Will or going to? How to choose

Short answer: Use going to for a plan you made before, or for something you can see is about to happen. Use will for a decision made now, an offer, a promise or a prediction. Ask yourself: did I plan this, or did I decide just now? After both, use the plain verb.

▶ Open the rule card · ✏️ Practice this rule

At a glance

In short

• going to: a plan made before, or clear signs.
• will: a decision now, an offer or a promise.
• Both: the plain action word after.

What is the rule for “will or going to”?

The rule

Use going to for a plan made before. Use will for a decision now, an offer or a promise.

How it looks

plan: I am going to … · decision now: I will …

What it means

The word you choose shows if the idea was ready before or decided now.

When to use it

Choose by asking: did I plan it, or did I decide just now?

How it works

• Ask: was this decided before I spoke? If yes, use going to.
• Ask: did I decide at this moment, or am I offering or promising? If yes, use will.
• If you can see a clear sign now, use going to.
• Both are followed by the plain verb. Do not use them together.

Examples of “will or going to”

• I am going to visit Grandma this weekend.
  A plan I made before.
• I will carry your bag.
  An offer, just now.
• We will be good, I promise.
  A promise.
• Look! It is going to rain.
  A clear sign.
• I have bought the tickets, so we are going to fly to Da Nang.
  A plan made before.
• The phone is ringing. I will answer it!
  A decision made now.
• Maybe I will study medicine.
  A possible idea, not a firm plan.
• She is pale. She is going to be sick.
  A clear sign.

Common mistakes with “will or going to”

• I am going to help you. (a quick offer) → I will help you.
  A quick offer uses will.
• I will visit Grandma. (a plan with tickets) → I am going to visit Grandma.
  A plan made before uses going to.
• I going to help. → I am going to help.
  Do not leave out am.
• I will going to swim. → I am going to swim.
  Do not mix will and going to.
• She will to visit Hue. → She will visit Hue.
  No to after will.

Exceptions: watch out

• both are fine
  Sometimes both are right: I think it will rain / I think it is going to rain.

Will, going to and the present continuous

All three can talk about the future. Choose by how sure and how planned the idea is.

See also: Plans: am / is / are going to

Check yourself

1. Your friend drops a pen. You offer to help. Say:
   Show the answer

   I will pick it up. A quick offer: will.

2. You bought a ticket for Sunday. Say:
   Show the answer

   I am going to fly on Sunday. A plan made before: going to.

3. Fix: “I will going to swim.”
   Show the answer

   I am going to swim. Do not use will and going to together.

How to practice “will or going to”

The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.

• Practice lesson: will or going to?
• Practice lesson: Future: will
• Practice lesson: Plans: be going to

Questions

Is it wrong to use will for a plan?

Not always. In speech people often use will for plans too. But going to sounds more natural for a plan made before.

Which one is better for a prediction?

Both work. Use going to when you see signs now. Use will for an opinion: I think it will rain.

What about “I’ll” and “gonna”?

I’ll is the short form of I will. Gonna is a spoken short form of going to.

More Grammar in Context rules

• The best: comparing three or more: To say which one is number one, use the + -est, or the most for long words.
• Future: will and won't: will talks about the future. After will, use the plain action word.
• Plans: am / is / are going to: Use am, is or are + going to + the plain action word for plans, and for things we can see coming.
• Telling a story: first, then, next, finally: Order words put the steps of a story in order. Keep the whole story in the past.
• when and if: when tells the time. if tells what must happen first. After if, use the present for the future.
• Polite talk: Can I …? Would you like …?: Ask with Can I have … , please? Offer with Would you like …? Answer with Yes, please or No, thank you.

Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G4: Grammar in Context. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.

Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.

Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30

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