logounam logo-avi
logouapa

Idiomatic future with
Be going to

Presentation / Objective

My future plans

Look at these pictures:

Sara is going to travel to Dubai in summer.

The Johnsons are going to spend Christmas in Chicago.

We use Be GOING TO when we talk about specific future actions.

You are going to find it useful and essential if you want to express your future plans, celebrations, or events. Think about these questions:

  • What are you going to do next weekend?
  • Where are you going to travel to next year?
  • What are you going to do on your birthday?

Objective:

By the end of this topic you will:
Use the idiomatic future to talk about future plans.

Content

Idiomatic Future (GOING TO)

Look at the following infographic to learn about the idiomatic future.

Now analyse these examples:

We are not going to see Tania later. She already has plans.

Sandy is not going to save any money. She has to pay her rent this month.

Creativeart - Freepik.com (2016). Mujer sosteniendo un cuaderno en blanco y dibujos de colores. Retrieved 06/12/16 from http://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/mujer-sosteniendo-un-cuaderno-en-blanco-y-dibujos-de-colores_902868.htm

They don’t have any time left. They are not going to have lunch right now.

For negatives, use to verb to be and NOT.

For questions, use the to verb to be as auxiliary (at the beginning of the sentence)

Are you going to travel to Barbados next summer?

Victor217 - Freepik.com (2016). Retrieved 06/12/16 from http://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/canoa-en-la-playa-con-un-flotador_921583.htm#term=boy%20beach&page=1&position=37

Is Raul going to give me a ride?

Reading

Activity 1

Traveling around Europe

Are you going to take holidays soon?
How are you going to commute?
When are you going to travel?

Visit this website and read the article on Cheap ways to travel across Europe. Choose the most appropriate option for the following statements.
You can know your score at the end of the exercise.
You have only two attempts to answer the questions.

Listening

Activity 2

What to do in the English capital

What’s the capital of England?

Do you know some British traditions?

Are there some London places to visit?

Listen to this monologue and drag the correct option to complete each sentence. You have two attempts to answer the exercise. At the end of the activity, you can check your score.

Listening

Activity 3

Would you like to come?

Do you have plans for tonight?
Are you going out with a friend?
What are you going to do tomorrow?

Listen to the dialogues and decide if the following statements are True or False by choosing the appropriate option. At the end of the activity, you can check your score.

Writing

Activity 4

Let’s write an email!

How often do you write emails?
When did you last write an email?

Imagine you will take a trip to England soon. Write an email to a friend explaining what you are going to do there.

Read the example:

Dear Eli, How are you? I haven’t heard from you in a while.I want to talk to you about many things. One of them is that I am about to leave for England!
Yes, just like you’ve read it!
I am going to pick up my tickets today. I’m supposed to be in the agency by noon. I bought a tour, so I am going to visit the most famous touristic places. I am going to drink English tea, and I am also going to wear warm clothes because they’ve told me it is freezing there.
I am not going to buy many souvenirs because I want to save money to travel a lot.
Are you going somewhere?
Miss you,

Now, write your email using at least 100 words. When you finish your work check it using the following rubrics:

Kues - Freepik.com (2016). Ejecutivo positivo escribiendo un email. Retrieved 06/12/16 from http://www.freepik.es/psd-gratis/ejecutivo-positivo-escribiendo-un-email_938222.htm

Writing

Activity 5

My plans for visiting Turkey!

How much do you know about Istanbul?
Would you like to visit it in the future?

First watch this video and learn about the capital of Turkey. Imagine you are going to visit it soon. With this information write sentences using going to in the affirmative and negative form.

Take a look at the example:

Bosphorus Cruise
When I go to Istanbul, I am going to take the Bosphorus cruise. There are several cruises you can take: a short one (to the second suspension bridge and back), a long one (all the way to the Black Sea and end), and a sunset tour in the summertime.
I’m not going to take the short one. Instead, I am going to travel through the Black Sea and take the sunset tour.
I am going to visit Topkapi Palace, which is a complex of kiosks and pavilions surrounded by four lush green courtyards where generations of sultans had their principal residence for almost half a century.
I am going to have a great time there!

Write a text using at least 100 words. When it is ready, check your performance by using the rubrics below.

Speaking

Activity 6

My weekend agenda

Read the following questions:
What are you going to do at the weekend?
Are you going to study English?
Are you going to visit a relative?
Are you going to the movies?


Now write ten sentences using going to about your plans for this weekend. The complete activity should take you no more than 10 minutes.
When you finish, record your plans and evaluate the recording using the following checklist:

Speaking

Activity 7

Completing the sentences

Look at Becky’s agenda and write at least ten sentences about her plans, using “going to”.

Record your sentences in 5 minutes. Before recording yourself, study the aspects that will be evaluated, they are described in the following rubrics. Once you are ready, you will record your work.

Self assessment

Exercise 1

Let’s study questions!

Look at the questions and decide if they are written correctly or incorrectly.

Self assessment

Exercise 2

Scrambled words

Drag the correct option to complete the sentences in affirmative, negative and interrogative form. At the end of the activity, you can check your score.

References

Basic references

Murphy, R. (2012). English Grammar in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: CUP [4th ed]
NOMADIC, M. (Sept 13, 2012). Cheap ways to travel across Europe. Retrieved 20-09-2016 from http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/cheap-ways-to-travel-across-europe-2/
Complementary
BBC. World services. Learning English. Future Predictions with going to. Retrieved 04/12/16 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1611_gramchallenge29/
BBC. World services. Learning English. Future Plans. Retrieved 04/12/16 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1530_gramchallenge32/