Talking about the future

Future tenses can be confusing in English. I'm talking about the future in the free conversation class at 3pm tomorrow - it will be fun, I'm going to ask students lots of questions, because they might be unsure about the grammar. In that sentence I used four ways to talk about the class tomorrow: to be +ing, will + infinitive, going to + infinitive and might + infinitive. Why? Well, because there is a small difference in meaning in each.

• When something is fixed for the future, or in the diary we use to be +ing: I'm talking about the future at 3pm tomorrow. I'm getting married on the 10th of June.
• For making predictions, promises or immediate decisions we use will + infinitive:  It will be fun. I won't be late for my lesson. Wait a minute, I'll make some coffee.
• For intentions - something we are planning now about the future - we use going to + infinitive: I'm going to ask questions. I'm going to watch Casablanca tonight.
• If there is a lot of doubt, might + infinitive is best: Students might be unsure about the grammar. I might go to England or America on holiday.

Well done. Now, I'm going to go to bed...