聯合翻譯有限公司/聯合翻譯社

你剛好要去用餐，外籍老闆問你，可不可以幫他到乾洗店拿件洗好的衣服。以下有三個答案，你會怎麼回答？

A. I'm going to pick it up for you.
B. I'll pick it up for you.
C. Pick it up yourself! You, lazy bum! 

C是開玩笑的，想被炒魷魚，不妨一試。但A和B到底哪個好？will和be going to 有時也可以替換，也許都沒有錯，但其中有一個，是老外會用的，你猜是哪一個？今天我們就來看看will和be going to有什麼不一樣。

Will 

1. Promises – will 是一種承諾。
Johnny: Mom, if I get 100 on my math test, will you take me out for ice cream? 
Mom: Yes, I'll take you out for ice cream. I promise. 

2. Offers to help – 願意幫忙別人時也用will 
Patricia: I lost my ring.
Brian: No problem. I'll help you find it.

3. Request for help – 請人幫忙時用will 
Peter: I need to change the oil in my car. Will you help me?
William: Of course, I'll help you.

用Would會更有禮貌。
I need to change the oil in my car. Are you going to help me? 這樣的問法有點粗率，不夠禮貌。

4. Predictions about the future – 預測未來時用will
Heather: Some statisticians predict that there will be10 billion people in the world by 2050.
Melinda: I think they are right. I heard there won't be enough food in the world for everyone.
Will 常用於預測，但也可以用be going to.

5. Refusal of things - 拒絕時也用will
Walter: I can't open this bottle of wine.
Sally: Yeah. The cork won't come out.

Be Going To

1. State a plan or intention －代表一項計畫、意向或行動時，用be going to

Holly: What are you going to do this summer?
Mandy: I am going to travel across Europe. I am going to see everything from the Eiffel Tower to the Coliseum in Rome.

回到我們稍早的問題：
A. I'm going to pick it up for you. 
B. I'll pick it up for you. 
哪個好呢？用我們學到的規則，這是願意幫忙，所以B比較好。A也不算錯，它的意思更接近”我正要去幫你拿”。