Shape the future

How do you see yourself in the future?

What do you think things are going to be like in the future?

How do you plan your future?

In this section you will learn how to express plans and predictions for the future with BE GOING TO.

In informal spoken English we say. GONNA = GOING TO

Listening practice

Look at the explanation.

To express plans we use the verb to Be + Going to + main verb (base form) + time expression:

🔊 I 🔊 am going to 🔊 go scuba diving
🔊 You/we/they 🔊 are going to 🔊 finish school
🔊 He/She/it 🔊 is going to 🔊 buy a new car
🔊 I’ m going to finish school next semester. 🔊 She’s gonna buy a new car in two years.
🔊 I’m gonna finish school next semester. 🔊 She’s going to buy a new car in two years.

Future time expressions

🔊 Tomorrow 🔊 Next week 🔊 In a week
🔊 Tomorrow morning 🔊 Next weekend 🔊 In a month
🔊 The day after tomorrow 🔊 Next month 🔊 In a hour
🔊 Next summer 🔊 In three years
🔊 Next Sunday 🔊 In three years' time
🔊 Next year 🔊 In four years' time

To form the negative, we just add not to the verb to Be:

🔊 We 🔊 are not going to 🔊 (aren't) 🔊 visit our relatives next Christmas.
🔊 Angie 🔊 is not going to 🔊 (isn't) 🔊 celebrate Christmas with us, she is very busy now.

To form YES/NO questions, we simply use the same structure that is used for the verb to Be.

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🔊 Am I 🔊 going to 🔊 pass the test?
🔊 Is she/he/it 🔊 going to 🔊 eat out tonight?
🔊 Are you/we/they🔊 going to 🔊 get a new job?

Short answers:

🔊 Yes, I am. 🔊 No, I am not.
🔊 Yes, she/he/it is. 🔊 No, she/he/it is not.
🔊 Yes, we/you/they are. 🔊 No, we/you/they are not.
*Do not use contractions. *You can use the contractions isn’t/aren’t.

To make information questions we use question words and place them at the beginning of the question structure:

🔊 What are you going to do on your next birthday?
🔊 Where is he going to eat out tonight?
🔊 When aare they going to get a new job?
🔊 How are you going to get to Cancun?
🔊 Why is she going to study Medicine?

Then we can get more details with a full response:

  • What are you going to do on your next birthday? 🔊
  • I am going to have a big party. 🔊
  • Where is he going to eat out tonight? 🔊
  • He is going to eat at that new restaurant downtown. 🔊
  • When are they going to get a new job? 🔊
  • They are going to get a new job soon. 🔊
  • How are you going to get to Cancun? 🔊
  • We are going to get to Cancun by plane. 🔊
  • Why is she going to study medicine? 🔊
  • She is going to study medicine because she wants to help people. 🔊

We usually use GO without GOING TO:

I’m going to Cancun next year.

We’re going to the movies tonight.

Writing Exercise

Look at the strips, use the prompts to write possible sentences that describe people’s plans. Write two affirmative and one negative. What are they going to do?

Look at the example:

Shape the future
Thalia and Sara | around the world | Europe | bus | plane | two years | around the world
(+) They are going to travel around the world in two years.
(+) They are going to visit Europe in two years.
(-) They aren’t going to travel by bus.
Shape the future
Daniel and Edith | party | exam | birthday | next month
(+) They are going to celebrate their birthday together next month.
(+) They are going to have a surprise party for a friend next month.
(-) They aren’t going to study for the exam next month.
Shape the future
Tony | apartment | big house | five years
(+) He is going to buy a big house in five years.
(+) He is going to sell his house in five years.
(-) He isn’t going to buy an apartment because it’s smaller than a house.
Shape the future
Andy | school | gap year | next year
(+) She is going to graduate from school next year.
(+) She’s going to pass all her exams next year.
(-) She isn’t going to take a gap year.
Multiple choice exercise

A family in Mexico won the lottery and they are asked about their plans to use the money they won. Choose the correct option to complete each statement.

Shape the future

    1 Interviewer: Welcome, dear Martínez. Wow! You are Rich Martinez now. Tell us, ______________ with all this money?

    • what you are going to do
    • what are you going to do
    • what you going to do

    2. 2 Mr. Martinez: Well. I am not sure. First thing I guess ______________ all my debts next week.

    • I’m going to pay
    • I going to pay
    • I’m going pay

    3. 3 Interviewer: Good idea! Are you going to donate to charity? Well, that is what many people do.

    Mr. Martinez: Eeee. Maybe ______________ in one year. Yes, I am.

    • I’m going donate a bit
    • I’m going to donate a bit
    • I going to donate a bit

    4. 4 Interviewer: What about you Mrs. Martinez?

    Mr. Martinez: ______________ my own beauty salon. You know, I want to become my own boss. I’m going to hire some friends who need the job.

    • I’m not going to open
    • I'm going to open
    • I going to open

    5. 5 Interviewer: Sounds great, Mrs. Martinez, ______________ abroad? Many people do it.

    • What are you going to
    • Are you going to cook
    • Are you going to travel

    6. 6 Mrs. Martinez: Of course. We are going to plan a trip to Asia in six months.

    Interviewer: Really? Where exactly?

    Mrs. Martinez: Japan. I love Japanese culture.

    Interviewer: Nice! What about you, kids?

    Boy Martinez: I dunno, ______________ “my part” on videogames and stuff like that. I’m gonna go scuba diving next summer. I'm sure I'm not gonna share it with my sister.

    • I’m gonna spend
    • I’m gonna buy
    • I’m not gonna do

    7. 7 Girl Martinez: ______________ clothes from a Unicorn store I know and lots of candy, and videogames for my brother, and shoes for my father, and chocolates for my mom. I'm gonna adopt many puppies.

    • I’m not gonna eat
    • I gonna
    • I’m gonna buy

    8. 8 Interviewer: So cute! ______________ puppies?

    • Why are you going to adopt
    • What are you going to adopt
    • Are you going to

    9. Girl Martínez: Because I love dogs. In Mexico there are lots of street dogs and it makes me sad.

    Interviewer: Wow! Your plans sound great!! Thanks for the interview, Family Martinez, and enjoy your money!

Common short forms in spoken English:

DUNNO = “I don’t know”.

GONNA = Going to.