Will or going to?

Objective & content

This grammar sheet teaches the choice between going to (a plan made before: I'm going to make a playlist.; something we can see now: We're going to be late!) and will (a decision made now or an offer: I'll bring some orange juice.; what we think about the future: I think it'll be the best party of the year!), with negatives (won't, isn't going to) and questions. Pupils read the conversation between Malik and Gemma as they plan the class party, find the missing words and read the rule, given in a box. By the end, they can talk about plans, offers and predictions with the right form.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 is the conversation at school, with a picture of Malik and of Gemma: Gemma brings a heavy box of decorations and Malik offers to help, Malik is going to make a playlist with Bryony, Caleb is going to bring his speaker, Malik offers to bring orange juice, and they see the clock and know they are going to be late for maths. Pupils find six missing words in sentences from the conversation. Then they read the rule, given in a box in short lines: going to for a plan and for something we can see now, will for a decision made now, an offer and what we think about the future, the same form of will with every person, 'll and won't, and no -s and no to after will. Page 2 has eight situations where pupils tick 'll or going to, six sentences to complete with will or going to and the verb in brackets, four sentences to make negative and four questions to make. Page 3 has seven everyday situations to match to the right reply, two more situations where pupils tick the right reply, then a plan for next weekend with going to and one thing they think will happen next year with will. Every exercise opens with a worked example, except the last one.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Tell the class "This weekend, I'm going to visit my sister." then drop a pen and say "Oh, I'll pick it up!"; write the two sentences on the board.
2. (10 min) Read the conversation aloud; pupils find the missing words.
3. (5 min) Read the rule in the box with the class; pupils find an example of each use in the conversation.
4. (15 min) Page 2: the right form, will or going to with the verb, then the negatives and the questions.
5. (10 min) Page 3: the matching, the two situations, then the pupils' own plan and prediction.
6. (5 min) Check with the answer key on pages 4 and 5.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils read the conversation aloud in pairs, one as Malik and one as Gemma, before the tasks.

[A] Pupils write three plans for the next holidays with going to and three things they think will happen next year with will.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil. Pages 4 and 5 are the answer key and teacher notes: keep them. Pupils need be in the present, the present simple and continuous, and the words for school, parties, food and the weather. To take it further, pairs act out short scenes and the class says why each speaker used will or going to.