Will vs going to

Students sometimes find it difficult to tell the difference between these two forms to express the future. The web English Page offers a very clear explanation of the different uses of will and going to to refer to future actions. It also makes reference to the form of the verbs (contractions, etc.), gives lots of helpful examples, and presents the students with some activities.

However, I don't think they are 100% lucky when they explain the difference between will and going to to make predictions about the future (use 4 in their explanations).

They are absolutely right when they say that when we are making predictions or giving opinions about the future we are guessing about what might happen in the future and we have no control over it. Consequently, both forms can sometimes be used to predict the future:

Barcelona FC is going to win the league.
Barcelona FC will win the league.

The two Barcelona sentences are similar in meaning, although some may argue that in the first one (going to) Barcelona FC leads the table with a big point gap over the second, or is generally believed that they play football better or they clearly have the best players, whereas in the second one (will) it is just a Barcelona supporter who is expressing his/her wish at the beginning of the season.

Most grammar books point out that will is often used with phrases like I'm sure, I think, I don't think before will to express our prediction (which is often a wish): I'm sure you'll feel better soon.

We also use will for facts about the future: My daughter will be 15 next month.

However, we use going to for things that we predict often because the present situation gives us a good reason for our prediction:
She's going to have a baby (we see a pregnant woman).
You're going to fall! (you're standing on a ladder on one foot).
It's going to rain (you can see black clouds on the horizon).

Alex Case presents this Mr Bean activity to help us find the difference between will and going to to make predictions.

Self-study activity:
Watch and enjoy the video, but when it comes to answering the questions below, you must stop the counter at exactly the moment it is said in the question, so that you can make a prediction either with will or with going to.



00:21
What is Mr Bean going to do?
What will the other car’s reaction be?

01:30
What is the man going to say?
What will Mr Bean's answer be?

02:19
What’s Mr Bean going to do?
What will the man’s reaction be?

02:54
What’s Mr Bean going to do?
What will the man’s reaction be?

04:15
What is the teacher going to say?
How will the students react?

04:35
What is Mr Bean going to do after reading the questions?

05:38
What is Mr Bean going to do now?
What will the man's reaction be?

06:14
What is the man going to do now?
What will Mr Bean’s reaction be?

06:48
What is Mr Bean going to do?
What will the reaction be?

07:39
What is Mr Bean going to do?
Will it work?

09:11
What is the teacher going to say?
What will Mr Bean’s reaction be?

You can compare your answers with these suggestions I made, but remember both you and me were just guessing about the future.