Three Future forms

These are the commonest ways of expressing the future in English.

• The present progressive: "What are you doing next weekend?"
• The "going to" future: "What are you going to do next weekend?"
• The simple future: "What will you do next weekend?"

They are all "correct grammar" but have a different "feel". The context can be important. Here are some cases to help you decide which tense is best (not which is "right"):

Case 1:

The present progressive is used for things which are ordinary, there is no special decision, there is no conditional "if", or "when" complication.

• I'm just having a sandwich for lunch, as usual.
• Of course I'm seeing Mary on Wednesday evening; I always do!
• I can't see you tomorrow. I'm working all day.

Case 2

The "going to" form is usually best when there is an idea of intention:

• I usually just have a sandwich for lunch but today I'm going to have lunch with John at the pub.
• Are you going to have a party for your birthday?
• When are you going to stop smoking?

Case 3

The Simple future is often (not always) used in sentences with conjunctions (don't forget that in a future sentence verbs after if, when before, after, as long as, as soon as, until, unless etc are always in the present) In spoken English it is usually contracted to '"ll":

• What will you do if the car breaks down?
• I'll see you when I have time.
• I think John will work on Saturday if you ask him.

Case 4

"Will" is always used when the idea is "willing" or "want to" rather than the future:

• The car won't start. (it is refusing to!)
• Will you help me to paint the bedroom? (are you willing to do it?)
• I'll do the washing up if you like.

Case 5

In modern spoken English it is not important to use "shall" in the first person. In any case, in the affirmative it is usually contracted to "I'll" or "We'll".It must be used, however when you make an offer to do something:

• Shall I start work early tomorrow?
• Shall I open the window?
• Shall I translate that for you?

Case 6

With the verbs "to go" and "to come" we usually do not use the "going to" form because it seems repetitive "I'm going to go" or contradictory "I'm going to come". If the "going" to form seems appropriate, use the future progressive instead with these verbs.

• We're going to Spain for our holidays this year.
• Are you going by plane or by train?
• There's a transport strike tomorrow. How are you coming to work?
• I'm not coming to work: I'm going to stay at home!

In this activity, choose the form which corresponds to the above. The other answers may not be "wrong" grammatically. The "right" answer is just that which is usually best in the context.