This morning when my wife cleaned our bed room, I read some peace of her students’ worksheets and found about their daily schedule. I asked my wife why she should asked her students to write about it. She said that she wanted to explain the difference between “will” and “be + going to” in a sentence.
Look at these sentences:
[1]. I will watch a movie next saturday
[2]. I am going to watch a movie next saturday
Both sentences tell that the action of “watching a movie” is in the future. So what is the difference? In which sentence you should use them?
Okay..
The main difference is on the planning time.
When you are using “will” in the sentence, it means that you plan your action at the time you make/say the sentence.
When you are using “be + going to”, it means that you planned your action before.
Here is another example:
[1]
The Boy: “Girl, would you please have a dinner with me tonight?”
The Girl : “No, I won’t. I am going to watch a movie tonight”
or
[2]
The Boy: “Girl, would you please have a dinner with me tonight?”
The Girl : “No, I won’t. I will watch a movie tonight”
The difference between the two conversation above is:
Conversation [1], the girl planned to watch a movie before the boy asked her. But in conversation [2], the girl planned to watch a movie right before she answered the boy’s question. 
It will be useful if you are talking with a native speaker. Conversation [2] indicates that you are lying.
Thanks to my wife for this short lesson.
I love you.
Juli 6, 2006 pukul 2:54 pm
wah bingung mas
Juli 6, 2006 pukul 3:00 pm
Kenapa kok bingung. Semoga saja tidak bingung dengan bahasa inggris saya ya.. he he he he..
Juli 28, 2006 pukul 5:00 pm
Terjemahan Indonesianya gini kali yah :
I’m going to the movie (Saya sudah merencanakan akan pergi nonton)
I will go to the movie (Kalau begitu, saya akan pergi nonton saja)
Bisa dimengerti?
Januari 15, 2008 pukul 10:00 am
Actually, I think that your explanation is only part of the story.
“I’m going to” indicates that you are planning to do something. And yes, it is likely to indicate plans that have already been made and are in motion. The person is telling you that according to their plans, intentions, and arrangements, this is what they will do.
“I will” simply announces the intention to do something. It may be hypothetical. It may be in answer to a question (what will you do if?). Or it announces the firm will of the person that they will do something. But it doesn’t necessarily indicate that plans have been made or have been set in motion.
At any rate, that’s my interpretation.
November 11, 2009 pukul 11:16 am
i thing your explanation is good, but you must give more example for the students, so that they arnt confuse about it.
sometime will vs going to,easy if your are teaching using more dialoque,thanks