Both "I hope you'll read lots of good books this year" and "I hope you read lots of good books this year" are correct, right?
Is one of them more common than the other? Is there any difference between UK/US English?
Learn English – “I hope you’ll do X” vs. “I hope you do X”
futuregrammaticalitypresent-tenseverbsword-choice
Best Answer
While both phrases are grammatically correct, I think there is a slight semantic difference: using will (in this case, you'll instead of you) puts more emphasis on someone's determination to do something.
To use your example, "I hope you read lots of good books this year" basically means "I hope it works out for you to read lots of good books this year." You're emphasizing the outcome more than the action.
On the other hand, "I hope you'll read lots of good books this year" is a little more forceful; it could be interpreted as "I hope you make the effort to read lots of good books this year." You're emphasizing the action, not just the outcome.