going to forms. Negative form of turnover to be going to

Even those who have never studied English know that go is "to go". But not everything is as simple as it seems, because the verb go not always used in this sense. In this article, we will not consider the numerous semantic meanings of the verb go (of which, by the way, there are more than forty), we will also not understand stable combinations with the verb go (the number of which is difficult to imagine). In this article we will talk about the going to construction, which, although it includes the form of the verb go, serves to express completely different meanings.

So when we first see the construction be going to in a sentence, the first thought is ordinary. For example:

I am going to buy a new camera.

Those who are not yet familiar with the functions of the design going to, translate like this: I'm going to buy a new camera (right now). Everything seems logical, there is no doubt about the correctness of the translation.

However, when more information comes in, it becomes more difficult:

He is going to publish his new book next year.

The scientists are going to launch a new space project soon.

In fact, everything is simple, you just need to understand one rule: no one goes anywhere!

going to- a construction that is used to express plans, intentions, forecasts for the future. Respectively:

I am going to buy a new camera. - I'm going to buy a new camera.

He is going to publish his new book next year. He is going to publish a new book next year.

The scientists are going to launch a new space project soon. - Scientists are planning to launch a new space program soon.

Before we take a closer look at the functions of the construction and its grammatical features, let's remember once and for all how to distinguish it from other forms. Let's compare two sentences:

I am going to school now.

I am going to meet my friends tomorrow.

In the first sentence, going to is followed by a noun, so to- a preposition of movement that indicates the direction where I actually go now.

In the second sentence after going stands infinitive with a particle to, which is a verb. This verb shows what I'm going to do.

And of course, don't forget the context! He is your indispensable assistant, because sometimes only the context allows you to fully understand the meaning of the statement.

Now more about forms.

The constructions be going to are always preceded by a verb to be, and, as you know, it changes by gender and number:

I am going to tell you about my last holiday. - I'm going to tell you about my last vacation.

She is going to call you today. - She's going to call you today.

They are going to sell their car. They are going to sell their car.

If someone is not going to do something, a negative form is built. to the verb to be add a negative particle not:

I am not going to read this book. - I'm not going to read this book.

He is not going to play with us. - He's not going to play with us.

We are not going to discuss this question. - We are not going to discuss this issue.

And finally, to ask a question, the verb to be moves to the beginning of the sentence:

In addition, the construction be going to is notable for the fact that it can be used in the past tense. To do this, remember that in the past tense the verb to be has only two forms: was and were. And affirmative, negative and interrogative statements are built on the same principle:

I was going to ask you out. - I was going to invite you somewhere.

It was going to rain so I took my umbrella. - It was going to rain, so I took an umbrella.

We were going to have a picnic by the river. We were going to have a picnic by the river.

I was not going to buy new shoes. I don "t know how it happened! - I was not going to buy new shoes. I don't know how it happened!

She was not going to help us. She wasn't going to help us.

They were not going to listen to me. They weren't going to listen to me.

Everything is clear with the forms, now it's time to learn about the meanings of the construction be going to:

1. Planned actions (Plans).

Use be going to when talking about what you have planned, what you want to do in the future. Be going to used more in informal communication, in more formal situations use the verb to plan (to plan).

What are you going to do on holiday? - I am going to visit my parents and spend some time in the countryside. - What are you going to do on vacation? I'm going to visit my parents and spend a few days out of town.

They were going to leave, but I persuaded them to stay. - They intended to leave, but I persuaded them to stay.

2. Decisions and intentions (Decisions and Intentions).

If you use be going to, your interlocutor understands that you made a decision in advance, not at the time of the conversation. Be going to also serves to express intent:

Jim and Mary are going to get married. - Jim and Mary are going (decided) to get married.

He is going to become a lawyer like his father. - He is going (intends) to become a lawyer, like his father.

3. Predictions Based on Evidence.

This wording may not be entirely clear. Let's look at an example. You look out the window and see black clouds, hear thunder. What prediction will you make? You will most likely say: "Now it's going to rain (And I, as always, without an umbrella!)".

To express such an assumption in English, you will have to use nothing more than the be going to construction:

It is going to rain.

Or you notice how a person slipped on the street and is about to fall. You say:

He is going to fall.

Be going to should be used to express actions that will definitely happen in the near future, as we can judge from what we see and hear.

Please note that in sentences with be going to the subject can be inanimate, for example it:

It is going to snow. - It will snow.

These are the three main meanings of the be going to construction in which it is used most often. If your level is average, even above average, then these values will be quite enough for you to communicate. For an advanced level, you can add a couple more.

4. Commands (Orders).

Be going to is sometimes used to insist that someone do something, or, conversely, not do it:

You are not going to wear this dress! - You will not wear this dress!

You are going to stay at home whether you want it or not. You stay at home whether you like it or not.

5. Failures (Refusals).

In Russian, if we really don't want to do something, we say: "I'm not going to do it!". So, in English, the same story, if you flatly refuse to do anything, you can say: "I am not going to do it!". Such a sentence sounds very emotional and even a little rude, so be careful, use it to the point so as not to offend anyone:

I am not going to do your work! You get paid for it! - I'm not going to do your job! You get paid for it!

I am not going to solve your problems! You "ve made your bed, now you can lie on it!" - I'm not going to solve your problems!

It is important to remember that the be going to construction is not used with verbs. go and come, as well as with some other verbs denoting movement. Instead of going to with these verbs is used:

I am going to the seaside tomorrow. (NOT am going to go) - I'm going to go / going to the sea tomorrow.

My friends are coming for dinner on Sunday. (NOT are going to come) - My friends are going to come/come to dinner on Sunday.

I would also like to note that in colloquial communication, the pronunciation going to is often simplified to gonna ["g(ə)nə]. In films and songs you have repeatedly heard: I'm gonna, you're gonna etc. So, know that gonna is an informal, colloquial version of the construction going to. Auxiliary verb in negatives to be (am not, are not, is not) also "simplified" and pronounced as . Read more about abbreviations.

Bon Jovi in his song It's My Life sings the following:

It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever

This is my life
Now or never
I won't live forever.

Very good idea, by the way! It is worth heeding the advice of Bon Jovi:

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There is a turnover in English to be going to, which is frequently used, respectively, you need to know the rules of how and when it is used. This construction has nothing to do with the direct meaning of the word to go (to go), as, for example, in the sentence I am going to the cinema (I'm going to the cinema) - here we use the Present Continuous tense to emphasize that this is happening at the moment speech, i.e. right now. turnover to be going to will be used to express an event in the future tense, so after it you need to indicate the action - to be going to do something - I'm going to do something, i.e. add the action that you intend to take soon. But the future tense in English can be expressed through the auxiliary verb will, i.e. use the Future Simple tense. Indeed, the use of the construction be going to and similar situations, but there are differences. Therefore, in this article we will consider in which cases sentences with to be going to will be used, and give examples.

Turnover to be going to: grammar

In English, this grammatical construction can be used in the present and past tenses, but in Russian its meaning will refer to the future: "to gather, intend, plan to do something."

When used to be going to

In present time:

when talking about plans and intentions to do something in the future. This action was planned even before it was reported, even before the moment of speaking.

We are going to see a play this evening.

I 'm going to buy some books tomorrow.

Sarah is going to sell her car.

I' m not going to have breakfast this morning. I'm not hungry.

What are you going to wear to the party tonight?

‘Your hands are dirty’ ‘Yes, I know. I 'm going to wash them.

Are you going to invite John to your party?

If the decision was made at the time of speech, then you need to use the Future Simple (will).

‘Gary phoned while you were out.’ - ‘OK, I will call him back.'

when predicting future events based on present facts. Certain events indicate what is about to happen. Now we see something that makes us think about what will happen in the future. Often we are talking about what will happen just about, right now, in the near future.

Look at those black clouds. It is going to rain.

Oh dear! It's 9 o'clock and I'm not ready. I 'm going to be late.

I feel terrible. I think I 'm going to be sick.

look! Leo 's going to win the race!

The economic situation is bad now and things are going to get worse.

Mum's car's making a strange noise. It 's going to break down.

look! The dog 's going to catch the ball.

In the past time:

when they talk about actions that they were going to do, but did not do.

We were going to travel by train, but then we decided to go by car instead.

Peter was going to do the exam, but he changed his mind.

I was just going to cross the road when somebody shouted ‘Stop’.

I was going to buy some new clothes yesterday, but I was very busy and didn't have time to go to the shop.

Martin and I were going to play tennis last week, but he was injured.

I was going to phone Jane, but I decided to email her instead.

We were going to have a party last week, but some of our friends couldn't come, so we cancelled it.

when they talk about events that they were sure would happen, but they did not happen.

I thought it was going to rain, but it didn't rain.

Education design to be going to

turnover to be going to… can be used in affirmation, negation and question. It consists of a verb to be, which will vary depending on the person and number of the subject, and going to, which does not change. Then comes the infinitive of the semantic verb.

Present tense verb to be has 3 forms: am, is and are.

am used with a pronoun I.
is he, she, it or with singular nouns.
are used with pronouns we, you, they

Past tense verb to be has 2 forms: was and were.

was used with pronouns I, he, she, it or with nouns in singular. h.
were used with pronouns we, you, they or with plural nouns.

Education table

affirmative form

present time
		going to


past tense
		going to

negative form

present time
		not going to


past tense
		not going to

Interrogative form and short answer

present time
	going to	Yes, I am.	no, I 'm not.
		Yes, he is. Yes, she is. Yes, it is.	No, he isn't. No, she isn't. No, it isn't.
		Yes, we are. Yes, you are. Yes, they are.	No, we aren't. No, you aren't. No, they aren't.
past tense
	going to	Yes, I was. Yes, he was. Yes, she was. Yes, it was.	no, I wasn't. No, he wasn't. No, she wasn't. No, it wasn't.
		Yes, we were. Yes, you were. Yes, they were.	No, we weren't. No, you weren't. No, they weren't.

Briefly answer the question, repeat going to not necessary.

Are you going to come? - Yes, I am. / no, I "m not.

Special interrogative form

present time
			going to


past tense
			going to

Download table of education designs to be going to in English: (downloads: 40)

to be gonna - short version of to be going to

In colloquial speech, in informal communication, in songs, films, you can often hear a simplified version of this construction - to be gonna.

I 'm gonna buy this cake.

We aren't gonna do that.

The turnover to be going to is translated into Russian as going to do something. In English speech, this phrase occurs very often. The turnover is used to express future intentions that have already been decided. To use this expression correctly, let's look at the situations in which it is used and what are the subtleties of this construction. Many native speakers pronounce the final letter [goinG] in the word going, but in standard English pronunciation they use this transcription [ˈgəʊɪŋ] in speech, that is, the G sound is not pronounced.

Turnover formation be going to

be going to rules and examples of turnover formation:

verb To be (am/is/are) going to + Infinitive

— I' m going to study for exams - I'm going to study for exams.
— I am going to visit my stepfather this evening - I'm going to visit my stepfather tonight.

For fluent speech, it is often abbreviated with pronouns − I'm, he's, she's.

Sentence forms of the construction Be going to

You already know that the construction to be going to in English has three sentence forms: affirmative, negative and interrogative. To quickly understand how sentences with a turnover are built, we have displayed everything in tables.

Formation table for affirmative and negative sentences

For affirmative sentences, we use the formula:

Subject + the verb to be (am/is/are) + going to + infinitive + rest of sentence.

For negation, the formula is the same. Only negative particle not stands after . In negative sentences, you can abbreviate in two ways: He isn't or He's not.

subject Subject	Positive (statement)	Negative (negation)	base form of the verb basic form of the verb	rest of sentence rest of the offer
I	am going to	am not going to (I'm not)	paint	the kitchen tomorrow.
He / She / It	is going to	isn't (is not) going to
You / We / They	are going to	aren't (are not) going to

More examples:

— We are going to sing a song at the concert tomorrow - Tomorrow at the concert we will sing a song.
— My parents are going to buy new furniture - My parents are going to buy new furniture.
— I' m not going to Los Angeles for the summer holidays - I will not go to Los Angeles for the summer holidays.

Interrogative form be going to - General question

Interrogative sentences start with (am, is, are) or (isn't, aren't for negative questions), then choose the subject, followed by a turnover + the main form of the verb.

The verb to be	subject Subject	turnover going to + verb (verb)	rest of sentence rest of the offer
Am	I	going to see	the dentist tomorrow?
Is / Isn't	he/she/it
Are/ Aren't	you/we/they

Examples:

— Is she going to have another baby? Oh boy, she is crazy - Will she have another child? God, she's crazy.
— Your car is very dirty. Is your son going to wash it this afternoon? Your car is very dirty. Is your son going to wash it?

Special question

wh-questions are questions that require additional information in their answers.
Question words: what, where, when, which, why, who, how, how many, how much.
To form a special question, start the sentence with a question word, then add the desired , subject, construction and infinitive.

Wh-word Interrogative word	The verb to be	subject	Turnover going to + verb (verb)	rest of sentence
why	am	I	going to watch	the interview with the Queen?
	is / Isn't	he/she/it
	are/ aren't	you/we/they

Examples:

— Why isn't he going to buy that computer? Why doesn't he buy himself a computer?
— What are you going to do tonight? – What are you going to do tonight?

Use cases for be going to

After you have learned how to build sentences, let's see in what cases our today's expression can be used.

1. Actions to be taken in the near future.

Let's look at some examples:

— She' s going to visit her sister tomorrow - Tomorrow she is going to visit her sister.
Chris is going to take a few days off next week - Chris is going to take a few days off next week.
— I am going to buy a new car tomorrow - I'm going to buy a new car tomorrow.

2. Planned actions or intentions.

— We've decided. We are going to get married - We decided. We're going to get married.
— I' m going to meet my husband in town - I'm going to meet my husband in town.
— He is going to be promoted - He will be promoted. (The boss has already decided so).

3. Obvious actions that will happen in the near future:

— Look at the sky! The clouds are so dark! It is going to rain - Look at the sky! The clouds are so dark. It will rain.
— Look out! That dog is going to bite you! - Watch out! This dog will bite you!
— Look at the sun! It' s going to be a wonderful day - Look at the sun! Today will be a wonderful day.

4. Design can be used when we order.

(parent to child)
— You are going to clean up that mess right now! You will clean up this mess right now!

In such cases, you can use and.
— I'm sorry, you are not taking my iPad.

5. We use turnover with such words as markers - in one year, tomorrow, next week, etc.

— We are going to fly to Washington next week We will fly to Washington next week.
— They are going to have a picnic tomorrow They are going to have a picnic tomorrow.

Also in English there are phrases be about to, to be on the point of translated into Russian in the same way as the expression be going to(going to do something). Be about to is used when something is about to happen in the near future. To be on the point of- literary expression.

— Researchers say they are on the point of discovering a new anti-wrinkles cream - Researchers say they are on the cusp of discovering a new anti-wrinkles cream.
— The parents are about to arrive - Parents are about to arrive.

In English, with the words go and come, we use rather than “be going to”.

example:

—She is going to Costa Rica next month Rather than She is going to go…

Need some rest and relaxation. Watch a video of how native speakers use turnover be going to.

Was going to - Past form

Was going to expresses unfulfilled agreements or plans in the past, or actions that they intended to do, but could not.
example:

— My first few days in the city were so unpleasant that I was going to move straight back home - My first few days in the city were so unpleasant that I was about to move back home.
— I was going to quit my job and leave town forever - I was going to quit my job and leave town forever.

What does "gonna" mean?

When native speakers speak quickly, they often use the short form "gonna" instead of the correct form.

for example:

Ralph is dirty. I'm gonna wash him.

It means: I'm going to wash him.

In interrogative sentences, are is omitted with the second person singular (you) and with the first and second person plural (we, you).

Let's look at more examples:

— Be careful, you're gonna hit the wall - Be careful, you will crash into the wall.
— She's gonna faint- She will faint.
— What we gonna do now? - What do we do now?
— I'm gonna to Manchester tomorrow - I'm going to go to Manchester tomorrow.
— He's gonna work until late tomorrow - Tomorrow he will work until late.
— What's she gonna wear on her birthday party? What is she going to wear for her birthday?
—Which skirt you gonna wear for the party tonight? What skirt will you wear to the party tonight?

This abbreviated form occurs very often in informal colloquial speech, for example, with friends. It is not necessary to use these expressions in your speech, but it is very important to recognize them when communicating with native speakers.

But be careful when using - " gonna". If you are at an interview or other official event, do not use this form.
But still " gonna” occurs quite often. There are many such abbreviations in English. For example, " Dunno" - it means " I don't know”. “Wanna” – “I want to”.
The abbreviations Gotta, wanna and gonna have been used regularly in headlines or popular songs since the 1950s or even earlier.

Difference between Future Simple To be going to

As you can see, both sentences express almost the same idea.

To express the same idea, you can use both and be going to. In some cases there is a difference in meaning.

Time is often used with verbs of motion.

— Are they coming home?

The present continuous is mainly used to talk about personal arrangements and planned plans. The expression Be going to can also be used to express the same idea; however, he puts additional emphasis on intent.

— I' m going to get a new job - I'm going to find a new job. (I intend to find a new job)
— I' m getting a new job - I will have a new job. (This has already been decided / organized. Here the emphasis is on agreement).

— I' m grandparents tomorrow - (Here the emphasis is on an already existing arrangement).
— I' m going to ask her to stop borrowing my clothes - I will ask her to stop taking my things. (Speaker's intention).

Usually not used when we are talking about things we cannot control.

example:

— Look out! The ladder is going to fall.
— It' s going to snow.

The expression Be going to is only used for future events. can also be used for actions that are happening right now.

To be going to Exercises on the topic covered.

Let's start the exercises on the topic covered and consolidate the material. We invite you to do interesting exercises on your own with translation into English and take online testing.

Exercise 1. Translate the sentences into English using the correct tenses that you have learned in this article.

1. He is going to tidy up his room.
2. We are going to hang pictures on the walls.
3. Sarah is going to watch a football match tonight?
4. They will buy a new carpet.
5. Look! It's snowing!
6. We rent a parking space.
7. Is she going to wear a red dress?
8. We will plant trees.
9. My mother will turn 45 next week.
10. Where are they going to sleep?
11. We will go to London.
12. Maria, I love you so much. Will you marry me?
13. I'm not going to sing at the concert tonight.
14. I'm not quite sure yet, but we'll probably move to Liverpool.
15. Now that he has moved into a big house, he is going to make a swimming pool in his garden. He's been saving up for this for months.
16. Are you going to play chess today?
17. I think he will become a good doctor.
18. You will regret it!
19. Back! The bomb is about to explode.
20. My car won't start.

As you can see, the variable part of this construction is the verb to be, and therefore, it is thanks to , that the construction be going to is consistent with the subject and has the forms of the present and past simple tenses.

Be going to PRESENT SIMPLE.

Consider the use of be going to in Present Simple.

Be going to PAST SIMPLE.

Consider the use of be going to in Past Simple.

Usually, use be going to limited to the two times described above - Present Simple and Past Simple.

Basic rules and features of the use of be going to.

The use of be going to often overlaps with the use of verbs in the Future Simple or Present Continuous. Consider these cases, as they often cause difficulties.

The difference between be going to and Future Simple.

Be going to means ‘going to do something’, while the verbs in Future Simple indicate spontaneity / momentary decision. Compare:

Polly's going to visit her granny on Sunday. - Polly is going to visit her grandmother on Sunday.

MOTHER: Polly, you granny's just phoned. She feels bad.

POLLY: OK, I will visit her on Sunday.

(MOM: Polly, Grandma called. She doesn't feel well.

POLLY: Okay, I'll visit her on Sunday)

In the first case, we are talking about a deliberate intention, and in the second, a momentary decision caused by circumstances.

The difference between be going to and Present Continuous.

One of the meanings of Present Continuous is an indication of an action planned for the future.

Polly is visiting her granny on Sunday. Polly plans to visit her grandmother on Sunday.

Then What is the difference between be going and Present Continuous? There is a difference, although it is not always obvious.

The use of Present Continuos for planned activities usually means:

having an agreement with someone
availability of pre-purchased tickets or any other preparations for future action.

Be going to only expresses personal intention perform some action.

Thus:

Polly is visiting her granny on Sunday. (Polly plans to visit her grandmother on Sunday. She made arrangements with her grandmother, perhaps bought tickets, bought her a present, or something similar.)

Polly is going to visit her granny on Sunday. (On Sunday, Polly plans to visit her grandmother. Polly decided this without agreeing with anyone.)

It is worth emphasizing once again that the difference between be going and Present Continuous can be obvious only from the context. Without context, both sentences - Polly is visiting her granny on Sunday and Polly is going to visit her granny on Sunday - will be true and we will not be able to stop at one specific option.

Note!

Be going, as a rule, is not used with the verbs go and come. If in Russian "I'm going to go" is a perfectly acceptable phrase, then in English 'I'm going to go' does not sound quite correct. Instead of 'I'm going to go' (I'm going to go) and 'I'm going to come' (I'm going to come) should just use 'I'm going' and 'I'm coming'.

Be going can mean inevitability, great probability, evidence of a future event. As a rule, the context describes signs that the event will occur.

Polly "s missed the bus. She's going to be late. - Polly missed her bus. She will probably be late.

You will probably also find the article useful, where you will find not only theory, but also exercises on this topic.

The topic of today's article is our plans for the future, or rather, how to talk about them correctly in English.

This is the best design for this. to be going to. (do something) . The rules for using this turnover and many examples will be the basis of my article today.

So, the translation of this figure of speech into Russian is “ going to do something". The variable part is the verb to be (by the way, there is a separate article about this verb, read here)

Making suggestions and questions

We recall that for each personal pronoun there is own form of the verb to be, namely:

We are You are They are

He is She is It is

We are trying to apply the construction in practice, we will translate the sentence: "We are going to spend this summer in Thailand":

We are going to spend this summer in Thailand.

If you have to say what's going to is he, then only to be will change (see above):

He is going to spend this summer in Thailand.

And now we will in every possible way deny that we have so much money and our plans for the summer:

We are not going to spend this summer in Thailand.

He is not going to spend this summer in Thailand.

To do this, you need to substitute the particle not , and consider that we coped with the envy of our neighbor :-).

And if we ourselves really want to know where she is going on vacation with her new friend? Our favorite to be ( English is nowhere without it, so I advise you to make friends with this verb and its forms ) put before the subject:

Where are you going to spend this summer with your new boy-friend?

When else is this design used?

The construction to be going means:

Intention(the decision was made before the moment of the statement):

He is in hospital and I am going to call him(i.e. I knew he was in the hospital and decided to call him some time ago).

Another option is possible - please consider the difference:

He is in hospital and I will call him(in this case, our intention to call was not planned at the time of speaking, we decided so right now).

An event that is highly likely to happen(i.e. we sort of predict the future based on facts):

The doctor said: “Everything is going to be okay now after surgery.”

Can be used for orders :

And you are not going to stop me!

Note: with verbs of motion to come and to go this construction is usually not used, instead it is used Present Continuous .

I am going out tonight. ( Not "I am going to go out tonight")

construction in the past

It can be used in the past tense when we say that were going do something. The changeable part is the same to be, only in the form of the past tense.

The form was for pronouns I, he, she, it.

By construction, the proposal is no different from those discussed above:

I was going to spend that summer in Thailand.

I was not going to spend that summer in Thailand.

was I going to spend that summer in Thailand?

Yes, one last thing.

AT colloquial speech this design is often shortened to to be gonna. You can often hear it in movies, songs, and your English-speaking friends.

English - Grammar - Verb - Turnover to be going to

Turnover to be going to

Formed by a verb to go in the Present Continuous form ( am / is / are going - it matters here going, going) and the infinitive of the semantic verb with the particle to .

1 Used to express an intention to take an action in the future:

To avoid tautology, the form with be going to not used with verbs to go and to come. Instead, they usually use the Present Continuous form of these verbs:

instead of He is going to come here. - they say: He is coming here.

He going to come(come) here.

When are you go ing home?

When you gonna(will you go) home?

2 This turnover is also used to express the high probability or inevitability of actions in the future, since their signs are obvious in the present: (forecasted future).

Watch out! Those boxes are going to fall over! Carefully! Those boxes now fall down.

The sky is clearing up; the rain is going to stop in a minute.

The sky is clearing; rain stop In a minute.

The difference in the use of Present Continuous and to be going to .

Present Continuous highlights the existence of prior agreements(appointed meeting time, purchased ticket, etc.), and to be going to draws attention to the presence solutions about what they are going to do:

I am meeting him tomorrow. (Present Continuous)

I dating with him tomorrow.(already agreed)

I am going to meet him tomorrow.

I going to meet with him tomorrow.(I already made a decision, but he doesn't know about it yet)

The difference in the use of Future Indefinite and to be going to .

Eating turnover to be going to emphasize that there is already an intention planned before the moment of speech to carry out an action in the future. The form Future Indefinite presents future events as mere probable facts; conveys an intention to do something, but without firm conviction, as with to be going to; or conveys intentions, decisions that arose at the time of the conversation.

We have run out of sugar.

I know. I 'm going to buy some.

I 'll buy some when I go shopping.

We're out of sugar.

I know. I going to buy his.

I buy when I go to the store.

What is the difference between will and going to?

There are several stereotypes about expressing future action that are firmly planted in the minds of many who study English.

So, stereotype number one: any future action is will. The option is very profitable: Future Simple is easy to learn, any beginner can accurately form and use it.

Stereotype number two: going to is just " going to do something” and point. There are no other values.

Proceeding from these two "rules" and proposals are built. There is a certain logic to following these stereotypes, but it is often deceptive because it does not allow you to accurately express your idea.

In this article, we will dispel stereotypes, expand our knowledge of grammar, and take a closer look at the differences between using Future Simple(or just will) and construction going to .

As always, we will consider in the context of the situations that we will compare. Usually will going to get confused when talking about decisions or forecasts for the future.

Decision

Will indicates that the decision spontaneous, that is, the speaker did not think about this decision in advance.

— Any plans for the weekend?
— I have not decided. I think I will visit my parents.

- Any plans for the weekend?
— I haven't decided. I think I'll visit my parents.

In this situation, it is clear that the decision about plans for the weekend is made at the moment of speaking and the speaker has not thought about it before.

Hmm, I think I will become a doctor!

“Hmm, I think I will become a doctor!”

This is a spontaneous answer, which children usually give to such questions.

Requests, promises, threats, warnings are also transmitted with the help of will, because they are most often expressed spontaneously.

If the decision is thought out in advance, before the conversation, then it already goes into the category plans, so you should use going to .

— Any plans for the weekend?
Yes, I am going to visit my parents.

- Any plans for the weekend?
I am going to (plan) to visit my parents.

Using going to, the speaker shows that he has already thought about and planned everything.

— Billy, what do you want to be in the future?
— I am going to be a doctor. Biology is my favorite subject.

Billy, what do you want to be in the future?
— I plan to become a doctor. Biology is my favorite subject.

This answer implies that the child has already thought about it, the decision is considered and more like a plan.

Prediction

Future Simple is used when we express our forecast about future action, based on our own considerations, expectations. Therefore, will is used with verbs:

maybe(may be),

I'm sure. - I'm sure.

I'm certain. - I am convinced.

There is no doubt. - Undoubtedly.

I'm afraid. - I'm afraid that. and others of similar importance.

This can be said by a person who, in principle, now does not have the prerequisites for obtaining wealth, but he feels that he can succeed.

This is your personal opinion, the employer may think differently. That is, this forecast is rather subjective.

And one more thing to take into account: will is more often used to express assumptions about the more distant future.

However, if the sentence begins with a verb think or phrases I'm sure. I'm certain. There is no doubt. and the others above, this does not mean that they must be followed by will . When choosing means of expressing the future tense, one should pay attention to the context, to the situation.

If there is concrete, visible evidence that the action will happen, then going to should be used to convey this:

I think at the beginning of a sentence is not a guarantee that will will follow. In the above situation, the speaker most likely has visible confirmation that his fortune will soon increase, which allows him to make such a forecast with confidence.

And one more example:

In this situation, the speaker knows for sure (or almost certainly) that the candidate has little chance due to lack of experience.

If you see that something is about to happen when you have visible evidence that the action will take place, then it is better to express it with going to rather than will . Usually the interlocutor's attention to such actions is attracted by the words: Look! Listen! Be careful! or others that indicate that something will inevitably happen in the near future:

look! He is standing on the edge of the cliff, he is going to fall! - Look! He's standing on the edge of a cliff, he's about to fall

Look at the sky, I think it's going to rain. – Look at the sky, I think it will rain.

Of course, Future Simple has more meanings than going to . You can remember all the meanings of Future Simple by reading this article. By the way, on our website there is also material devoted to the details of the use of going to

Expand your knowledge every day, do not be lazy to look at the grammar guide or our website if you are in doubt. And if you find it difficult to learn English on your own, then contact our professional teachers. It's very easy to start - take an introductory lesson, make sure that Skype lessons are convenient and effective, create a convenient schedule - and forward to new achievements!

Design be going to. Theory. Difference from Future Simple and Present Continuous

Design be going to refers to frequently used constructions of the English language. The construction is widely used both in written and even more so in oral speech. Be going to translates as 'gather'. If we consider the construction be going to from the point of view of grammar, then we can divide it into two parts:

As you can see, the variable part of this construction is the verb to be, and therefore, it is thanks to the change to be that the construction be going to is consistent with the subject and has the forms of the present and past simple tenses.

Be going to PRESENT SIMPLE.

Consider the use of be going to in Present Simple.

Be going to PAST SIMPLE.

Consider the use of be going to in Past Simple.

Usually, use be going to limited to the two times described above - Present Simple and Past Simple.

Basic rules and features of the use of be going to.

The use of be going to often overlaps with the use of verbs in the Future Simple or Present Continuous. Consider these cases, as they often cause difficulties.

The difference between be going to and Future Simple.

Be going to means ‘going to do something’, while the verbs in Future Simple indicate spontaneity / momentary decision. Compare:

Polly's going to visit her granny on Sunday. Polly is going to visit her grandmother on Sunday.

MOTHER: Polly, you granny's just phoned. She feels bad.

POLLY: OK, I will visit her on Sunday.

(MOM: Polly, Grandma called. She doesn't feel well.

POLLY: Okay, I'll visit her on Sunday)

In the first case, we are talking about a deliberate intention, and in the second, a momentary decision caused by circumstances.

The difference between be going to and Present Continuous.

One of the meanings of Present Continuous is an indication of an action planned for the future.

Polly is visiting her granny on Sunday. Polly plans to visit her grandmother on Sunday.

Then What is the difference between be going and Present Continuous? There is a difference, although it is not always obvious.

The use of Present Continuos for planned activities usually means:

having an agreement with someone
availability of pre-purchased tickets or any other preparations for future action.

Be going to only expresses a personal intention to carry out some action.

Polly is visiting her granny on Sunday. (Polly plans to visit her grandmother on Sunday. She made arrangements with her grandmother, perhaps bought tickets, bought her a present, or something similar.)

Polly is going to visit her granny on Sunday. (On Sunday, Polly plans to visit her grandmother. Polly decided this without agreeing with anyone.)

Be going, as a rule, is not used with the verbs go and come. If in Russian ‘I’m going to go’ is a perfectly acceptable phrase, then in English ‘I’m going to go’ does not sound quite correct. Instead of ‘I’m going to go’ (I’m going to go) and ‘I’m going to come’ (I’m going to come), just use ‘I’m going’ and ‘I’m coming’.

Be going can mean inevitability, great probability, evidence of a future event. As a rule, the context describes signs that the event will occur.

Polly's missed the bus. She's going to be late. Polly missed her bus. She will probably be late.

You will probably also find the article Ways of Expressing the Future Tense in English useful, where you will find not only theory, but also exercises on this topic.

8 Comments for “Design be going to. Theory. Difference from Future Simple and Present Continuous "

thank you so much for the info - very helpful and easy to understand

The expression to be going to in English

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When we want to say about the intention to do something, then such a sentence must be translated into English using the construction to be going to do smth(going to do something). This phrase is very common in written and spoken language. Let's see how to use it correctly.

Formation of the expression to be going to

The first thing to remember is that this expression must be used in the present and past tenses.

I am going to wear my new skirt for the party. - I going to wear my new skirt to the party.

I was going to call you but I forgot. - I was going to call you, but forgot.

As you can see, if we are talking about the present tense, then to be should change to am, is, are, which you already know from the article "Using the verb to be: how, where and why." And if the phrase is in the past tense, then to be takes shape was or were. Let's look at 3 plates with to be going to.

Statement

He is going to clean his room. - He going clean up in your room.

They were going to join the English classes. - They are were going join English lessons.

When we have negation, then after to be we just put not and get a negative sentence.

We were not going to travel by train. - We weren't going to travel by train.

He is not going to buy her a new car. - He not going buy her a new car.

As you probably guessed, the question is also built using to be. Submit the required form to be in the first place, and you get an interrogative sentence.

Are you going to work at the weekend? - You gonna work weekends?

Is he going to tell me the truth or not? - He going tell me the truth or not?

Using the construction to be going to

This expression is used almost more often than time Future Simple(simple future tense), and all because it is easy to remember. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using to be going to.

We use to be going to when we gather, we intend to do something.
It can also be used when we make a prediction that something is bound to happen. We have every reason to believe that something will happen. For example, I see that there are clouds in the sky, and I can say:

There are clouds in the sky. It 's going to rain. - There are clouds in the sky. going to go rain.

It's 8 a.m. Kyle is leaving his home. He has to be at work at 8.15 but the road takes 30 minutes. He is going to be late. - Eight in the morning. Kyle leaves the house. He has to be at work at 8:15, but the journey takes 30 minutes. kyle, most likely to be late for work. (Kyle left at 8, he needs to be at work at 8:15, but he gets there in 30 minutes. So we have every reason to believe that he will be late)

Because the design itself contains the word go, then we should not use go(to go) as an action verb: I am going to go(I am going to go). This phrase looks like a tautology. Better to say I am going somewhere(I'm going somewhere).

Although we say "I'm going to do something" ( I am going to do smth), and the phrase is used in the present tense, but in meaning it is directed to the future: in the future I will do what I am going to do now. That is, the present tense is used for both the present and the future. Can't say I will be going to do smth(I will be going to do something).

In colloquial speech, it is customary to shorten a long to be going to do to short gonna = going to.

I 'm gonna buy this cake. - I going to buy this cake.

He was going to eat all the chicken himself. - He was going to one eat the whole chicken.

This construction is quite easy to use and is often used by foreigners in their speech. Practice yourself too! And don't forget to download our plate.