Future Tenses

While there are four future tenses, the most commonly used verb tense for future events is present continuous:   

• What are you doing next year? I’m going to college next year.
• What are you doing this weekend? We're probably going to the zoo.
• Where are you planning on going to school? I'm planning on going to the University of Toronto.

Future Simple

Purpose:                          

1. Resolving: 

• I WILL do it this time!

2. Promising:                       

• I will do it tomorrow.
• Oral: I’ll do it tomorrow.

3. Emphasis:                     

• Don’t worry! We WILL finish the project on time.

4. Volunteering:                

• I will clean it.
• Oral: I’ll clean it!

Passive voice:              

• It will be done by next Wednesday.
• Oral: It’ll be done by next Wednesday.
• It will be finished on time.
• Oral: It’ll be finished on time.

What's the difference between "you are going to" and "you will"?

Only ESL teachers make a distinction between "will do something" and "going to do something." Native speakers use them interchangeably and cannot articulate any difference in meaning.

There is NO difference in meaning in the sentences below:

Q. What will you be doing over the holidays?

Q. What are you going to do over the holidays?

A. I'll be painting my house over the holidays.

A. I'm going to paint my house over the holidays.