A Structure ("Going To")
Use be going to to talk about future plans, intentions, or predictions based on what you know now. Remember that going to always uses the correct form of be before it.
| Subject | Example |
|---|---|
| I | I am going to study tonight. |
| He / She / It | She is going to travel next month. |
| You / We / They | They are going to move next year. |
Tip: Always use the correct form of be before going to.
✓ She is going to cook dinner.
✓ We are going to visit our friends.
✗ She going to cook dinner.
✗ We is going to visit our friends.
B When We Use "Going To"
We use be going to for two main reasons:
- To talk about plans or intentions that someone has already decided.
- To make predictions when there is evidence or something you can see now.
- I am going to visit my grandparents this weekend.
- She is going to start a new job next month.
- We are going to clean the house tomorrow.
- Look at those dark clouds! It is going to rain.
- Be careful! You are going to drop those books.
- The baby is crying. She is going to wake up.
Tip: Use going to when the future action has already been planned or when you have evidence that something will happen.
✓ We are going to travel this summer.
✓ Look at the sky! It is going to snow.
✗ We going to travel this summer.
✗ Look at the sky! It going to snow.
C Positive Sentences
Use be going to to talk about future plans, intentions, or predictions. In positive sentences, use the correct form of be, followed by going to and the base form of the main verb.
- I am going to study tonight.
- She is going to buy a new laptop next month.
- We are going to visit our friends this weekend.
- They are going to move to Edmonton next year.
- He is going to cook dinner tonight.
Tip: Always use the correct form of be before going to, and always use the base form of the main verb.
✓ She is going to study tonight.
✓ We are going to travel next month.
✗ She is going to studied tonight.
✗ We are going to traveled next month.
D Negative Sentences
Use be not going to to say that someone does not plan to do something or that something is not expected to happen. Simply add not after am, is, or are.
- I am not going to work this weekend.
- She isn't going to attend the meeting tomorrow.
- We aren't going to drive because of the snow.
- They aren't going to move this year.
- He isn't going to watch the game tonight.
Tip: Place not after am, is, or are. The main verb always stays in its base form.
✓ She isn't going to buy a new phone.
✓ We aren't going to leave early.
✗ She isn't going to bought a new phone.
✗ We aren't going to left early.
E Yes/No Questions & Short Answers
To ask a yes/no question with going to, place am, is, or are before the subject. Answer with Yes or No, followed by a short answer.
Yes, subject + am / is / are.
No, subject + am not / isn't / aren't.
- Are you going to study tonight?
Yes, I am. - Is she going to travel next month?
No, she isn't. - Are they going to move this year?
Yes, they are. - Is he going to cook dinner tonight?
No, he isn't.
Tip: Move am, is, or are to the beginning of the sentence to form a question. The going to structure stays together, and the main verb always remains in its base form.
✓ Is she going to buy a new car?
✓ Are they going to visit Toronto?
✗ Do she going to buy a new car?
✗ Are they going to visited Toronto?
F Wh- Questions
Use Wh- questions to ask for specific information about future plans, intentions, or predictions. Common question words include who, what, where, when, why, and how. After the question word, use am, is, or are, followed by the subject, going to, and the base form of the verb.
- Where are you going to travel this summer?
I'm going to visit Vancouver. - When is she going to start her new job?
She's going to start next Monday. - Who is he going to invite to the party?
He's going to invite his cousins. - Why are they going to leave early?
Because they have an early flight. - What are we going to cook tonight?
We're going to make pasta.
Tip: In Wh- questions, the order is: Question Word → am/is/are → subject → going to → base verb
✓ Where are they going to stay?
✓ What is she going to study?
✗ Where do they going to stay?
✗ What is she going to studied?
G Future Plans & Predictions
We use be going to to talk about future plans that have already been decided and predictions based on what we can see or know now. If there is evidence, or someone has already made a plan, going to is usually the best choice.
- I am going to apply for a new job next month.
- We are going to paint the living room this weekend.
- She is going to take an English course in September.
- Look at those dark clouds! It is going to rain.
- Be careful! You are going to fall.
- The glass is very full. It is going to spill.
Tip: Ask yourself: "Has the person already decided?" or "Can I see evidence now?" If the answer is yes, use going to.
✓ She bought paint yesterday. She is going to paint her bedroom.
✓ Look at the baby! He is going to cry.
✗ She bought paint yesterday. She paints her bedroom tomorrow.
✗ Look at the baby! He cries.
H Key Points to Remember
Remember these key ideas:
- Use be going to to talk about future plans, intentions, and predictions based on evidence.
- Always use the correct form of be (am, is, or are) before going to.
- The main verb always stays in its base form after going to.
- To make a negative sentence, add not after am, is, or are.
- To ask a question, move am, is, or are before the subject.
- If the future action has already been planned, or you can see evidence that something will happen, use going to.
✓ She is going to study tonight.
✓ They aren't going to travel this weekend.
✓ Are you going to apply for the job?
✓ Where is she going to work next year?
✗ She going to study tonight.
✗ They aren't going to travelled this weekend.
✗ Do you going to apply for the job?
✗ Where does she going to work next year?