I will and I'm going to
Choosing between will and going to for future events
Deciding on the Spot vs. Decided Already
The difference between will and going to comes down to when the decision was made.
Use will when you decide something at the moment of speaking — you are announcing a new decision right now.
- “The printer is jammed again.” — “I‘ll call the technician.”
- “We don’t have enough copies.” — “I‘ll print some more.”
Use be going to when you have already decided to do something before you mention it.
- “Why did you order those boxes?” — “I‘m going to move everything to the new office.”
- “I talked to the manager. She’s going to extend the deadline by one week.”
The decision came first, and you are now telling someone about it.
Comparing the Two Side by Side
| Situation | Will | Going to |
|---|---|---|
| Someone tells you a colleague has been trying to reach you. | “Has he? OK, I‘ll call him.” (you just found out — new decision) | “Yes, I know. I‘m going to call him.” (you already planned to) |
| A team member is in the hospital. | “Really? I didn’t know. I‘ll go and visit her.” (reacting to news) | “Yes, I know. I‘m going to visit her this evening.” (already planned) |
Notice the pattern: will comes with surprise or new information. Going to comes with “I know” or “I’ve decided.”
Predicting the Future
Both will and going to work for predictions, but they come from different places.
When your prediction is based on something you can see or measure right now, use going to:
- Look at those dark clouds. It’s going to rain. (you can see the clouds)
- We‘re going to be late. The meeting starts in five minutes and it takes fifteen to get there. (the numbers don’t add up)
- The server response times are climbing fast. The system is going to crash if we don’t act.
When your prediction is based on belief, experience, or general knowledge, use will:
- I think the weather will be nice later.
- Those servers are well-built. They‘ll last a long time.
- Jane will be late for the meeting. She’s always late. (you know her habits)
| Prediction type | Example | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Based on present evidence | We‘re going to miss the deadline. | You can see the project is behind right now. |
| Based on belief or experience | I think the client will accept our proposal. | You believe this from past dealings. |
Quick Reference
| Will | Going to | |
|---|---|---|
| Decision | Made right now | Made before speaking |
| Signal words | “OK, I’ll…”, reacting to news | “I’ve decided”, “I already know” |
| Predictions | Based on what you believe or know | Based on what you can see right now |
Quick Self-Check
'The sales report has errors.' — 'Really? I _____ it right away.'
Select your answer:
I've talked to the IT department. They _____ new laptops for everyone next month.
Select your answer:
Look at the queue at the security checkpoint. We _____ the flight!
Select your answer:
I think the new office layout _____ much better for the team.
Select your answer:
'Did you call the supplier?' — 'Oh no, I forgot. I _____ them now.'
Select your answer: