Foundation grammar · Unit 26 · A2

I'm going to ...

Future

Use am/is/are going to + verb for something you have already decided to do, and for something that is clearly about to happen.

Go to the exercises

A The form: am/is/are going to + verb

At breakfast, Nadia decides that tonight she will wash the car. She says: I'm going to wash the car this evening.

We use am/is/are going to + verb for the future.

Subject be going to verb
I am (not) going to do ...
he / she / it is (not) going to eat ...
we / you / they are (not) going to watch ...

Questions put am/is/are first:

be Subject going to verb
Am I going to buy ... ?
Is he / she / it going to drink ... ?
Are we / you / they going to wear ... ?
  • She's going to wash the car this evening.
  • I'm not going to watch the match.
  • Are they going to sell the house?

B I am going to do something: I have decided

I am going to do something means that I have decided to do it. The decision was made in the past; the action is in the future.

Past Now Future
I decided to do it. I'm going to do it. I do it.

You can also use the present continuous (I am doing) for the future, usually for arrangements with a time and a place (Unit 25).

  • I'm going to paint the bathroom on Saturday.
  • Gareth is going to buy a new bike.
  • I'm not going to have lunch today. I had a huge breakfast.
  • What are you going to cook tonight?
  • "Your shoes are muddy." "I know. I'm going to clean them."
  • Are you going to ask Ruth to the wedding?
  • I'm meeting Ruth for lunch on Thursday. (an arrangement)

C Something is going to happen: you can see it now

Something is going to happen means that the situation now makes it clear. The evidence is in front of you, and it is not encouraging.

  • Look at those clouds. It's going to rain. (dark clouds now, so rain soon)
  • It's ten to nine and I'm still in my pyjamas. I'm going to be late. (the time now, so late soon)
  • Be careful with that glass! It's going to fall.

Exercises

26.1 What are these people saying? Use going to.

  1. A woman looks at the cinema times on her phone and thinks about a film tonight.

    "I'm going to watch a film tonight."

    "I'm going to watch a film tonight."

  2. A man is standing at the counter in a newsagent's, pointing at a newspaper.

    "I a newspaper."

  3. Two girls are walking to the park with a ball, thinking about a game of football.

    "We football."

  4. A tired man in a dressing gown is walking towards the bathroom, thinking about hot water and bubbles.

    "I a bath."

26.2 Complete the sentences. Use going to + one of these verbs.

cleancookdofixmakesleepvisitwatchwear

  1. My boots are covered in mud. I'm going to clean them.

    My boots are covered in mud. I'm going to clean them.

  2. What are you going to wear to the wedding?

    What are you going to wear to the wedding?

  3. I don't want a takeaway tonight. I something at home.

  4. Ellie is going to Bristol next week. She her aunt.

  5. My bike has a flat tyre. I it this weekend.

  6. It's Grandad's birthday on Sunday. We him a cake.

  7. Leo says he's absolutely exhausted. He for a couple of hours.

  8. There's a good documentary on the telly tonight. you it?

  9. What Mia when she finishes university?

26.3 Read each scene. What is going to happen?

  1. The sky over the beach is black and the first few drops are landing on the sand.

    It's going to rain.

    It's going to rain.

  2. A ladder is leaning against a wall, and the bottom of it is sliding away on the wet ground.

    The ladder .

  3. A car is going very fast towards a wall at the end of a narrow road.

    The car .

  4. A man is running for a bus and is looking at his watch, not at the bag on the pavement in front of his feet.

    He .

26.4 What are you going to do today or tomorrow? Write three sentences.

  1. I'm ...

  2. Another sentence.

  3. Another sentence.

See also