GOING TO PRESENT CONTINUOUS

The use of be going + infinitive and the present continuous tense to speak about the
future is similar. We use them to talk about things that are already planned or decided.

 What are you doing this weekend? (= What are your plans?)
 I'm spending the weekend at home. (= I've planned it already/I've already decided)
 I'm going to spend the weekend at home. (= I've already decided/I've planned it
already)

The present continuous is usually used to speak about personal arrangements, when the
time and/or place have already been decided.

 We're meeting Jim at the pub at 6 o'clock.

 The taxi's picking us up at 3 o'clock.

Be going to + infinitive is used to talk about our intentions, even if they are some way
in the future.

 I'm going to study law when I finish school.

 We're going to Hawaii for our holidays next summer.

Notice that last sentence - it is not common to say "going to go to. We normally drop the
go to and just say going to.

Be going to + infinitive is also used to speak about the future when we have already got
some evidence that something is certain or likely to happen.

 She's going to have a baby (I can see that she is pregnant)

 It's going to rain (I can see the dark storm clouds)

Will is more complicated, and here we are only going to discuss its use in relation to be
going to + infinitive and the present continuous.

In certain situations all of these future forms can have similar meanings. The difference
is what we want to stress when we speak. As we wrote above, be going to + infinitive and
the present continuous are used to talk about things that are already planned or decided.
If this is what we want to stress then we would use one of those structures, if not, we
would choose will:

 What are you going to do now?

 What are you doing now?
 What will you do now?

In the first two examples, the person asking the question assumes that the person they
are speaking to has some plan or intention. In the last example, s/he feels that there is
some uncertainty.

Also above, we mentioned the use of be going to + infinitive to talk about (predict) the
future when we have already got some evidence that something is certain or likely to
happen. When this evidence is not present, or at least is not as concrete, we prefer to
use will.

 It's going to rain later (I can see the clouds building up)
 I think it will rain later (It often does at this time of year)

TENSES

FUTURE WITH GOING TO

1. Future with Going to - form

This form is composed of three elements: the appropriate form of the verb 'to be' + going
to + the infinitive of the main verb:
She is going to leave

2. Future with Going to - function

The use of 'going to' to refer to future events suggests a very strong association with
the present. The time is not important - it is later than now, but the attitude is that
the event depends on a present situation, that we know about. So it is used:

a) to refer to our plans and intentions:

We're going to move to London next year. (= the plan is in our minds now.)

b) to make predictions based on present evidence:

Look at those clouds - it's going to pour with rain! (= It's clear from what I can see
now.)

Note: In everyday speech, 'going to' is often shortened to 'gonna', especially in

American English.

More examples:

Plans and intentions:

a. Is Freddy going to buy a new car soon?
b. Are John and Pam going to visit Milan when they are in Italy?
c. I think Nigel and Mary are going to have a party next week.

Predictions based on present evidence:

a. There's going to be a terrible accident!
b. He's going to be a brilliant politician.
c. I'm going to have terrible indigestion.

1. Present continuous for the future, form

See notes on form in section on Present Continuous.

She is meeting

2. Future: Present continuous for the future, function

The present continuous is used to talk about arrangements for events at a time later than
now.
There is a suggestion that more than one person is aware of the event, and that some
preparation has already happened. e.g.

a. I'm meeting Jim at the airport = and both Jim and I have discussed this.
b. I am leaving tomorrow. = and I've already bought my train ticket.
c. We're having a staff meeting next Monday = and all members of staff have been told
about it.

More examples:

a. Is she seeing him tomorrow?

b. He isn't working next week.
c. They aren't leaving until the end of next year.
d. We are staying with friends when we get to Boston.

Note: in example (a), seeing is used in a continuous form because it means meeting.

BE CAREFUL! The simple present is used when a future event is part of a programme or
time-table. Notice the difference between:

a. We're having a staff meeting next Monday.

b. We have a staff meeting next Monday.(= we have a meeting every Monday, it's on the
time-table.)

Going to

Intention
We use the special going to construction when we have the intention to do something
before we speak. We have already made a decision before speaking. Look at these examples:

 I have won $1,000. I am going to buy a new TV.

 We're not going to see my mother tomorrow.
 When are you going to go on holiday?

In these examples, we had an intention or plan before speaking. The decision was made
before we spoke.

Prediction

We often use going to to make a prediction about the future. Our prediction is based on
evidence. We are saying what seems sure to happen. Here are some examples:

 The sky is very black. It is going to snow.

 It's 8.30! You're going to miss the train!
 I crashed the company car. My boss isn't going to be very happy!

In these examples, the present situation (black sky/the time/damaged car) gives us a good
idea of what is going to happen.

 We use will for prediction when we have no real evidence: "It will rain
tomorrow." (It's my feeling but I can't be sure.)

 We use going to for prediction when there is some real evidence: "It's going to
rain." (There's a big, black cloud in the sky and if it doesn't rain I'll be
very surprised.)

Future Simple Verb Tense "going to"

The future simple verb tense "going to" is used in the following situations:

1. Planed events - When a future event that has been planed before the time
of speaking.
o I am going to Mexico in a few days.
o We are not going to work next week.
o They are going to university next year.
2. Predictions - To make a future prediction based on facts.
o There is going to be a really big storm in a few hours.
o The test next week is going to be really hard.
o The puppies are cute. I am sure someone is going to adapt them.
3. Intentions - To state the something that is intended to take place in
the future, in informal conversations.
o I am going to be a rich person someday.
o We are going to pass the test.
o The puppies are going to make a big mess in house.