Aller au contenu principal

Will, going to and might: English 3AC

Talk about future plans in English 3AC with will, going to and might. Compare decisions, intentions and possibilities with examples and answers.

English 3AC, Morocco · Focus, Spotlight 3 and guided practice · Updated

Download and study offline

By the end of this lesson, you can

  • Describe a plan made before speaking.
  • Make a simple offer or prediction with will.
  • Express an uncertain possibility with might.

Before you startRead short English sentences and identify the subject and verb.

Un bon cours, ça se partage.

Aide un camarade à comprendre ce chapitre. Envoie-lui cette page et révisez ensemble.

WhatsAppTelegram

Instagram : copie le lien puis colle-le dans un message.

When do you use going to for a future plan?

Use am, is or are going to followed by a base verb for a plan or intention you already have. I am going to revise English this evening means that this is already my plan. He is going to join the reading club. They are going to make a poster.

Keep the form of be. I going to revise is incomplete. For a question, put be before the subject: Are you going to revise tonight? For a negative, add not after be: I'm not going to watch television this evening. Choose realistic plans that you can explain in simple language.

A pupil organises study materials at home, with a library in the background.
Give an existing plan, an offer to help and an uncertain possibility. Keep the three meanings distinct.

When do you use will?

Will can express a decision made as you speak or an offer: Your books look heavy. I'll help you carry them. It can also express a prediction or belief: I think our class will enjoy the exhibition. The main verb stays in its base form.

The negative form is will not or won't: I won't be late. A question begins with will: Will you help with the poster? These uses are useful starting points, not a rule that every future sentence has only one possible form. Context can allow more than one correct choice.

Existing plan: I'm going to revise tonight. Offer made now: I'll help you with that book. Uncertain possibility: I might visit the library.
Read the situation before choosing a form.
View full-size image

What does might mean about the future?

Might expresses a possibility: I might join the club, but I haven't decided yet. It is less certain than saying I am going to join when you already have that intention. Use a base verb after might: might visit, not might to visit or might visits. Compare the speaker's meaning, not a memorised percentage. Might does not have one fixed numerical probability.

A worked example

Planning an afternoon

I am going to revise English after lunch; that is my plan. If my brother needs help, I'll explain the exercise. I might visit the library later, but I haven't decided yet.

  1. Am going to revise gives an existing intention.
  2. I'll explain offers help in the situation.
  3. Might visit keeps the later activity uncertain.
Be going to: He is going to read. Will: He will read. / He won't read. Might: He might read. / He might not read.
Each pattern needs the right words before a base verb.
View full-size image

How should I use this English 3AC lesson?

  • Try the exercises before reading the answers.
  • Explain a correction in your own words.
  • Return to the examples when two structures look similar.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between will, going to and might in 3AC?

Going to often gives an existing plan. Will can give an offer, decision or prediction. Might presents a possibility that is not certain.

Do I put to after might?

No. Say I might visit, not I might to visit.

Is I going to revise correct?

No. Add the correct form of be: I am going to revise.

Quiz: 6 questions

6 questions are randomly selected from this lesson’s 6-question bank. Choose one answer for each question and get an immediate explanation.

Q1She ___ going to read tonight.

Correct answer: is

She takes is in be going to.

Q2I might ___ the library.

Correct answer: visit

Might is followed by a base verb.

Q3Which sentence is an offer?

Correct answer: I'll help you carry that.

Will can express help offered as the speaker talks.

Q4The negative of will is...

Correct answer: won't

Won't is the contracted form of will not.

Q5Which sentence gives an existing plan?

Correct answer: I'm going to revise after lunch.

Going to presents the speaker's current intention.

Q6Might always means exactly a 50 percent chance.

Correct answer: No, it expresses possibility without a fixed percentage.

Modal meaning depends on context; there is no fixed numerical probability.

Exercises with answers

6 exercises, from easy practice to challenges. Try each one yourself, then reveal the answer and explanation.

Exercise 1

Easy

Complete: We ___ going to make a poster tomorrow.

Answer and explanation

Are. We needs are in be going to.

Exercise 2

Easy

Your classmate cannot carry all his books. Offer help with will.

Answer and explanation

I'll help you carry the books. Will can express an offer.

Exercise 3

Intermediate

Correct: I might to join the club.

Answer and explanation

I might join the club. Use the base verb without to.

Exercise 4

Intermediate

Make negative: He will be late.

Answer and explanation

He won't be late, or He will not be late.

Exercise 5

Challenge

Ask whether your friend plans to revise tonight using going to.

Answer and explanation

Are you going to revise tonight? Put are before the subject.

Exercise 6

Challenge

Explain the difference between I'm going to visit the library and I might visit the library.

Answer and explanation

The first expresses an existing intention. The second presents a possibility; the speaker may not have decided.