What is the difference between 'will' and 'going to' when expressing the future tense?

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What is the difference between 'will' and 'going to' when expressing the future tense?

The main difference between 'will' and 'going to' when expressing the future tense lies in their usage and the level of certainty associated with each form.

'Will' is commonly used to express a spontaneous decision or prediction about the future. It indicates that something is likely to happen, but there may not be any specific plan or intention in place. For example, "I will go to the party tonight" suggests a decision made at the moment of speaking.

On the other hand, 'going to' is used to express a planned or intended action in the future. It implies that there is already a plan or intention in place. For example, "I am going to visit my grandparents next weekend" indicates a pre-existing plan or arrangement.

Additionally, 'going to' is often used when there is evidence or present circumstances that support the future action. For instance, "Look at those dark clouds, it's going to rain" suggests that the speaker is basing their prediction on the current weather conditions.

In summary, 'will' is used for spontaneous decisions or predictions, while 'going to' is used for planned or intended actions with supporting evidence or present circumstances.