A young girl, a pail of milk, and a lot of plans for the future.
Aesop’s Fables · Part 2 · The future: going to and will
The Milkmaid and Her Pail
I’m going to sell the milk, I’ll help you, it will be busy: the grammar for plans, decisions and predictions, with a young milkmaid who has a lot of plans.
🥛 Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are the Milkmaid.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
MARCOS
I’m going to be rich one day!
The fable
After Aesop
A young Milkmaid was walking to the market with a pail of milk on her head.
“I’m going to sell this milk,” she thought. “With the money, I’m going to buy some eggs. The eggs will hatch, and I’ll have lots of chickens.”
“Then I’m going to sell the chickens and buy a beautiful new dress. I’ll wear it to the fair, and everyone will look at me!”
She tossed her head proudly, and… splash! The pail fell. The milk ran across the road. No eggs, no chickens, no dress.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Going to: plans
DEMETRIA
The Milkmaid is going to sell the milk. That’s her plan.
SOPHIA
Yes. Am / is / are going to + verb for plans: things you have already decided. I’m going to buy some eggs. They’re going to visit us. Also for things you can see now: Look! She’s going to fall!
Will: decisions now and promises
MARCOS
That pail looks heavy. I’ll carry it!
SOPHIA
Kind, Marcos. Will (’ll) is for decisions at the moment you speak, offers and promises: I’ll help you. I won’t drop it. Negative: won’t.
Will: predictions
PHILO
I think the market will be busy.
SOPHIA
Will is also for predictions, especially with I think, I’m sure, probably: The eggs will hatch. It will rain tomorrow. But remember Aesop: the future isn’t certain!
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| am / is / are going to + verb | plans | I’m going to sell the milk. |
| going to | predictions from what you can see | Look! The pail is going to fall! |
| will (’ll) + verb | decisions now, offers | I’ll help you. |
| won’t + verb | promises, negative | I won’t drop it. |
| I think… will | predictions | I think the market will be busy. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best answer
Choose the right word.
1. My plan: I ___ sell the milk.
2. The pail is heavy? I ___ help you!
3. Look at that stone! She ___ fall!
4. I promise I ___ drop it.
5. I think the market ___ busy.
6. She ___ buy eggs with the money.
B · Complete the sentence
Write the missing word or words.
7. I going to buy a dress.
8. The eggs hatch soon. (prediction)
9. We going to the fair. (negative)
10. you help me, please? (request)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “I will to sell the milk.”
12. “She is going to buy some eggs.”
13. “Look! The pail will fall! (you can see it)”
Now walk to the market yourself. Will the milk arrive?Play the gamebook →