Future with “Will”: Offering to Help

Level: Beginning and Up
Pair with the Songs:
“One Call Away” (Charlie Puth, 2016)
“You’ve Got a Friend” (Carole King, 1971)
Recommended Videos:
“One Call Away”: the official video; a live performance video; the a cappella version by the Swedish group Dad Harmony
“You’ve Got a Friend”: Carole King’s official audio-only video; James Taylor’s official audio-only video; live performance with Carole King and James Taylor

The future-tense construction I’ll + a verb in the simple form is used when offering to help (usually spontaneously) and making promises. In the song “One Call Away,” this construction is used in the line I’ll be there to save the day (repeated four times), which is both an offer to help and a promise. In the song “You’ve Got a Friend,” the singer promises “I’ll come runnin'” if a friend needs help. The interactive worksheet below focuses on making offers to help. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with “One Call Away,” please see the Lesson Plan.

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Preview:

Future with Will: Offering to Help

A.  Read the sentences under the picture.

Person 1: I can’t climb this ladder.
Person 2: Hold my hand. I’ll pull you up.   

When you offer to help someone, use  I’ll  or I will + the simple form of a verb.

B.  Read each sentence on the left. Match it with an offer to help on the right. Write the letter of your answer on the line.

1. __f__ I’m really thirsty. a. I’ll carry it.
2. _____ I’m really hungry. b. I’ll fix it for you.
3. _____ This suitcase is too heavy for me. c. I’ll get the owner’s manual.
4. _____ It’s raining hard, and I have to leave. d. I’ll draw you a map.
5. _____ We don’t have any dish soap. e. I’ll set the table.
6. _____ I can’t find my glasses. f. I’ll get you a glass of water.
7. _____ I don’t know how to get to the park. g. I’ll loan you my umbrella.
8. _____ Dinner is almost ready. h. I’ll make you a sandwich.
9. _____ My bicycle is broken. i. I’ll help you look for them.
10. _____ I don’t know how this coffee maker works. j. I’ll get some on my way home.

C.  Read the matched sentences aloud with a partner.

D.  Offer to help someone. Write your sentences on the lines. Begin each sentence with I’ll. (There are many possible sentences.)

1. I’m really hungry.  ________________________________________________________

2. I have a bad cold.  ________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2016 Sandra Heyer. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Image: Copyright © Michael Brown | Dreamstime. Reprinted with permission.