Welcome to this week's writing lesson from

 MyEnglishTeacher.net

Are you writing a report, typing a letter, or building a Web site?  If so, you must have tons of questions about English grammar.  That's why we are pleased to make the following

book recommendations

This is a terrific book that explains how to correctly use grammar (basic to advanced).  The author discusses lots of problematic areas and how to correct them. Click here for more information.

This is another terrific book which covers intermediate to advanced grammar and writing skills.  This helpful guide discusses tips on creating sentences and essays.  Click here for more information.

Click here to see more English grammar and writing books.

Lesson Topic: Future Tense Using "Will" And "Be Going To" 

Question:  You are going out for lunch.  You hear your boss saying that his shirt is ready at the dry cleaner's.  You are a really faithful, helpful, and loyal employee.  What do you say?

1. I'm going to pick it up for you.
2. I'll pick it up for you.
3. Pick it up yourself!  You, lazy bum!

C is a great answer if you want to get fired.  If you don't want to get fired, we strongly recommend one of the others.

If you chose not to get fired, you are considering A and B.  Which one is possible?  Which one is best?  Which one is usually said by a native speaker? 

Both A and B are possible, but one is more common for a native speaker.  Though will and be going to mean almost the same thing and are interchangeable sometimes, there are some situations when one is used more than the other.  

Will 

Promises 

Offers to help 

Request for help 

Predictions about the future 

Refusal of things

Be Going To

State a plan or intention 

Back To The Quiz At The Top

Using the information we just learned about will and be going to, what is the answer to the quiz at the top of this lesson?  The situation is an offer to help.  Offers to help usually use will.  Therefore, the answer is B. A is not wrong, but B is a little more common.

Quiz

Directions: Look at the following sentences.  Rewrite the sentences in blue using will or the correct form of be going to.  

1.  My radio is broken.  You (fix) it for me?

2.  I have a two-week vacation in August.  I (fly) to Vietnam.

3.  My car ran out of* gas.  It (not go).  

*ran out of=used up all of (so there is no more)

4.  My supervisor is a really nice guy.  He promised me a big bonus this year.  He promised me that he (give) me $2500 if we increase sales by 10%.  

5.  You spilled the milk.  I (clean) it up.

Most of the above are suggestions and generalizations about how native speakers use will and be going to.  These are not absolute rules. 

When using will in speech, using a contraction is very common.  For example,

     I'll give you a hand.*

     *I'll give you a hand=I'll help you

     Marie hates movies.  She won't go with us.