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The future, part 4 of 5
Will: Negatives (Won't) and Questions (Will You...?)
Will not becomes won't: I won't tell anyone. To ask, put will first: Will you be home tonight?
The idea
What won't and Will...? are
Will makes its negative with won't (will not) and its questions with will at the start. It is the same with every subject.
- To promise not to. I won't say a word.
- To ask for something. Will you hold this?
- To ask about the future. Where will you live?
When to use it
To promise something will not happen, ask for a favor, and ask about the future. These expressions go with it:
To promise
- I won't forget
- I won't tell anyone
- it won't happen again
To ask for something
- Will you help me?
- Will you marry me?
- Will you be home?
To answer
- I hope so.
- I don't think so.
- Maybe.
- Of course.
Examples
- A promise
I won't be late again.
- Something that will not work
The car won't start.
- Asking a favor
Will you close the door, please?
- Asking about the future
What will you do after school?
- Short answers
No, I won't.
How to build it
3 steps
- Negative: won'tWill not, said short:She won't
- Question: will firstBefore the subject:Will she
- The verb as it isNo to and no -s:Will she come?
Negative
- SubjectThey
- won't (will not)won't
- base verbagree.
Question
- WillWill
- subjectit
- base verb ?rain?
Short answer
- Yes / No,Yes,
- subjectthey
- will / won'twill.
From will to won't and Will...?
The verb does not change
- I will notI won't
- she will notshe won't
- it will notit won't
- She will call.Will she call?
- It will fit.Will it fit?
- They will wait.Will they wait?
How to pronounce it
won't
/woʊnt/The o is /oʊ/: /woʊnt/. Not want, /wɑnt/.
will
/wɪl/In a question it comes first and your voice goes up at the end.
Check
She (blank) come to the party. She's sick. Which one goes in the blank?
Don't confuse it with Are you going to...?
Will you help me?
A request
Are you going to help me?
A plan
Will you...? usually asks for something or about the future in general; Are you going to...? asks about a plan.
Going to: negatives and questionsIn real life
Do not mix up won't (/woʊnt/, will not) and want (/wɑnt/): I won't go / I want to go.
Frequently asked questions
Why is will not won't and not willn't?
It is an old form that stayed. Willn't is not a word.
Is Will you...? an order?
It is a way to ask. With please it sounds friendly: Will you help me, please?
What do you answer to Will...?
With will or won't: Will it rain? Yes, it will. No, it won't.
In short
- Negative: won't + verb: I won't forget.
- Question: Will you...? Will it...?
- Short answer: Yes, I will. No, it won't.
- Won't is not want: I won't eat / I want to eat.