going to is very commonly contracted to gonna in informal contexts, but in writing and formal speech, going to is standard. Both will and going to are widely used — American English does not show a strong preference for one over the other the way some other varieties do.
Both will and going to express the future, but they are used in different situations.
Use will for:
• Spontaneous decisions made at the moment of speaking:
"The phone is ringing. I'll get it."
• Predictions based on opinion or belief (no clear evidence):
"I think it will rain tomorrow."
• Offers, promises, and requests:
"I'll help you move this weekend."
Use going to for:
• Plans and intentions already decided before speaking:
"We're going to visit my parents next month."
• Predictions based on current evidence or what you can see/know:
"Look at those clouds — it's going to rain."
Note on American English:
In everyday American speech, going to is very commonly contracted to gonna in informal contexts, but in writing and formal speech, going to is standard. Both will and going to are widely used — American English does not show a strong preference for one over the other the way some other varieties do.
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
More future tense exercises:
Will or going to? 1 (B1/B2)
Simple future 1 (A1/A2)
Simple future 2 (A1-A2)
Mixed future tenses 1 (B2)
Mixed future tenses 2 (C1)
Related conditional exercises:
Conditional, future, or present? 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed conditionals 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed conditionals 2 (B1/B2)
Conditional or future? 1 (B1/B2)
First or second conditional? 1 (B1/B2)
First or second conditional? 2 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
More future tense exercises:
Will or going to? 1 (B1/B2)
Simple future 1 (A1/A2)
Simple future 2 (A1-A2)
Mixed future tenses 1 (B2)
Mixed future tenses 2 (C1)
Related conditional exercises:
Conditional, future, or present? 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed conditionals 1 (B1/B2)
Mixed conditionals 2 (B1/B2)
Conditional or future? 1 (B1/B2)
First or second conditional? 1 (B1/B2)
First or second conditional? 2 (B1/B2)
Browse all grammar exercises →
