Chairs of the Future

Pre-intermediate (A2) 15 minutes
Future tenses activity, reviewing will, be going to, present continuous, group speaking, A2

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar: Forming Sentences, Answering Questions, Freer Practice

This insightful future tenses activity is useful for reviewing the three future forms: will, be going to, and the present continuous. Put three chairs at the front of the class and label them with will, be going to...

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar: Forming Sentences, Answering Questions, Freer Practice This insightful future tenses activity is useful for reviewing the three future forms: will, be going to, and the present continuous. Put three chairs at the front of the class and label them with will, be going to, and the present continuous. Give an example of each future form by sitting in each chair and making a sentence. Next, invite students to come up one by one, sit on one of the chairs, and make an appropriate sentence. Then, ask the student concept-checking questions to make sure they are sitting in the correct chair. If the student's answers show they are sitting in the wrong place, they move to another chair and make a more suitable sentence. Continue until the three forms have been adequately covered.
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Change your Mind

Pre-intermediate (A2) 20 minutes
Going to and Will activity, asking and answering, controlled and freer practice, A2

ESL Going To and Will Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice

In this free 'be going to' and 'will' activity, students ask 'be going to' questions to confirm plans for tomorrow and change their minds by making spontaneous decisions with 'will'. First, students hold...

ESL Going To and Will Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Controlled and Freer Practice In this free 'be going to' and 'will' activity, students ask 'be going to' questions to confirm plans for tomorrow and change their minds by making spontaneous decisions with 'will'. First, students hold their cards so that the 'Plan' side is facing themselves and the 'Decision' side is facing away. Students then go around asking 'be going to' questions to confirm a plan for tomorrow, with each student using their card as a prompt, e.g. 'Are you going to go to the gym tomorrow?' When a student asks a question, their partner changes their mind about the plan and uses 'will' to make a spontaneous decision by choosing from two prompts, e.g. 'No, I think I'll play tennis.' In the activity, students repeat the same question several times, but practice making different decisions each time they change partners. When the students have spoken to everyone, they exchange cards and repeat the activity.
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Future Sentences

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
Future expressions games, pelmanism, forming sentences, group work, pre-intermediate

ESL Future Expressions Games - Grammar and Speaking: Pelmanism, Forming Sentences - Group Work

In these two future expressions games, students practice making sentences about the future with 'would like to', 'want to', 'hope to' and 'be going to'. First, students play a pelmanism game where they...

ESL Future Expressions Games - Grammar and Speaking: Pelmanism, Forming Sentences from Prompts - Group Work In these two future expressions games, students practice making sentences about the future with 'would like to', 'want to', 'hope to' and 'be going to'. First, students play a pelmanism game where they take turns turning over two cards. If the two cards form a valid pair (one future expression card + one verb card), the student makes a sentence about the future with the expression and verb on the cards, e.g. 'I would like to go shopping this weekend.' The other group members listen to the student's sentence and judge whether it's correct. If it is, the student keeps the two cards and has another turn. If the sentence is wrong or the two cards don't go together, the student turns the cards back over. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. Next, students play a game where they race to make a true sentence about the future. Students take turns turning over a future expression card and a verb card from each pile. The other students then race to make a true sentence about the future using the words on the cards. The first student to do this wins and keeps the cards. The student with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
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Going to or Will?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 20 minutes
Be going to or will worksheet, future plans, offers, promises, predictions, A2

ESL Be Going To or Will Worksheet - Grammar Exercise: Gap-fill

In this useful 'be going to' or 'will' worksheet, students identify the function of each sentence and then fill in the gaps with the correct future form, using 'be going to' for plans and 'will' for offers, promises, spontaneous decisions, and...

ESL Be Going To or Will Worksheet - Grammar Exercise: Gap-fill In this useful 'be going to' or 'will' worksheet, students identify the function of each sentence and then fill in the gaps with the correct future form, using 'be going to' for plans and 'will' for offers, promises, spontaneous decisions, and predictions. First, students decide the function of each sentence (future plan, unplanned decision, offer, promise, or prediction) and write it next to the item. Students then complete the sentences using the correct future form of the verb in brackets. Afterwards, go through the answers with the class and elicit the function of the future form in each sentence.
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Plans and Predictions

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
Be going to or will game, future plans, predictions, A2

ESL Be Going To or Will Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Pair Work

In this rewarding 'be going to' and 'will' game, students practice using 'be going to' for future plans and 'will' for predictions by forming sentences, asking questions...

ESL Be Going To or Will Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Pair Work In this rewarding 'be going to' and 'will' game, students practice using 'be going to' for future plans and 'will' for predictions by forming sentences, asking questions, and matching logical answers. In pairs, students take turns picking up a question card and forming a sentence with 'be going to' using the Plan prompt, e.g. 'I'm going to buy a new television.' The student then forms a corresponding question with 'will' using the Question prompt, e.g. 'How much money will it cost?' The other student then checks their answer cards for a logical match. If they have one, they make a prediction in sentence form using 'will', e.g. 'It will cost $150.' If the student makes a logical match and a grammatically correct prediction, they keep the question card, discard the used answer card, and draw a new one from the pile. If they cannot make a logical match or a grammatically correct prediction, the student keeps the answer card, and the question card is returned to the bottom of the pile. It's then the other student's turn to pick a question card, and so on. The student with the most question cards at the end of the game is the winner.
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The Future You

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
Future tenses speaking activity, finding classmates, gap-fill, present continuous, going to, will, A2

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Forming, Asking and Answering Questions

Here is an engaging future tenses speaking activity to help students practice the future forms: will, be going to and the present continuous. Students begin by completing sentences with 'will', 'be going...

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Forming, Asking and Answering Questions From Prompts Here is an engaging future tenses speaking activity to help students practice the future forms: will, be going to and the present continuous. Students begin by completing sentences with 'will', 'be going to' or the present continuous and verbs in brackets. Students then go around the class asking their classmates the questions in order to find people who the sentences are true for, e.g. 'Are you meeting a friend after class?' When a student finds someone who answers 'yes' to a question, the student writes down their name to complete the sentence and asks a follow-up question to gain more information, noting down the answer in the last column. When everyone has finished, students give feedback to the class on what they found out by reading their completed sentences and giving extra information.
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Tomorrow, Next Week, and Beyond!

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
Mixed future tenses speaking activity, gap-fill, asking and answering, group and pair work, A2

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions - Group and Pair Work

In this useful future tenses speaking activity, students complete, ask and answer conversation questions using 'will', 'be going to' and the present continuous. First, in two groups, students...

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work In this useful future tenses speaking activity, students complete, ask and answer conversation questions using 'will', 'be going to' and the present continuous. First, in two groups, students complete each conversation question with a verb from the box in the correct form, using 'will', 'be going to' or the present continuous as appropriate. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group. Students then take turns asking the conversation questions to their partner, who responds accordingly. Finally, students share what they learned about their partner with the class.
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A Week in my Country

Intermediate (B1) 40 minutes
Will and going to activity, planning, discussing a schedule, presenting, group work, B1

ESL Will and Going To Activity - Speaking: Discussing and Planning a Schedule, Presenting, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this enjoyable 'will' and 'be going to' activity, students use 'will' to make on-the-spot decisions while planning a week-long holiday itinerary, and then use 'be going to' to write up and present the ...

ESL Will and Going To Activity - Speaking: Discussing and Planning a Schedule, Presenting, Freer Practice - Group Work In this enjoyable 'will' and 'be going to' activity, students use 'will' to make on-the-spot decisions while planning a week-long holiday itinerary, and then use 'be going to' to write up and present the final plan to the class. First, in groups of three or four, students discuss and decide on a holiday itinerary for themselves and their visiting friends, using the future form 'will' to make spontaneous decisions. Each group then plans their complete itinerary and fills in the timetable with their ideas, using 'be going to'. When the students have finished, each group uses 'be going to' to present their planned itinerary to the class. Afterwards, review the use of 'will' and 'be going to' and have the students vote for the best holiday itinerary.
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Cards of the Future

Intermediate (B1) 35 minutes
Future tenses game, matching, asking and answering, group work, intermediate

ESL Future Tenses Game - Grammar and Speaking Game: Matching, Asking and Answering Questions - Group Work

In this imaginative future tenses game, students practice asking and answering questions about the future using 'will', 'be going to', and the present continuous. In groups, students take turns...

ESL Future Tenses Game - Grammar and Speaking Game: Matching, Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts - Group Work In this imaginative future tenses game, students practice asking and answering questions about the future using 'will', 'be going to', and the present continuous. In groups, students take turns picking up a question prompt card and deciding which future form would be the most suitable match for the question on the card, e.g. a prediction, a decision, an arrangement, etc. The student then uses the future form and prompt to ask a question to the other students. If the student forms the question correctly, they score a point. The other students then reply using the appropriate future form. If a student gives a suitable response, they also score a point. The question card is then placed next to the future form card. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
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Dialogue Disarray

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Future tenses activity, gap-fill, ordering, role-play, controlled practice, pair work, B1

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Ordering, Role-Play, Controlled Practice - Pair Work

In this challenging future tenses activity, students use 'will', 'be going to', and the present continuous to complete missing verbs in two dialogues and put the dialogues in a logical order. The students'...

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Ordering, Role-Play, Controlled Practice - Pair Work In this challenging future tenses activity, students use 'will', 'be going to', and the present continuous to complete missing verbs in two dialogues and put the dialogues in a logical order. The students' task is to complete sentences with the appropriate future forms and put conversations in the correct order by reading the sentences to a partner and numbering them. Student A begins the first dialogue by reviewing their sentences, selecting the most suitable one using an appropriate future form, and reading it aloud to their partner. The student then puts number 1 next to the sentence. Student B listens, looks for a suitable reply, completes the sentence and then reads that reply to Student A, putting number 2 next to the sentence. This process continues until the conversation is in order. Students then move on to the second dialogue, with Student B starting the conversation. Finally, review the two dialogues and future forms with the class.
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Dice of Prediction

Intermediate (B1-B2) 30 minutes
Future Simple board game, making predictions, group work, intermediate

ESL Future Tenses Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences - Group Work

In this free future tenses board game, students practice making predictions using the future simple with 'will', the future perfect, the future continuous, future time expressions, 'will probably' and...

ESL Future Tenses Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts - Group Work In this free future tenses board game, students practice making predictions using the future simple with 'will', the future perfect, the future continuous, future time expressions, 'will probably' and 'might'. In groups, students take turns rolling the dice and moving their counters along the board. When a student lands on a square, they make a prediction about the topic using the future form that matches the number they rolled. For example, if a student rolls a '1', the student makes a prediction with the future simple. If a student rolls a '2', they make a prediction with the future perfect, and so on. The other students in the group judge whether the sentence is grammatically correct and appropriate. If the sentence is correct, the student stays on the square. If not, they go back to their previous square. The first student to reach the finish square wins the game.
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Future Tenses Board Game

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
Future tenses board game, present continuous, be going to, will, would like to, group work, B1

ESL Future Tenses Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Impromptu Speech, Communicative Practice - Group Work

Here is a free future forms board game to help students talk about the future using the present continuous, 'be going to', 'will', 'won't' and 'would like to'. Students take turns rolling the dice and moving...

ESL Future Tenses Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Impromptu Speech, Communicative Practice - Group Work Here is a free future forms board game to help students talk about the future using the present continuous, 'be going to', 'will', 'won't' and 'would like to'. Students take turns rolling the dice and moving their counters along the board. When a student lands on a square, they talk about the topic on the square for 30 seconds using an appropriate future form. If a student can't think of anything to say, makes a grammar mistake, or stops talking before the 30 seconds are up, they go back two squares. The first student to reach the finish wins the game.
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New Year's Resolutions

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Future intentions worksheet, expressing intention and certainty, writing, discussion, B1

ESL Future Intentions Worksheet - Grammar and Writing Exercises: Rating, Writing Sentences - Speaking Activity: Discussion - Group Work

In this creative New Year's resolutions worksheet, students use five common future forms to express intentions with different levels of certainty and use...

ESL Future Intentions Worksheet - Grammar and Writing Exercises: Rating, Writing Sentences from Prompts - Speaking Activity: Guided Discussion - Group Work In this creative New Year's resolutions worksheet, students use five common future forms to express intentions with different levels of certainty and use them to make, discuss and plan New Year's resolutions. First, students read five ways to express a New Year's resolution and categorise them, according to their varying degrees of certainty. Next, students write one New Year's resolution for each aspect of their life, indicating the certainty of the resolution with an appropriate phrase. In groups, students then take turns sharing one of their less certain New Year's resolutions. The other group members listen and try to give advice to the student to help them achieve their goal. Finally, based on the advice given by their classmates, students write a plan to help them keep their New Year's resolution and share it with the class.
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Questions of the Future

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
Future tenses game, writing sentences, guessing, questionnaire, intermediate

ESL Future Forms Game - Grammar: Writing Sentences, Guessing

In this intriguing future forms game, students practice future forms by anonymously completing a short questionnaire about their plans and predictions, then listening to classmates’ responses and guessing who wrote each set of answers...

ESL Future Forms Game - Grammar: Writing Sentences from Prompts, Guessing In this intriguing future forms game, students practice future forms by anonymously completing a short questionnaire about their plans and predictions, then listening to classmates’ responses and guessing who wrote each set of answers. First, students anonymously complete a questionnaire by writing their answers in sentence form in the spaces provided. Students then put an assigned number at the top of the questionnaire and hand it in. Next, students take turns coming to the front of the class and reading the answers on another student's questionnaire to the class along with the student's number. Each student listens and guesses which classmate wrote the answers, writing the name and number of the person on a piece of paper. When all the questionnaires have been read out, students reveal their numbers. Students score one point for each correct guess. The student with the most points wins.
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Race to the Top

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
Future tenses board game, answering, forming questions, group work, intermediate

ESL Future Tenses Board Game - Grammar Game: Answering Questions, Forming Questions and Sentences - Group Work

This fun future forms board game helps students practice future forms by asking and answering questions, forming full sentences, and discussing plans in small groups. Players take turns rolling the...

ESL Future Tenses Board Game - Grammar Game: Answering Questions from Prompts, Forming Questions and Sentences - Group Work This fun future forms board game helps students practice future forms by asking and answering questions, forming full sentences, and discussing plans in small groups. Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along the board. When a player lands on a square, they answer the question using an appropriate future form. Players must give detailed answers and form full sentences. If a player lands on a square containing a question mark, the player asks the other students in the group a question about the future which they each answer in turn. The other students in the group judge whether the player's answer or question is grammatically correct. If it is, the player stays on the square. If a player makes a mistake or cannot think of an answer or question, they go back two squares. The first player to reach the finish wins the game.
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Will or Be Going To?

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
Will or be going to worksheet, gap-fill, matching, writing, error correction, B1

ESL Will or Be Going To Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching, Writing Sentences, Binary Choice, Error Correction, Rewriting Sentences

This comprehensive 'will' or 'be going to' worksheet helps students practice or review the differences between these two future forms. First, students...

ESL Will or Be Going To Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching, Writing Sentences from Prompts, Binary Choice, Error Correction, Rewriting Sentences This comprehensive 'will' or 'be going to' worksheet helps students practice or review the differences between these two future forms. First, students complete statements, questions and responses with the correct form of 'will' or 'be going to' and then match them together. Students then rewrite sentences with 'will' or 'be going to' in their negative form. Next, students underline the correct future form to complete each sentence. Lastly, students rewrite sentences, correcting 'will' or 'be going to' mistakes.
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Future Tenses Grammar Gamble

Upper-intermediate (B2) 25 minutes
Future tenses game, grammar, gap-fill, betting, upper-intermediate

ESL Future Tenses Game - Grammar: Gap-fill, Betting

In this mixed future tenses game, students complete sentences that refer to the future and to future-in-the-past forms, then bet points on their answers​. First, students complete sentences with verbs from a box in their correct future forms...

ESL Future Tenses Game - Grammar: Gap-fill, Betting In this mixed future tenses game, students complete sentences that refer to the future and to future-in-the-past forms, then bet points on their answers. First, students complete sentences with verbs from a box in their correct future forms. Students then bet between one and five points, depending on how sure they are about each answer, five being very sure and one not at all sure. Afterwards, go through the correct answers by eliciting the sentences from the class. For each correct answer, students put a tick and write the number they bet in the points column. For incorrect answers, students put a cross and write the number with a minus sign in front of it in the points column. Afterwards, students add up their points to get a grand total. The student with the most points wins the game.
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I'm about to win!

Upper-intermediate (B2) 25 minutes
Future expressions game, about to, due to, just about to, sentence completion, B2

ESL Future Expressions Game - Grammar: Sentence Completion - Group Work

In this future expressions with 'be' game, students complete sentences by combining verbs from a word bank with be + due to, about to, just about to, or to. The aim of the game is for players to get four squares in a row whilst trying to...

ESL Future Expressions Game - Grammar: Sentence Completion - Group Work In this future expressions with 'be' game, students complete sentences by combining verbs from a word bank with be + due to, about to, just about to, or to. The aim of the game is for players to get four squares in a row whilst trying to prevent their opponent from doing the same. Players take turns choosing a square and completing the sentence by combining one of the provided verbs with due to, about to, just about to, or to, e.g. 'Hurry up! The class is about to start.' The student adjudicating then checks the answer sheet. If the sentence is correct, the player marks their square with an 'O' or 'X' accordingly. It's then the other player's turn to choose a square. The first player to get four squares in a row is the winner. If no one manages to do this, the player with the most squares wins. When the students have finished, they swap roles and play a second game, giving the student who acted as adjudicator a chance to play.
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What does the future hold?

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
Future tenses speaking activity, forming, asking, answering questions, controlled and freer practice, B2

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice

This future forms speaking activity helps students review future forms and their functions. The activity covers 'will' for predictions, 'be going to' for plans and intentions, present...

ESL Future Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice This future forms speaking activity helps students review future forms and their functions. The activity covers 'will' for predictions, 'be going to' for plans and intentions, present continuous for definite arrangements as well as the future perfect, future continuous and 'would like'. First, students change the items on the worksheet into questions. Students then go around the class asking the questions to each other, e.g. 'Will you be having dinner at 6 p.m. this evening?' When a classmate answers 'yes' to a question, the student writes the classmate's name in the 'Name' column and completes the sentence, then asks follow-up questions to get more information, noting the answers in the 'More information' column before moving on to speak to another classmate. Afterwards, elicit which future form was used in each question and why. Finally, students give feedback to the class on what they found out about their classmates.
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Focusing on the Future

Advanced (C1) 35 minutes
Advanced future expressions game, vocabulary, guided discussions, pair work, C1

ESL Future Tenses Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Discussions - Pair Work

In this rewarding future expressions game, students discuss a range of personal and global questions while deliberately using advanced future expressions in their answers to gain pointsIn pairs, one student picks up a question card, reads it aloud...

ESL Future Tenses Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Guided Discussions - Pair Work In this rewarding future expressions game, students discuss a range of personal and global questions while deliberately using advanced future expressions in their answers to gain points. In pairs, one student picks up a question card, reads it aloud and places it face-up on the desk, e.g. 'What exciting changes do you see in your career or personal life in the next five years?' The two students then have a conversation about the question for two minutes. As the students talk, they try to naturally work a sentence into the conversation that uses a future expression on a card. For example, if a student had a future expression card that read 'be about to,' the student might say, 'I'm about to graduate from school, so I think in the next five years I'll get a job.' When a student successfully uses their future expression in the conversation, as confirmed by their partner, they score a point, take another future expression card, and then try to use the next expression. After two minutes, the conversation ends, and the students place all the future expression cards back in the pile. The game continues until all the question cards have been used. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
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Understanding Future Tenses

Future tenses in English fall into three main categories that students encounter early: 'will' for predictions and spontaneous decisions, as in 'It will rain tomorrow'; 'be going to' for plans and intentions, as in 'I'm going to visit my parents'; and the present continuous for fixed arrangements, as in 'I'm meeting Sam at 6.' When students use only 'will' for every future meaning, their English sounds imprecise: saying 'I will meet my friend tonight' instead of 'I'm meeting my friend tonight' signals a vague intention rather than a confirmed plan, which can leave a listener uncertain about whether the event is actually happening.

This page covers future tenses across four levels from A2 to C1 with 20 activities ranging from card games and board games to dialogue reconstruction and discussion tasks, totaling around 550 minutes of practice, with two activities available as free downloads.

English uses five main future forms, each with a distinct structure and communicative function, from pre-intermediate through to advanced level.

FormStructureMain UseExample
will (future simple) subject + will + base verb predictions, spontaneous decisions, offers, promises 'I think it will snow tonight.'
be going to subject + am/is/are + going to + base verb plans, intentions, evidence-based predictions 'We are going to visit Rome next month.'
Present Continuous subject + am/is/are + verb-ing fixed arrangements with a specific time or place 'I am meeting the team at 9 a.m. on Monday.'
Future Continuous subject + will be + verb-ing actions in progress at a specific future moment 'This time tomorrow I will be flying to Tokyo.'
Future Perfect subject + will have + past participle actions completed before a specific future point 'By Friday she will have finished the report.'

When to Use Future Tenses

Signaling a Confirmed Arrangement: When a speaker wants to show that a future event is already fixed and scheduled rather than merely intended, the present continuous signals that commitment clearly, as in 'I can't come on Saturday. I'm having lunch with my parents.'

Predicting Based on Visible Evidence Right Now: When a speaker can see clear evidence that something is about to happen, 'be going to' links that present evidence directly to the future outcome in a way that 'will' does not, as in 'Look at those clouds. It's going to rain.'

Describing an Action in Progress at a Future Moment: When a writer or speaker wants to place the reader inside a future moment and show that an action will already be underway at that point, the future continuous creates that sense of ongoing activity, as in 'At this time next week, we will be sitting on the beach.'

3-Step Framework for Teaching Future Tenses

1. Contrast the Two Core Forms Through a Mingle Activity: The biggest challenge for beginners is understanding when to use 'be going to' versus 'will', and a mingle activity that forces them to switch between the two in real time is the fastest way to make the difference stick. Students hold a card with a plan prompt visible only to themselves and circulate, answering questions like 'Are you going to go to the gym tomorrow?' by changing their mind and choosing one of two 'will' responses, such as 'No, I think I'll play tennis.' Because students repeat the same question with different partners and make a different decision each time, they get a high volume of practice in a short window.

2. Embed All Three Forms in a Real Dialogue Context: Once students can switch between 'will' and 'be going to' in isolation, give them the challenge of using all three main future forms inside a real conversation. A dialogue reconstruction activity works well here: Student A selects the most suitable future form for their sentence and reads it aloud, and Student B listens, finds a suitable reply, completes it with the correct future form, and reads it back, with both students numbering the exchanges to build the dialogue in order. Working through two complete conversations this way helps students see how future forms function differently within the same natural exchange.

3. Push Advanced Students to Use Future Expressions Under Conversational Pressure: At higher levels, students need to go beyond the three core forms and deploy a wider range of future expressions accurately in free speech. A discussion card game creates the right conditions: pairs discuss a question card for two minutes while deliberately weaving a target expression into the conversation naturally, for example working 'be about to' into an answer by saying 'I'm about to graduate from school, so I think in the next five years I'll get a job.' Every successful use of the target expression, confirmed by the partner, scores a point, which keeps precision in focus without interrupting the flow of conversation.

Common Mistakes with Future Tenses

Using 'Will' for a Pre-Arranged Plan: Students often use 'will' for events that are already booked or confirmed, when 'be going to' or the present continuous is the more natural choice, because they have not yet learned that 'will' signals a newly formed rather than a pre-existing decision. Wrong: 'I will have dinner with my family on Sunday. It's all arranged.' Correct: 'I'm having dinner with my family on Sunday. It's all arranged.'

Using 'Be Going To' for a Spontaneous Decision: Students often use 'be going to' in response to a sudden situation, when 'will' is the natural choice for a decision made on the spot rather than something planned in advance. Wrong: 'It's hot in here. I am going to open the window.' Correct: 'It's hot in here. I'll open the window.'

Common Questions About Teaching Future Tenses

What is a fun board game for practicing future tenses?

A fun board game for practicing future tenses is the free Future Tenses Board Game at B1 level. Students roll the dice, move along the board, and talk about the topic on their square for 30 seconds using an appropriate future form. Making a grammar mistake or stopping early sends the player back two squares. The first to finish wins.

What is a simple worksheet for teaching the difference between 'will' and 'be going to'?

Will or Be Going To? is a simple B1 worksheet for teaching the difference between 'will' and 'be going to'. Students complete statements, questions, and responses with the correct form and match them together, rewrite sentences in the negative, underline the correct future form in context, and finish by correcting 'will' or 'be going to' mistakes.

How do I help students practice 'be going to' and 'will' together at pre-intermediate level?

At A2 level, Plans and Predictions gives students focused practice with 'be going to' and 'will' together. One student forms a 'be going to' plan and asks a matching 'will' question; their partner finds a logical answer card and makes a 'will' prediction, winning the question card for a correct match. The student with the most cards wins.

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Carrie Brooke-Mellor

ESOL Teacher, United Kingdom

"I am an ESOL teacher, and the resources have helped my classes enormously. In particular, the speaking activities were a great help for my intermediate students before their exam. The website is user-friendly, and I will continue to utilise the resources - next term is reading and comprehension, so I will be looking for more resources from you. Thank you for such helpful activities and worksheets. They save me a lot of time in class preparation."

★★★★★

Charlie Sanders

ESL Teacher, France

"Teach This is an absolutely brilliant website, offering a vast amount of high-quality content, much of it free. Everyone involved in its creation deserves commendation. The leadership's vision has my deepest respect and gratitude. It's undoubtedly the best resource for English teachers, with its clear layout, easy navigation, concise messaging, and lack of invasive advertising - rare qualities that Teach This has perfected."

★★★★★

Joy Tebow

English Teacher, Laos

"When I need to add or change an activity from my school's curriculum, I always turn to TeachThis. While our curriculum is usually very good, it sometimes doesn't fit well with my students. With TeachThis, I can easily find activities that match my topic and level, and the resources make my classes more interesting and varied. I look forward to the monthly newsletter and exploring new materials for inspiration. Please keep it up!"

★★★★★

Mina Zolfaghari

English Tutor, Australia

"I like the efficiency and organization of the website. The resources cater to various levels with topic-based options for higher levels. The worksheets are very engaging and the answer keys are particularly helpful for teacher. The resources are also highly specific to levels and outcomes, making planning much easier. Finding what I need is simple and time-saving with the keyword search feature. Everything is clear and straightforward."

★★★★★

Karin Kiss

ESL Teacher, Switzerland

"The easy and ready-to-go materials have helped me a lot during the last few years. Most of all I like the grammar games that activate my pupils and keep them engaged. My lessons have become way more playful and varied. Additionally, I like the grammar worksheets which I use to consolidate what I have worked on during class. The website is very user-friendly, and I have never had any difficulties finding what I was looking for."

★★★★★

David-Wonbae Lee

Business English Teacher, Canada

"A friend told me about the site, and it's awesome. I have found the Business English resources especially engaging and relevant for my students as the materials help them understand business writing and terms. My teaching experience has also improved from using the games on the site as they allow me to teach in a fun way. The user experience is outstanding. Great job!"

★★★★★

Daniela Garcia

English Teacher, Mexico

"I found Teach-This a long time ago when I started teaching. It's always had great resources. I really appreciate the grammar materials, board games, and group activities. They've saved me lots of time on lesson planning. The materials are easy to use and understand, making my job much simpler. The best thing is that many resources can be downloaded for free. I've used it for around 8 years, and it consistently offers great content."

★★★★★

Thomas Wilson

Primary School Teacher, United Kingdom

"I use the resources from the Games Section as part of my daily 30-minute morning warm-up activities, and I've received rave reviews for using them. The games help me maintain student interest and participation and leave the students feeling happy and awake. I like everything about the site, and customer support is very effective as they respond in time."

★★★★★

Eugenia Fernandez

EFL Teacher, Argentina

"Teach-This is one of the best EFL websites I've found. It's extremely user-friendly, and I always find what I need quickly. I like the design, and the content is fun, engaging and original. I am very thankful for all your work and generosity by making some resources free. I always recommend this website to my fellow teachers. Your work is really helpful, and I value it enormously."

★★★★★

Jakub Havlk

Language School Teacher, Czechia

"I like the grammar-focused resources the most as they save me time. The resources also inspire me. If I see an interesting grammar activity, I often rework it for other grammar rules. I like the fact that I simply pay a flat fee, and I can download whatever I want. Teach-This really is a great timesaver. I know that if I am in need of resources for my students, I can go to Teach-This and find something interesting."

★★★★★

Alice Dimpz

English Teacher, Kenya

"Getting familiar with the site and how to use the resources is not difficult. I found the writing skills resources to be the most valuable as they have enhanced my teaching of this skill. The website is elaborate and full of all types of resources to help me teach English. When I contacted customer support, they were super-fast to deal with my enquiry. So overall, I recommend it."

★★★★★

Ikrram Badaoui

ESL Teacher, Morocco

"I have found the grammar and vocabulary resources the most valuable. They have improved my teaching experience because they are easy to use and well-organized. The materials are very engaging for my students. The website is also very user-friendly. The best thing about Teach-This is that it offers ready-made worksheets for busy teachers, and the content is well-organized and full of information."

★★★★★

Tania Ahmed

High School Teacher, Kurdistan

"I'm really glad I found the Teach-This website. The materials in the General English section have proven to be really helpful and made my classes more engaging. The materials are well-structured and cover a wide range of topics, making it easy to keep my students interested and motivated. Overall, my experience using your resources has been great."

★★★★★

Khawla Orq

EFL Teacher, Yemen

"My first impression of the website was that it was amazing. The games and activities have really improved my teaching. The resources are engaging and relevant to my students' needs, and I find the website easy to use and navigate. Thanks."

★★★★★

Anika Yadav

English Teacher, India

"I would like to thank you for making a fantastic website. I particularly enjoy teaching the functional language materials, which have been very helpful in my classes. The resources have significantly improved my students' communication skills in daily life, so it was rewarding to see them benefit in this way. It feels great to be able to make a difference in my students' lives. Please keep up the good work."

★★★★★

Dr. Elena Petrov

Academic English Coordinator, Spain

"I've been teaching Academic English for over eight years, and Teach-This.com has become my go-to resource for university preparation classes. The academic vocabulary exercises and speaking test preparation activities are exceptionally well-designed for advanced learners. My students particularly appreciate the study skills resources and paragraph writing materials, which have significantly boosted their confidence and exam scores."

★★★★★

Suzanne Coleman

Volunteer English Teacher, England

"I like your resources because they are so interesting and attractive. Your resources help to maintain student interest. Your resources have helped with the planning and preparation of my lessons because I have often been able to find resources focusing on specific topics, grammar or vocabulary. I am particularly grateful for your free resources, which I use at the English Club where I am a volunteer and help to support internationals in the community who are learning English."

★★★★★