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  • They ....... (play) golf this afternoon.
  • I'm bored, I think I ....... (do) a crossword puzzle.
  • They are making a lot of noise. They .......... (wake) the baby.
  • You've got a bad cold. I ........ (make) you some soup.
  • A:Would you like something to drink?
    B:I ..... (have) a cup of tea, please.
  • We hope the dog ........ (find) his way back home.
  • C:Look at that man on the ladder!
    D: Oh no! He ........ (fall)
  • E:I don't understand this maths problem.
    F: That's OK. I ...... (help) you.
  • G: Why are you wearing those old clothes?
    H: Because I ..... (paint) the kitchen today.
  • I: Mr James left a message for you. I think it's urgent.
    J: OK. I ...... (ring) him right away.

HELP ME PLEASE! Do I use will or be going to?

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  • Are you asking a question about grammar or do you want us to do your assignment for you? If you want to know the difference between the two verb forms you should ask that.
    – Mr. Mascaro
    Sep 29, 2014 at 18:11
  • Actually, I don't know which one should I use in sentences. Example: They will play golf this afternoon or they are going to play golf this afternoon. Which one is true? @jbarker2160
    – user10717
    Sep 29, 2014 at 18:19
  • Both are correct, but I think for this exercise they are wanting you to to use will for the single sentence examples and be going to for the multi-sentence examples. Really this is a question of stylistics and not grammar since if you used either form in all of these sentences everyone would understand you perfectly.
    – Mr. Mascaro
    Sep 29, 2014 at 18:27
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    I have a clear preference in most of these cases, but I have no idea what it’s based on. In a couple of the one-line statements, it depends somewhat on what you wish to say. Here’s how I would fill the blanks: [be] going to, will, [be] going to, will, B: will, will, D: [be] going to, F: will, H: [be] going to, J: will
    – Tyler James Young
    Sep 29, 2014 at 20:35
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    @Tyler: I think that's a totally unjustified position. If this is a genuine "test", the moron who compiled it should be tarred, feathered, and run out of town. He certainly shouldn't be encouraged by people here implying that there really is a "right/wrong" answer for each option. Even in the most clear-cut case (G+H) we're only talking about more/less likely - nothing to do with right/wrong.
    – FumbleFingers
    Sep 29, 2014 at 22:57

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In all of OP's examples except G+H, there's no reason to think either will or be going to is any more likely than the alternative. Nor can I see any particular difference in meaning.

G+H is different because "I'm going to paint the kitchen today" is a much more likely response. The reason for this is simply that I am [whatever] implies a stronger link to the present moment - which is obviously more appropriate in a context where the purpose is to explain what I'm wearing now.

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  • I'm going to disagree with this. "Look at that man on the ladder!" "Oh no! He's going to fall" is also much more likely than "will fall", at least in American English. But I agree that most of them could be either.
    – Peter Shor
    Sep 30, 2014 at 20:28
  • @Peter: I didn't look closely at every example, but I agree you're quite right about that one. IMHO, it's the same reason as I identified - the context is strongly associated with the present moment. "Why am I dressed this way now?" "Why should we look at that man on the ladder now?". Because of what's going to/about to happen soon.
    – FumbleFingers
    Sep 30, 2014 at 20:59

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