Will and Shall 2 | Unit 22 | PrepMyEnglish

Unit 22 · Grammar Lesson

Unité 22 · Leçon de Grammaire

Will and Shall 2
Predictions, Opinions & Future Beliefs — Complete Guide Will et Shall 2
Prédictions, Opinions et Croyances sur l'Avenir — Guide Complet

Master when to use will for predictions and future beliefs, how to express degrees of certainty with probably / I think / I'm sure, and the rules for shall

Maîtrisez l'utilisation de will pour les prédictions et les croyances sur l'avenir, comment exprimer les degrés de certitude avec probably / I think / I'm sure, et les règles pour shall

B1 – B1+ 4 Rules · 5 Exercises · 200-Q Quiz · PDF 4 Règles · 5 Exercices · Quiz 200 Q · PDF 🇬🇧 EN / 🇫🇷 FR

In Unit 21 we saw will used for decisions made at the moment of speaking. In this unit we look at will used for predictions — saying what we know or believe about the future. We also cover how to express degrees of certainty (probably, I think, I'm sure), a special use of will for the present, and the rules for shall. Remember: we do NOT use will to say what someone has already arranged or decided — use the present continuous for that.

Dans l'unité 21, nous avons vu will utilisé pour des décisions prises au moment où l'on parle. Dans cette unité, nous étudions will utilisé pour les prédictions — dire ce que nous savons ou croyons de l'avenir. Nous couvrons aussi les degrés de certitude (probably, I think, I'm sure), un usage particulier de will pour le présent, et les règles pour shall.

Will for Predictions — What We Know or Believe About the Future

Will pour les prédictions — Ce que l'on sait ou croit de l'avenir

We use will/won't when we predict a future happening or situation — when we say what we know or believe will happen. This is different from an arranged plan (→ present continuous) or a decision just made (→ will, Unit 21).

On utilise will/won't quand on prédit un événement ou une situation future — quand on dit ce que l'on sait ou croit qu'il va se passer. C'est différent d'un plan prévu (→ présent continu) ou d'une décision prise à l'instant (→ will, unité 21).

Subject + will/won't + base verb
She'll pass easily. / They won't recognise her. / When will you get your results?

Will — Prediction (belief about future)

Will — Prédiction (croyance sur l'avenir)

what we know / believe / predict

ce qu'on sait / croit / prédit

She'll pass the driving test easily.

I think James will go to the party.

You won't recognise her — she looks different.

They'll find a lot of changes when they return.

That plate is hot. You'll burn yourself.

Present Continuous — Arranged Plan

Présent Continu — Plan prévu

already decided / arranged

déjà décidé / prévu

I think James is going to the party on Friday. (already decided)

Lisa is working next week. (not: Lisa will work)

Are you going to watch TV this evening? (not: will you watch)

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Key rule:Règle clé : Do NOT use will to say what somebody has already arranged or decided to do. Use the present continuous for that. Use will to say what you know or believe about the future. N'utilisez PAS will pour dire ce que quelqu'un a déjà décidé ou prévu. Utilisez le présent continu. Utilisez will pour dire ce que vous savez ou croyez de l'avenir.

Expressing Certainty — Probably, I Think, I'm Sure, I Hope

Exprimer la certitude — Probably, I Think, I'm Sure, I Hope

We often use will ('ll) with certain words and phrases to express different degrees of certainty about the future. Note the position of probably in positive and negative sentences.

On utilise souvent will ('ll) avec certains mots et expressions pour exprimer différents degrés de certitude. Notez la position de probably dans les phrases positives et négatives.

probably

I'll probably be home late tonight.
(after will ✓ / before won't ✓)
I probably won't be long.

Je serai probablement rentré tard ce soir.
(après will ✓ / avant won't ✓)
Je ne serai probablement pas long.

I think

I think Sarah will like the present we bought her.
Do you think she'll come?

Je pense que Sarah aimera le cadeau.
Tu penses qu'elle viendra ?

I don't think

I don't think the exam will be very difficult.
(prefer: I don't think … will over I think … won't)

Je ne pense pas que l'examen sera très difficile.
(préférer : I don't think … will)

I'm sure

Don't worry about the exam. I'm sure you'll pass.
I'm sure it'll be fine.

Ne t'inquiète pas pour l'examen. Je suis sûr(e) que tu réussiras.

I wonder

I wonder what will happen.
I wonder who will win.

Je me demande ce qui va se passer.
Je me demande qui va gagner.

I hope

I hope Kate passes the test. ✓
I hope it doesn't rain. ✓
(after I hope → present simple, not will)

J'espère que Kate réussit. ✓
J'espère qu'il ne pleut pas. ✓
(après I hope → présent simple, pas will)

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Position of probably:Position de probably : With positive will: I'll probably be late (probably after 'll). With negative won't: I probably won't be long (probably before won't). Avec will positif : I'll probably be late (probably après 'll). Avec won't : I probably won't be long (probably avant won't).

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I hope + present simple (NOT will):I hope + présent simple (PAS will) : After I hope, we generally use the present simple, not will. ✓ I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. ✗ I hope it won't rain tomorrow. Après I hope, on utilise généralement le présent simple, pas will. ✓ I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. ✗ I hope it won't rain tomorrow.

Will for the Present (not just the future)

Will pour le présent (pas seulement le futur)

Although we generally use will to talk about the future, we sometimes use it to make deductions about the present — saying what we think is probably true right now.

Bien que l'on utilise généralement will pour parler de l'avenir, on l'utilise parfois pour faire des déductions sur le présent — dire ce que l'on pense être probablement vrai en ce moment.

Don't phone Amy now. She'll be busy.

→ = she'll be busy now (deduction about the present)

→ = elle est probablement occupée maintenant (déduction sur le présent)

It's 3 pm. The children will be at school now.

→ deduction: they are probably at school at this moment

→ déduction : ils sont probablement à l'école en ce moment

'Where's Tom?' 'I don't know. He'll be at the gym, probably.'

→ making an educated guess about where Tom is right now

→ faire une supposition éclairée sur où se trouve Tom en ce moment

Shall with I and We — Rules and Usage

Shall avec I et We — Règles et usage

Normally we use shall only with I and we. You can say I shall or I will (I'll) and we shall or we will (we'll). In spoken English we normally use I'll and we'll. The negative of shall is shall not or shan't. We do not normally use shall with he / she / it / you / they.

Normalement, on utilise shall uniquement avec I et we. On peut dire I shall ou I will (I'll) et we shall ou we will (we'll). À l'oral, on utilise normalement I'll et we'll. La forme négative de shall est shall not ou shan't. On n'utilise pas normalement shall avec he / she / it / you / they.

I shall / I will (I'll) · We shall / We will (we'll)
I shall be late this evening. = I will be late this evening.
We shall probably go to France in June. = We'll probably go to France.
Negative: I shan't be here tomorrow. = I won't be here tomorrow.
NOT: She shall be angry. → She will be angry. ✓

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In practice:En pratique : In modern spoken English, shall is rarely used. I'll and we'll are the normal forms. Shall sounds more formal or old-fashioned. You are most likely to encounter shall in questions: Shall I open the window? (= do you want me to?) Dans l'anglais parlé moderne, shall est rarement utilisé. I'll et we'll sont les formes normales. Shall semble plus formel ou vieilli. On rencontre surtout shall dans les questions : Shall I open the window? (= voulez-vous que je le fasse ?)

EX 1

Exercise 1 — Put in will ('ll) or won't

Exercice 1 — Mettez will ('ll) ou won't

Complete each sentence with will ('ll) or won't.

Complétez chaque phrase avec will ('ll) ou won't.

Can you wait for me? I be long.Tu peux m'attendre ? Je be long.

There's no point asking Amanda. She know what to do.Ça ne sert à rien de demander à Amanda. She know what to do.

I'm glad I'm meeting Emma tomorrow. It be good to see her.Je suis content(e) de voir Emma demain. It be good to see her.

I'm sorry about yesterday. It happen again.Je suis désolé(e) pour hier. It happen again.

You don't need an umbrella. I don't think it rain.Tu n'as pas besoin d'un parapluie. I don't think it rain.

I've got some incredible news! You believe it.J'ai des nouvelles incroyables ! You believe it.

Answers:Réponses : 1. won't · 2. won't · 3. 'll / will · 4. won't · 5. 'll / will · 6. won't

EX 2

Exercise 2 — Complete the sentences using will ('ll)

Exercice 2 — Complétez les phrases avec will ('ll)

Choose from the box and write the correct will ('ll) form.

Choisissez dans l'encadré et écrivez la forme correcte avec will ('ll).

Word box: it/be · she/come · you/get · you/like · you/enjoy · people/live · it/look · we/meet · you/pass · she/mind Boîte de mots : it/be · she/come · you/get · you/like · you/enjoy · people/live · it/look · we/meet · you/pass · she/mind

Don't worry about your exam. I'm sure .Ne t'inquiète pas. I'm sure .

Why don't you try on this jacket? nice on you.Pourquoi ne pas essayer cette veste ? nice on you.

You must meet Max sometime. I think him.Tu dois rencontrer Max. I think him.

It's a very nice hotel. your stay there.C'est un très bel hôtel. your stay there.

It's raining hard. Don't go out. very wet.Il pleut fort. Ne sors pas. very wet.

Do you think longer in the future?Do you think longer in the future?

Goodbye! I'm sure again before long.Au revoir ! I'm sure again before long.

I've invited Anna to the party, but I don't think .J'ai invité Anna, mais I don't think .

You can borrow Amy's umbrella. I don't think .Tu peux emprunter le parapluie d'Amy. I don't think .

10.

When the new road is finished, much quicker.Quand la nouvelle route sera terminée, much quicker.

Answers:Réponses : 1. you'll pass · 2. It'll look · 3. you'll like · 4. You'll enjoy · 5. You'll get · 6. people will live · 7. we'll meet · 8. she'll come · 9. she'll mind · 10. it'll be

EX 3

Exercise 3 — Write questions using "Do you think … will … ?"

Exercice 3 — Écrivez des questions avec "Do you think … will … ?"

Use the prompts to write a full question.

Utilisez les indicateurs pour écrire une question complète.

I've bought this picture for Karen. (she / like it?) → J'ai acheté ce tableau pour Karen. (elle / l'aimer ?) →

The weather doesn't look good. (it / rain?) → Le temps n'a pas l'air bon. (pleuvoir ?) →

The meeting is still going on. (When / end?) → La réunion dure encore. (Quand / finir ?) →

My car needs to be repaired. (How much / cost?) → Ma voiture doit être réparée. (Combien / coûter ?) →

Sally and David are in love. (they / get married?) → Sally et David sont amoureux. (ils / se marier ?) →

'I'm going out now.' (What time / be back?) → 'Je sors maintenant.' (À quelle heure / rentrer ?) →

Answers:Réponses : 1. Do you think she'll like it? · 2. Do you think it'll rain? · 3. When do you think it'll end? · 4. How much do you think it'll cost? · 5. Do you think they'll get married? · 6. What time do you think you'll be back?

EX 4

Exercise 4 — Where will you be? Write sentences about yourself

Exercice 4 — Où serez-vous ? Écrivez des phrases sur vous-même

Use I'll be … or I'll probably be … or I don't know where I'll be …

Utilisez I'll be … ou I'll probably be … ou I don't know where I'll be …

Next Monday evening at 7.45: Lundi prochain à 19h45 :

At 3 am tomorrow: À 3h du matin demain :

At 10.30 tomorrow morning: Demain matin à 10h30 :

This time next year: À la même heure l'année prochaine :

Answers:Réponses : Suggested: 1. I'll probably be at home · 2. I'll probably be in bed (asleep) · 3. I'll probably be at work / at school · 4. I'll be … (personal answer — any sensible will sentence accepted)

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Exercise 5 — Will or Present Continuous? Which is better?

Exercice 5 — Will ou Présent Continu ? Lequel est correct ?

Choose the correct or better form. Write A or B.

Choisissez la forme correcte ou meilleure. Écrivez A ou B.

Lisa isn't free on Saturday. A: She'll work. B: She's working. → Lisa n'est pas libre samedi. A: She'll work. B: She's working. →

It was an amazing experience. A: I never forget it. B: I'll never forget it. → C'était une expérience incroyable. A: I never forget it. B: I'll never forget it. →

Something funny happened. A: You're laughing. B: You'll laugh when I tell you. → Quelque chose de drôle s'est passé. A: You're laughing. B: You'll laugh when I tell you. →

I have plans for tomorrow. A: I'll go to a party. B: I'm going to a party. → J'ai des plans pour demain. A: I'll go to a party. B: I'm going to a party. →

Who do you think A: will win B: is winning the game tomorrow? → Qui penses-tu que A: will win B: is winning the game tomorrow? →

I can't meet you. A: A friend will come. B: A friend is coming to see me. → Je ne peux pas te voir. A: A friend will come. B: A friend is coming to see me. →

Don't be afraid of the dog. A: It won't hurt you. B: It isn't hurting you. → N'aie pas peur du chien. A: It won't hurt you. B: It isn't hurting you. →

A: What's happening B: What will happen if I press this button? → A: What's happening B: What will happen if I press this button? →

Have you decided? Yes, A: we'll go B: we're going to Italy. → Vous avez décidé ? Oui, A: we'll go B: we're going to Italy. →

Answers:Réponses : 1. B · 2. B · 3. B · 4. B · 5. A · 6. B · 7. A · 8. B · 9. B

Frequently Asked Questions — Will & Shall

Questions fréquentes — Will & Shall

When do we use will instead of the present continuous for the future?Quand utilise-t-on will plutôt que le présent continu pour le futur ?

Use will when you are predicting — saying what you know or believe will happen. Use the present continuous when talking about something already arranged or decided. Example: I think it will rain tomorrow (prediction) vs We're meeting at 8 pm (arrangement).

Utilisez will quand vous prédisez. Utilisez le présent continu quand vous parlez de quelque chose déjà prévu ou décidé.

Where does "probably" go in a sentence with will?Où se place "probably" dans une phrase avec will ?

With positive will/'ll: probably comes after will → I'll probably be late. With negative won't: probably comes before won't → I probably won't be long.

Avec will positif : probably vient après will. Avec won't : probably vient avant won't.

Why do we say "I hope it doesn't rain" and not "I hope it won't rain"?Pourquoi dit-on "I hope it doesn't rain" et non "I hope it won't rain" ?

After I hope, we generally use the present simple, not will. ✓ I hope Kate passes her test. ✓ I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. ✗ I hope it won't rain.

Après I hope, on utilise généralement le présent simple, pas will.

What is the difference between "I think James will go" and "I think James is going"?Quelle est la différence entre "I think James will go" et "I think James is going" ?

I think James is going = I think he has already decided (it's arranged). I think James will go = I think he will decide to go (prediction, not yet arranged).

I think James is going = il a déjà décidé. I think James will go = c'est une prédiction.

Can I use shall with he/she/they?Peut-on utiliser shall avec he/she/they ?

No. In modern English, shall is normally only used with I and we. ✓ She will be very angry. ✗ She shall be very angry. In spoken English, even I and we almost always use I'll / we'll.

Non. En anglais moderne, shall s'utilise seulement avec I et we. Pour tous les autres sujets, utilisez will.

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Will & Shall Quiz

Quiz — Will & Shall

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Will and Shall 2Predictions, Opinions & Future Beliefs — Complete Guide Will et Shall 2Prédictions, Opinions et Croyances sur l'Avenir — Guide Complet

Will for Predictions — What We Know or Believe About the Future

Will pour les prédictions — Ce que l'on sait ou croit de l'avenir

Will — Prediction (belief about future)

Will — Prédiction (croyance sur l'avenir)

Present Continuous — Arranged Plan

Présent Continu — Plan prévu

Expressing Certainty — Probably, I Think, I'm Sure, I Hope

Exprimer la certitude — Probably, I Think, I'm Sure, I Hope

Will for the Present (not just the future)

Will pour le présent (pas seulement le futur)

Shall with I and We — Rules and Usage

Shall avec I et We — Règles et usage

Will & Shall — Exercises with AnswersWill & Shall — Exercices avec Corrigé

Exercise 1 — Put in will ('ll) or won't

Exercice 1 — Mettez will ('ll) ou won't

Exercise 2 — Complete the sentences using will ('ll)

Exercice 2 — Complétez les phrases avec will ('ll)

Exercise 3 — Write questions using "Do you think … will … ?"

Exercice 3 — Écrivez des questions avec "Do you think … will … ?"

Exercise 4 — Where will you be? Write sentences about yourself

Exercice 4 — Où serez-vous ? Écrivez des phrases sur vous-même

Exercise 5 — Will or Present Continuous? Which is better?

Exercice 5 — Will ou Présent Continu ? Lequel est correct ?

Frequently Asked Questions — Will & Shall

Questions fréquentes — Will & Shall

Will & Shall — Quiz

Will & Shall — Quiz

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Will & Shall Quiz

Quiz — Will & Shall

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Will and Shall 2
Predictions, Opinions & Future Beliefs — Complete Guide Will et Shall 2
Prédictions, Opinions et Croyances sur l'Avenir — Guide Complet