This is an old revision of the document!
Will
Introduction
I'll have the businessman's lunch please.
|
|
Definition
'Will' is one of the ways to talk about the future.
Construction
Affirmative: subject + will + verb
I will have
Negative: subject + will + not + verb
I will not have
Interrogative: Will + subject + verb
The contracted form
The affirmative and negative forms of 'will' are normally contracted in spoken English.
Affirmative:
| Full form | Contracted form |
| I will | I'll |
| You will | You'll |
| He will | He'll |
| She will | She'll |
| It will | It'll |
| We will | We'll |
| They will | They'll |
Negative:
The negative form has two contractions. The contraction with 'won't' is more common.
| Full form | Contracted form 1 | Contracted form 2 |
| I will not | I'll not | I won't |
| You will not | You'll not | You won't |
| He will not | He'll not | He won't |
| She will not | She'll not | She won't |
| It will not | It'll not | It won't |
| We will not | We'll not | We won't |
| They will not | They'll not | They won't |
In formal writing, use the full form.
In conversations or informal writing, use the contracted form.
In affirmative questions and short answers always use the full form.
Will you help me? Yes, I will. 
Will you help me? Yes I'll. 
Uses
| Uses | Examples |
|
Spontaneous decisions |
(The phone rings) I'll answer the phone.
Who'll take the minutes? - I'll do it.
How does this work? - I'll show you.
Are you ready to order? - Yes I'll have the steak please.
|
|
Uncertainty |
I'll probably go shopping this afternoon.
He thinks he'll arrive on Monday.
It's possible that the room won't be ready when you get here.
|
|
Predictions |
Hurry up or you'll be late.
In 10 years we'll all have electric cars.
What will the world be like in the future?
|
|
Asking people to do things
|
Will you call the station and book the tickets?
Will someone help Susan with the budget?
Who'll write the report for the meeting?
|
|
Offers and promises |
I'll drive to the restaurant if you like.
We'll babysit this evening if you want to go out.
See you at the party. I'll bring a cake.
I'll deliver the message tomorrow.
I won't forget to phone him.
|
|
As an alternative to going to for intentions in a formal situation
|
On our tour today, I'll show you the design centre and later we'll visit the plant.
|
Examples
Will you come this way please?
You will meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger.
Will you marry me? Yes I will!
Sign here. I promise you won't regret it.
I think I'll be late for the meeting. My train is delayed.
We'll be friends forever.
It's lovely today, but we'll have rain tomorrow.
Don't worry, I'll fix it for you.
My presentation will be in two parts. First, I'll tell you about our sales targets and then we'll discuss marketing.
