English has no single future tense. You choose a form by meaning: will for decisions made now, predictions and promises; going to for plans and for predictions with evidence; the present continuous for fixed arrangements; and the present simple for timetables. After words like when, if and as soon as, use the present simple, not will.
Why English has many ways to talk about the future
In many languages the verb changes its ending to show the future. English does not. Instead it uses several forms, and each one tells the listener something different: is this a plan, a guess, a promise or a timetable?
In IELTS Speaking Part 1 and Part 2 you need future forms to talk about plans (my plans after the test) and in Writing Task 2 you need them for predictions about society and technology. Choosing the right form shows control of grammar.
Will: decisions now, predictions and promises
Use will + base verb for three main jobs. First, a decision you make at the moment of speaking: The bus has gone, so I will walk. Second, a prediction based on your opinion or general knowledge: I think more people will work from home. Third, a promise or offer: I will send you the notes tonight.
In academic writing, will is also used for facts about the future, such as The population of the city will reach two million. To sound more careful, many writers use is likely to, may or could: Sea levels may rise, and coastal cities are likely to face flooding.
- I think electric cars will become cheaper. · opinion prediction
- I will call the library now. · decision at this moment
Going to: plans and predictions with evidence
Use am, is, are + going to + base verb when you already have a plan or intention: I am going to apply for a scholarship. Use it also when you can see evidence now that something will happen: Look at the traffic. We are going to be late.
The difference from will is the starting point. With going to, the idea is already in your head or the signs are in front of you. With will, you are deciding or giving an opinion right now. The next article in this series, will vs going to, looks at this contrast in detail.
Present continuous and present simple for the future
Use the present continuous (am, is, are + -ing) for arrangements: things you have fixed with other people, usually with a time. I am meeting my supervisor on Thursday. We are flying to Toronto at noon.
Use the present simple for timetables and schedules that do not change: The Speaking test starts at ten. The next train leaves at 5.40. This is not the same as a plan. It is about a fixed calendar.
- My course finishes in June. · timetable
- I am visiting my aunt next weekend. · arrangement
Future continuous and future perfect
Two more forms are useful in Speaking Part 2. The future continuous (will be + -ing) describes an action in progress at a future time: This time next year I will be studying in London. The future perfect (will have + ) describes an action finished before a future time: By 2030, the city will have built three new metro lines.
Both forms sound confident and natural, but only use them when the meaning fits. A simple will or going to is always safer than a complicated form used wrongly.
After if, when and as soon as
After time words and if, use the present simple even though the meaning is future. The words are when, after, before, until, as soon as, once and if. You say When I finish my degree, I will look for a job, not When I will finish.
Only the main clause takes will. This is one of the most common grammar mistakes in IELTS, so check every sentence that contains one of these words.
Practise each form
To practise, write one sentence for each future form about your own plans, then say them aloud. Check each one against the meanings in this article: decision, prediction, plan, arrangement and timetable. If two forms seem possible, ask which meaning you really want to give the listener, and choose that one.
Common mistakes
These three mistakes are worth checking in your own writing:
- As soon as I will arrive, I will call you. Say: As soon as I arrive.
- I think it will to be difficult. Say: I think it will be difficult. After will, use the base verb with no to.
- I am going to visiting my family. Say: I am going to visit my family.
Who finds this hard?
- Spanish speakers: Spanish often uses the plain present for a near plan (Mañana voy al médico). In English, say Tomorrow I am going to the doctor, with the present continuous or going to.
- Chinese speakers: Chinese shows time with words, not verb forms, so you may leave out will and going to. Add a future form whenever the sentence is about something that has not yet happened.
- Japanese speakers: Japanese often uses the same verb form for the present and the future. Practise adding will or the present continuous with a time word like tomorrow.
IELTS tip
In Writing Task 2, mix your future forms. Use will for confident predictions and may, could or is likely to for careful ones. In Speaking Part 1, answer questions about your plans with I am going to or I am hoping to, and then add a reason.
Frequently asked questions
How many future tenses are there in English?
Strictly, English has none, because the verb has no future ending. Learners usually count the main forms: will, going to, present continuous, present simple, future continuous and future perfect.
Can I use will and going to in the same way?
Often yes, especially for predictions, and in speaking people switch freely. The difference matters most for decisions made now (will) and plans already made (going to).
Why can't I say when I will arrive?
In a time clause with when, if, before, after or as soon as, English uses the present simple to refer to the future. Say when I arrive, I will call.
Which future form is best for IELTS Writing Task 2?
Use will for firm predictions and may, could or is likely to for careful ones. Avoid going to in formal writing, where will sounds more academic.
Sources
- Swan, M. (2016). Practical English Usage, 4th edition. Oxford University Press.
- Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S. and Finegan, E. (1999). Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Longman.