Every October, families across the West Bank wake before sunrise and walk together to their olive groves. The trees can be centuries old — some are estimated to be over a thousand years. As the sun rises over the terraced hillsides, one family member might say: “We’re picking the olives this weekend.” Another might reply: “I think it’s going to be a good harvest this year.” A child, hearing a distant relative is coming to help, might add: “Uncle Tariq will bring the nets.”
Three sentences, three different forms of the future — all perfectly natural English. If you have ever wondered when to use will, going to, or the present continuous to talk about the future, you are not alone. For B1 learners (especially those with Spanish as their first language), these three forms can feel surprisingly close. This guide will untangle them — with real examples rooted in Palestinian culture, from olive harvests to tatreez embroidery to the streets of Ramallah.
The Three Future Forms at a Glance
English does not have a dedicated “future tense” in the way Spanish has futuro simple. Instead, it uses three main structures, each doing a slightly different job:
Let’s look at each one properly.
1 · Will
Use will for decisions made at the moment of speaking (the phone rings and you say “I’ll get it”), for predictions based on opinion or general knowledge, for promises, and for offers or requests.
| Form | Full form | Contracted | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | I/you/he/she/we/they will + verb | I’ll, you’ll… | She’ll bring the olive nets. |
| Negative | … will not + verb | won’t | He won’t forget the harvest baskets. |
| Question | Will + subject + verb? | — | Will you help us this weekend? |
2 · Going to
Use going to when a plan or intention was decided before the moment of speaking, or when you can see evidence that something is about to happen.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | am/is/are + going to + verb | We’re going to visit the old city of Hebron. |
| Negative | am/is/are + not going to + verb | She’s not going to miss the dabke performance. |
| Question | Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + verb? | Are you going to learn tatreez this summer? |
3 · Present continuous for future arrangements
When something is already arranged — a flight booked, a meeting confirmed, a ticket bought — English often uses the present continuous. Context (or a time expression) makes it clear you mean the future, not right now.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | am/is/are + verb -ing | I’m visiting Jerusalem next week. (ticket booked) |
| Negative | am/is/are + not + verb -ing | She isn’t coming to the workshop on Friday. |
| Question | Am/Is/Are + subject + verb -ing? | Are you meeting the tatreez teacher this evening? |
Palestine Through the Lens of the Future
Palestine has one of the world’s oldest and most culturally rich traditions — and exploring it gives us a wonderful set of real contexts for practising future forms.
The olive harvest — a family affair
More than half of all Palestinian agricultural land is planted with olive trees, and over 100,000 families depend on olive farming as their primary income. The harvest season runs from October into November. You can hear all three future forms naturally in conversations around this time of year:
- “I’ll carry the baskets.” (spontaneous offer, made in the moment)
- “We’re going to start picking next Saturday — we’ve planned it for weeks.” (pre-decided plan)
- “My cousin is arriving from Ramallah on Thursday to help.” (arranged event)
The Nabali olive variety — named after Nablus — produces oil considered among the finest in the world, and the terraced stone walls that farmers maintain have preserved soil and water for generations. This ancient landscape is also a living classroom for English tenses.
Tatreez — the language of the needle
In 2021, UNESCO added Palestinian tatreez to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Tatreez is cross-stitch embroidery with roots going back more than 3,000 years. Crucially, the colours and geometric patterns once told a story: a woman’s village, her social status, whether she was married or single — all encoded in thread. Today, tatreez workshops keep this tradition alive:
- “The cultural centre is going to hold a tatreez exhibition in November.”
- “I think more young people will learn this craft — it’s becoming very popular.”
- “She’s teaching a workshop on Saturday afternoon.” (already booked)
Daily life and looking ahead
The Palestinian city of Hebron is over 5,500 years old and remains one of the region’s most important cultural and commercial centres. Jerusalem, meanwhile, has a history stretching back more than 5,000 years. These ancient places are full of modern plans, arrangements and hopes — a perfect backdrop for practising the language of the future:
- “They’re going to restore the old market in the centre of Hebron next year.”
- “I think Palestinian cuisine will become even more celebrated internationally.”
- “We’re hosting a maqluba dinner for the whole family on Friday evening.” (fixed arrangement)
Maqluba — literally “upside down” in Arabic — is a dish of layered rice, vegetables and meat that is flipped dramatically onto a serving plate. Knafeh, the sweet cheese pastry soaked in syrup, is another Palestinian icon. Both have featured in international food festivals and cooking shows. Food culture, like all culture, is always moving forward — and so is the English you need to describe it.
⚠ Common Mistakes for Spanish Speakers
Spanish learners often have clear intuitions about the future, but the mapping from Spanish to English is not always direct. Here are the most common errors:
❌ “Tonight I will meet my friends at the café.” (spontaneous-sounding, but this was arranged)
✅ “Tonight I’m meeting my friends at the café.” (use present continuous for a fixed arrangement)
❌ “I’m going to go to the supermarket. Do you want anything?” (over-formal for a spontaneous offer)
✅ “I’ll go to the supermarket. Do you want anything?” (use will for a decision made in the moment)
❌ “Look at those clouds — it will rain.” (prediction based on visible evidence)
✅ “Look at those clouds — it’s going to rain.” (use going to when you can see evidence)
❌ “If I will have time, I’ll visit the old city.” (Spanish speakers transfer future after “if”)
✅ “If I have time, I’ll visit the old city.” (never use will in the if-clause of a conditional — see our first conditional guide)
❌ “She is going to bring the olive oil tomorrow.” (sounds planned, but she just offered)
✅ “She’ll bring the olive oil tomorrow.” (will for a spontaneous decision or offer)
📋 Example Bank — 18 Sentences in Context
- The olive harvest is going to start next month — we have already organised the teams.
- I will carry those baskets for you. (spontaneous offer)
- She is meeting the tatreez teacher at ten o’clock on Monday. (fixed arrangement)
- Look at those olive branches — it is going to be a wonderful harvest this year.
- I think Palestinian cuisine will become even more internationally famous.
- We are visiting Hebron next Friday — we booked the guided tour last week.
- “The phone is ringing.” — “I will get it.” (spontaneous decision)
- The cultural centre is going to host a tatreez exhibition — they decided last spring.
- He will not forget the traditional songs — he has known them since childhood.
- Are you going to learn how to make knafeh this summer?
- She is not coming to the workshop on Thursday — she already has a commitment.
- I promise I will write a message when I arrive in Ramallah.
- The children are going to help with the harvest this year — it is a family tradition.
- I think the old market will be even more beautiful after the restoration.
- We are having maqluba for dinner tonight — my grandmother is already cooking it.
- He is going to study Arabic poetry next semester — he enrolled yesterday.
- I will help you translate those words into Arabic. (spontaneous offer)
- The festival is starting at eight on Saturday evening. (arranged, it is in the programme)
🎯 Quick Practice Quiz
Choose the correct future form. Think about whether the action is spontaneous, a pre-decided plan, or a fixed arrangement.
-
“There’s no milk left.” — “Don’t worry, I _____ get some from the market.”
- a) am going to get
- b) will get ✓
- c) am getting
-
Look at the sky — those clouds are very dark. It _____ rain soon.
- a) will
- b) is going to ✓
- c) is
-
We _____ the tatreez workshop on Saturday — we booked our places last Tuesday.
- a) will attend
- b) are going to attend
- c) are attending ✓
-
My family _____ a new olive grove next spring — they decided at the harvest meeting.
- a) will plant
- b) is going to plant ✓
- c) plants
-
If you _____ time, I recommend visiting the old city of Hebron.
- a) will have
- b) have ✓
- c) are having
Answer Key
- b) will get — a spontaneous decision made in the moment of speaking.
- b) is going to — a prediction based on visible evidence (dark clouds).
- c) are attending — a fixed, confirmed arrangement (places booked).
- b) is going to plant — a plan decided in advance (at the harvest meeting).
- b) have — never use will in an if-clause; use the present simple.
- ASEED — The Olive Harvest in the West Bank
- Al Jazeera — Palestinian embroidery added to UNESCO list (2021)
- Bayt al-Fann — The Art of Tatreez
- Nations Online — Palestinian Territories (geography)
- IMEU — Palestinian Social Customs and Traditions
- Modals of obligation and permission (must, have to, should)
Also on the blog: Once you have your future tenses sorted, take a look at English Articles: A, An, The & Zero Article (B1 Guide) — knowing when to drop the article is just as important as choosing the right tense.