WILL

Boys will be boys.

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OTHER USES OF WILL

When we use 'will' referring to the present, the idea being expressed is usually one of 'showing willingness' or 'will power'.
* I need quiet to write this but he will keep on talking to me. I wish he would leave me alone.

Older textbooks often refer to 'will' as 'the future tense' and this has confused a lot of learners.

It is important to remember that when we talk about the future we cannot always use 'will' and that when we use 'will' we are not always talking about the future.

Here 'will' is clearly referring to the future.

• If I speak to her, I'll tell her about it.
• I'll probably visit Sue when I go to Oxford.
• Next birthday she'll be 32. Or so she says.

In these examples, however, 'will' is referring to events happening at the present.

• The car won't start.
• If that's the phone, I'll get it.
• Will you have another cup of coffee?

When we use 'will' referring to the present, the idea being expressed is usually one of 'showing willingness' or 'will power'.

• My baby won't stop crying. I've tried everything and I'm really exhausted.
• I am the boss. You will do as I say.
• I need quiet to write this but he will keep on talking to me. I wish he would leave me alone.

We use 'will' for requests, orders, invitations and offers.

• Will you give me a hand?
• Will you please take a seat?
• Will you have some cake?
• I'll help you.

We use 'will' to make promises or threats.

• I'll do it at once.
• I'll phone him back immediately.
• I won't forget this.
• I'll get my own back some day.

We use 'will' for habit.

• A cat will always find a warm place to sleep.
• My car won't go any faster than this.

We use 'will' for deduction.

• I expect he'll want us to get on with it.
• The phone's ringing. That will be Mark.

Look again at all of these examples of 'will'. They are all to do with the present or are 'timeless'.

How to use the Simple Future with Will and Be Going To

Will 1: We use the future simple with 'will' to predict the future. It is the basic way we talk about the future in English, and we often use it if there is no reason to use another future tense. We can use it for future facts and for things that are less certain.

• The sun will rise at 7am.
• I think the Conservatives will win the next election.

2: Promises / requests / refusals / offers. This is sometimes called 'volitional' will. It's about wanting to do something or not wanting to do something in the future.

• I'll help you with your homework.
• Will you give me a hand?
• I won't go!

In a similar way, we often use 'will' when we're talking about a decision at the moment of speaking. We are usually making an offer or promise or talking about something that we want to do.

• A: I'm cold. B: I'll close the window.

3: We use the simple future with 'will' in the first conditional, and in other sentences that have a conditional feeling.

• If it doesn't rain, we'll go to the park.
• Let's arrive early. That will give us time to relax.

Shall
'Shall' is used mainly in the forms 'shall I?' and 'shall we?' in British English. These forms are used when you want to get someone's opinion, especially for offers and suggestions.

• Shall I open the window? (= Do you want me to open the window?)
• Where shall we go tonight? (= What's your opinion?)

Be going to
1: We often use 'be going to' to talk about our future intentions and plans. We have usually made our plans before the moment of speaking.

• A: We've run out of milk. B: I know, I'm going to buy some.

2: We can also use 'be going to' to make a prediction about the future. Often it's possible to use both 'be going to' and 'will' but it's more common to use 'be going to' if we can see evidence in the present.

• Look at those boys playing football! They're going to break the window.
• The sky is getting darker and darker. It's going to rain.