Going to vs. Future Simple

Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.

Going to	Future Simple (will)
1 to describe an action intended to be performed in the near future · He’s going to take a few days off next week. · We’re going to buy a new house next summer 2 to make a prediction based on evidence · Look at the baby! He’s going to et that worm!	1 to express spontaneous decisions · A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep. B: I'll get you some coffee. 2 to express a voluntary action, requests, offers, promises, threats, etc. · I will send you the information when I get it. · Will you help me move this heavy table? · I will not do your homework for you.   3 to make predictions about the future · John Smith will be the next President.

3 Future Continuous / Future Perfect / Future Perfect Continuous

These people are standing in queue to get into the cinema.

Half an hour from now the cinema will be full. Everybody will be watching a film.

An hour from now the cinema will be still full. Everybody will have been watching a film for half an hour.

Three hours from now the cinema will be empty. The film will have finished. Everybody has gone home.

(+) I We You They He She It   will be     driving going working (?) Will I we you they he she it   be     driving going working? (-) I We You They He She It   won’t     be     driving going working	(+) I We You They He She It   will have     driven gone worked (?) Will I we you they he she it   have     driven gone worked? (-) I We You They He She It   won’t   have     driven gone worked	(+) I We You They He She It   will have been     driving going working (?) Will I we you they he she it   have been     driving going working? (-) I We You They He She It   won’t have   been     driving going working
1 Specific time in the future At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert. 2 Parallel Actions in the Future Tonight, they will be eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.	1 Completed Action before Something in the Future By next November, I will have received my promotion. 2 Duration before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs) I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.	1 Duration before Something in the Future They will have been talking for over an hour by the time Thomas arrives.