Going to

  • A2 · Elementary
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min
  • be going to

be going to for plans (I'm going to take swimming lessons) and for predictions from what we can see (His eyes are closing. He's going to fall asleep!), in the positive, the negative and questions. From three friends on New Year's Eve to the student's own year ahead.

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going toI'm going toisn't going to

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Reading: New Year's EveReading comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find be going to + verbGrammar exercise
  6. 6How be going to worksGrammar rule
  7. 7Plan or prediction?Grammar exercise
  8. 8Basil's listGrammar exercise
  9. 9Questions, answers and negativesGrammar exercise
  10. 10Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12The year aheadSpeaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: a birthday planGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: build the sentencesGrammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: a letter to youDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. How do people in your country celebrate New Year's Eve?
  2. What are your plans for this weekend?
  3. Where do you keep your plans: in a calendar, on your phone, or in your head?

Grammar rule

How be going to works

am / is / are + going to + verb

Example
PositiveI'm going to clean the garage. She's going to visit her aunt. They're going to plant a tree.
NegativeHe isn't going to call. We aren't going to fly. I'm not going to wait.
QuestionAre you going to cook? — Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. Is the store going to close? — Yes, it is.
Wh- questionWhere is she going to live? What are they going to order?

Two uses

  • Plans (we decided before now): Next weekend, I'm going to wash the car.
  • Predictions from what we can see or hear now: Look at that line! We're going to wait for hours.

Time words: tonight, tomorrow, this weekend, next week, next month, next year, in two years, soon.

After going to, use the verb with no -s, no -ing and no to: not She's going to sells or going to selling. Don't forget am / is / are: not I going to. And no do in questions: not Do you going to…?, but Are you going to…? In a short answer with yes, don't shorten: Yes, I am. (not Yes, I'm.)
In fast speech, going to + a verb often sounds like "gonna". Say it if you like, but write going to.

Teach it live with video and a whiteboard, or print it: the PDF has every slide, the homework and the answers.

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← Unit 2Present simple or continuous?