【Junior High School Year 2 English】Mastering the Future Tense (will and be going to)
Hello! Welcome to our lesson on the "Future Tense," a super important topic in 2nd-year English.
Up until now, you've been talking about things happening right now or in the past, like "I play tennis (Present Tense)" or "I played tennis (Past Tense)."
But from now on, you'll be able to talk about things yet to come—the future! Whether it's your "plans for tomorrow" or your "future dreams," you'll be able to express them all.
Being able to say things like "I'm going to hang out with friends this weekend!" or "Will it rain tomorrow?" makes English so much more fun. It might feel a bit tricky at first, but the rules are simple, so don't worry. Let's take it one step at a time together!
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1. The First Way to Express the Future: The Auxiliary Verb "will"
The most common way to talk about the future is using the word will. It means "I'm going to do ~" or "it will happen ~."
【Form】Subject + will + base form of the verb
Pro-tip: The verb that comes after will must always be in its "base form." Even if the subject is he or she, you must not add an s to the verb!
Examples:
I will play soccer tomorrow.
It will be sunny next Sunday.
【Negative Sentences】"I won't do it" or "It won't happen"
Just put not after will. You're all set!
will not is usually contracted to won't, so try to learn them as a pair!
I will not (won't) watch TV tonight.
【Questions】"Do you plan to...?" or "Will it...?"
Just move Will to the very beginning of the sentence!
To answer, use Yes, I will. / No, I won't.
Will you help me?
Yes, I will.
💡 Fun Fact:
Will you ~? isn't just for asking about the future; it's also a super helpful way to ask someone to do something for you, like "Could you please help me?"
【Key takeaway】
will is an auxiliary verb. Always follow it with the base form of the verb! For negatives, use won't, and for questions, move Will to the front!
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2. The Second Way to Express the Future: be going to
Another popular way to express the future is be going to. Its meaning is similar to will: "going to do something" or "about to do something."
【Form】Subject + be verb + going to + base form of the verb
Pro-tip: Choose the correct "be verb" (am, is, are) to match the subject. Just like before, the verb after to must be in its base form.
Examples:
I am going to visit Kyoto next month.
He is going to cook dinner tonight.
【Negative and Interrogative Sentences】
They work just like regular sentences with "be verbs"!
Negative: Add not after the be verb.
Question: Move the be verb to the front of the subject.
I am not going to play video games.
Are you going to study English?
【Key takeaway】
With be going to, watch out for the changes in the be verb! Always follow it with the base form of the verb!
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3. Tips on choosing between "will" and "be going to"
You’ll often see these two compared in "sentence transformation" exercises, but in real life, there is a slight nuance in how they're used.
① be going to:
Used for "plans" you've already decided on. Think of it like something you've already prepared for.
(e.g., A trip where you've already bought the tickets.)
② will:
Used for "intentions" you just thought of on the spot, or for "predictions."
(e.g., Saying "I'll get it!" when the phone rings, or talking about the weather forecast.)
Analogy:
Think of be going to like a "train" already on its tracks (moving in a decided direction).
Think of will like a "spark of inspiration"—something that pops into your head right in that moment!
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4. Common Mistakes (Check these out!)
Here are some points where students often lose marks on tests. Use this to review!
❌ Mistake 1: Forgetting the base form of the verb
× I will playing tennis.
○ I will play tennis.
(After auxiliary verbs like will or to, always use the original form!)
❌ Mistake 2: Forgetting the be verb
× I going to study English.
○ I am going to study English.
(be going to is a three-word set. Don't leave out the be verb!)
❌ Mistake 3: Using a be verb and will together
× I am will go home.
○ I will go home. / I am going to go home.
(You can't use will and a be verb side-by-side. Choose one or the other!)
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5. Final Words
Once you can use the future tense, you'll be able to have fun conversations in English about "What are you doing tomorrow?" or "Where are you going for summer vacation?"
Start by getting comfortable with the basic forms: will + base form and be going to + base form.
Saying them out loud again and again is the shortest shortcut to success! I'm cheering for you!
Summary:
・Use will and be going to for future sentences.
・In both cases, what follows is the "base form of the verb"!
・The negative of will is won't.
・For be going to, pick the right am, is, or are to match your subject!