6. The Future – “Be Going to”

Learning Outcomes

After completing Chapter 5, students will know how to:

  • use the functions of the Future “Be Going to”..
  • form the Future “Be Going to” in affirmative statements, negative statements and questions.
  • apply the Future “Be Going to” in various situations.
  • understand the pronunciation of “going to” in oral communication.

Functions of the Future “Be Going to”

The Future “Be Going to” is used for

  1. predictions
  2. plans

Let us discuss these points in detail.

Predictions:

Actions that you think are going to happen in the future.  Some examples are:

  • It is going to rain tonight.
  • They are going to have a lot of children.
  • The population is going to grow in 5 years.
  • We aren’t going to finish the project on time.

Plans:

Actions that you have arranged, organized or thought about before the time of speaking. Some examples are:

  • I am going to clean the living room after breakfast.
  • He is going to travel after college.
  • They aren’t going to bake a cake for my birthday. They are going to buy one instead.

**Pronunciation of “Going to”

In speaking only, the words “going to” are often reduced to “gonna”. However, “gonna” is not an actual word and should never be written in formal English.

If a speaker uses “gonna” in a sentence, only the base verb will follow, not “to”.

For example:

“I’m gonna meet Peter at the bar tonight” not, “I’m gonna to meet Peter at the bar tonight.”

Form of The Future “Be Going to”

Let us now explore how the Future “Be Going to” is formed:

Affirmative Sentences: Subject + be + going to + base verb .
Subject + “be” + going to +                                       base verb.
I am going to                                          eat.
He is going to                                          cook.
She is going to                                          swim.
They are going to                                          leave.
Negative Sentences: Subject + do/does+ not + base verb.
Subject + “be” + not + going to + base verb
I am not going to swim.
He is not going to dance.
Yes/No Questions: “Be” + subject +going to + base verb? 
“Be” + subject+ going to + base verb?
Are  you going to teach?
Is  he going to listen?
Information Questions: Wh ? + “be” + subject + going to + base verb?
Wh ? + “be”+ subject + going to base verb ?
Where  are you going to go?
When  is he going to leave?

 

Watch It!

Watch the following video to listen to and review the form and functions of simple future with ‘be going to’.

Watch the video Be Going To (5:30 minutes)

Video Source: Smrt English. (2013, January 3). Be going to [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/QsvuY1CPJV8

Future with ‘Be Going To’ Functions Practice

Practice the functions of “be going to” by reading each sentence, and deciding if “be going to” is used for a predication or a plan.  Flip the card to see the answer!

Be Going To Functions Practice” Interactive Video (Text Version)
  1. I’m going to look for a new place to live next month.
  2. I think buying a house is going to be expensive.
  3. I’m going to buy a house soon.
  4. It’s going to snow again.
  5. I’m going to move to another country if it snows one more time!
  6. She’s not going to be happy with this mess you made.
  7. He’s going to break the window if he keeps throwing the ball like that!
  8. Tara is going to be a professional dancer when she gets older.

Check your answers [1]

Activity source: “Be Going To Functions Practice” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0.

Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Affirmative

Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Affirmative (Text Version)

Fill in the missing words with the ‘be going to’ tense in affirmative, using the subject and verb and sometimes an adverb in brackets.  Use contractions where possible. Spelling and punctuation count!

  1. Look at those dark clouds overhead! _________[Blank 1 – it/rain] any second!
  2. _________[Blank 1 – Italy/win]  this match! They’re leading by 3 goals!
  3. If you eat all that cake, _________[Blank 1 – you/feel] sick.
  4. Maria believes the Conservatives _________[Blank 1 – win] the next election.

Answers[2]

Activity source: “Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice Affirmative” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0.

Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Negative

Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Negative (Text Version)

Fill in the missing words by using ‘Be Going To’ in the negative with the verb in the brackets. Use the contraction when possible. Spelling and punctuation count!

  1. Pedro _________[Blank 1 – arrive] on time because the traffic is horrible.
  2. It’s going to rain tomorrow so we _________[Blank 1 – visit] the beach.
  3. Alona _________[Blank 1 – buy] that house anymore because it failed the inspection.
  4. _________[Blank 1 – I/purchase] any take out food for a month because I need to save money for a vacation.
  5. You _________[Blank 1 – pass] the course if you don’t study more often.

Answers[3]

Activity source: “Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice Negative” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0.

Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Interrogative

Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Interrogative (Text Version)

Fill in the missing words with the question form of ‘Be Going To’ and the subject and verb in brackets. Use contractions when possible. Spelling and punctuation count!

  1. _________[Blank 1 – they/move]  to a new house next month?
  2. What _________[Blank 1 – Angeni/do] if she can’t find a new job in Victoria?
  3. _________[Blank 1 – you/not/go] on your date? You aren’t even ready yet!
  4. _________[Blank 1 – Marco/travel] somewhere tropical? I know he likes hot weather.
  5. What _________[Blank 1 – we/tell] her? She is going to be so upset when she finds out.

Check your answers[4]

Activity source: “Future ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice Interrogative” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0.

Future with ‘Be Going To’ Form Practice – Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative

Fill in the blanks using the verb in brackets (and the subject). You may need to create affirmative, negative, or interrogative sentences. Spelling and punctuation count!

Be Going To – Form Practice (Text Version)

Fill in the blanks using “be going to” and the verb in brackets. You might have to write in the affirmative, negative or interrogative form. Spelling and punctuation count!

  1. _________[Blank 1 – you/attend – interrogative] the gala next Friday?
  2. When _________[Blank 1 – she/write – interrogative] her second novel?
  3. We _________[Blank 1 – take – negative] a nap before we go to the concert tonight.
  4. I _________[Blank 1 – prepare – affirmative] dinner in 20 minutes.
  5. My husband _________[Blank 1 – retire – affirmative] at the end of the year.
  6. Mom, what __________[Blank 1 – we/have – interrogative] for dinner tonight?
  7. Why _________[Blank 1 – your brother/drive – interrogative] to New York? He should take the train.
  8. They _________[Blank 1 – graduate – negative] if they continue to get poor grades.
  9. He _________[Blank 1 – eat – negative] meat because he is a vegetarian.
  10. _________[Blank 1 – the cat/chase – interrogative] the mouse?

Check your answers [5]

Activity source: “Be Going To – Form Practice” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0.

Verb Tenses in Music

For a fun activity, search the web and find the following songs:

  • I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
  • Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley

Can you hear “Be Going to” in the lyrics?

 

Father: What are you going to be when you grow up? Son: I'm going to be a garbage collector. Father: Really? Why? Son: Because I only have to work on Tuesdays!
“The Future “Be Going to” Joke” by Virginia McHardy, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, “The Future – “Be Going to”” by Sari Martin & Virginia McHardy is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

    1. plan
    2. prediction
    3. plan
    4. prediction
    5. plan
    6. prediction
    7. prediction
    8. plan
    ↵
    1. Look at those dark clouds overhead!  It's going to rain any second!
    2. Italy's going to win this match! They're leading by 3 goals!
    3. If you eat all that cake, you're going to feel sick.
    4. Maria believes the Conservatives are going to win the next election.
    ↵
    1. Pedro isn't going to arrive on time because the traffic is horrible.
    2. It's going to rain tomorrow so we aren't going to visit the beach.
    3. Alona isn't going to buy that house anymore because it failed the inspection.
    4. I'm not going to purchase any takeout food for a month because I need to save money for a vacation.
    5. You aren't going to pass the course if you don't study more often.
    ↵
    1. Are they going to move to a new house next month?
    2. What is Angeni going to do if she can't find a job in Victoria?
    3. Aren't you going to go on your date? You aren't even ready yet!
    4. Is Marco going to travel somewhere tropical? I know he likes hot weather.
    5. What are we going to tell her? She is going to be so upset when she finds out.
    ↵
    1. Are you going to attend the gala next Friday?
    2. When is she going to write her second novel?
    3. We are not going to take a nap before we go to the concert tonight.
    4. I am going to prepare dinner in 20 minutes.
    5. My husband is going to retire at the end of the year.
    6. Mom, what are we having for dinner tonight?
    7. Why is your brother driving to New York? He should take the train.
    8. They are not going to graduate if they continue to get poor grades.
    9. He is not going to eat meat because he is a vegetarian.
    10. Is the cat going to chase the mouse? ↵

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

6. The Future - "Be Going to" Copyright © 2019 by Sari Martin and Virginia McHardy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/Effective English for Teachers

Share This Book