Going to...
'Going to' is used to express future events which are very likely but not certain.
Let's look at these verbs before we start.
We looked at how to make the future simple:
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I will go to the station.
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She will eat pasta.
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This form is used when we are certain the event will happen. If there is a doubt that you will do what you say we use the form:
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Subject + verb 'be' + going to + present tense verb
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This also very natural because there's always some doubt.
Future simple vs. 'going to'
Pizza
Subject + will + present form verb
Subject + verb 'be' + going to + present form verb
I will eat pizza.
I am going to eat pizza.
This is certain. 100% it will happen.
This is not certain but very likely.
Note: 'going to' is not a modal verb but it is easier to think of it as one
Going to - Negative
Subject + will + not + present form verb
Subject + verb 'be' + not + going to + present form verb
I will not eat pizza.
I am not going to eat pizza.
This is certain. 100%.
This is not certain but very likely.
100%
80%
I will eat pizza.
I am going to eat pizza.
20%
I am not going to eat pizza.
0%
I will not eat pizza.
Advanced explanation
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'Going to' expresses an intention to do something. You have a plan or desire to do something. For example, you might say 'I'm going to the supermarket' but that is not certain. It could rain and you may choose not to go. A negative example is 'I'm not going to drink alcohol'. Here it is your plan that you won't drink, but you might. You might decide to have a glass of wine. Whereas, if you say 'I will not drink alcohol', it is certain you won't.
Going to - Examples
I'm going to eat fish and chips.
I'm going to visit the Harry Potter studio.
I'm going to stay in a hotel.
Subject + verb 'be' + going to + present form verb
I'm going to eat fish and chips.
Subject + verb 'be' + going to + present form verb
I'm going to visit the Harry Potter studio.
We use 'visit' because we will go and stay for a short time.
Subject + verb 'be' + going to + present form verb
I'm going to stay in a hotel.
We use 'stay' because you will spend time at a place.
Going to - Exercises
These are all plans or intentions before a holiday.
Subject + verb 'be' + going to + present tense verb
I'm going to read a guide book.
guide book
English
every day
the library
Edinburgh
On Sunday
Answer
I'm going to study English.
Answer
I'm going to study English every day.
Answer
I'm going to study English in the library.
+FREQUENCEY CHUNK!
+ LOCATION CHUNK!
Answer
I'm going to study English in the library everyday.
+ LOCATION CHUNK!
+FREQUENCEY CHUNK!
Answer / stay
I'm going to stay in Edinburgh.
Answer
On Sunday I'm going to stay Edinburgh.
+TIME CHUNK!
Answer
I'm going to stay in Edinburgh for two days.
+ DURATION CHUNK!
Answer
On Sunday I'm going to stay in Edinburgh for two days.
+TIME CHUNK!
+ DURATION CHUNK!
for two days
Stonehenge
Answer
I'm going to visit Stonehenge.
Answer
Next Tuesday I'm going to visit Stonehenge.
+TIME CHUNK!
Answer
I'm going to visit Stonehenge for the afternoon.
+ DURATION CHUNK!
Answer
Next Tuesday I'm going to visit Stonehenge for the afternoon.
+TIME CHUNK!
+ DURATION CHUNK!
Next Tuesday
for the afternoon
These are all future plans for a families' trip to London.
We're going to have breakfast at the hotel.
We're going to visit St. Paul's Cathedral.
We're going to have lunch at Borough market.
We're going to visit the Tate Modern.
We're going to have dinner in a pub.
Let's add some detail.
At 7:00am we're going to have cereal for breakfast at the hotel.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ LOCATION CHUNK!
At 10:00am we're going to visit St. Paul's Cathedral for an hour.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ DURATION CHUNK!
OR
At 10:00am we're going to go to St. Paul's Cathedral for an hour.
We're going to go to Borough Market and have curry for lunch.
After lunch we're going to visit Tate Modern for two hours.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ DURATION CHUNK!
In the evening we're going to have fish and chips for dinner in a pub.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ LOCATION CHUNK!
...going to go to...
Let's look at the St. Paul's Cathedral example. There are few verbs to use.
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We're going to look at St. Paul's Cathedral. - outside the cathedral
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We're going to visit St. Paul's Cathedral. - go and stay for a short time, maybe inside
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We're going to go to St. Paul's Cathedral. - general and natural
When we use the verb go it is natural to not say it because 'going' is a form of go.
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We're going to go to St. Paul's Cathedral. - general and natural
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We're going to St. Paul's Cathedral. - more natural because go can be removed
You cannot remove other verbs.
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We're going to have fish and chips.
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We're going to fish and chips.
Going to - Exercises
Answer
We're going to have breakfast at the hotel
Answer
We're going to go to the British Museum.
Answer
We're going to have lunch on Brick Lane.
Answer
We're going to go to the National Gallery.
Answer
We're going to have lunch in Chinatown.
Add chunks
Morning - British Museum
Answer - in the morning / for two hours
In the morning we're going to go to the British Museum for two hours.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ DURATION CHUNK!
Lunch - Brick Lane
Answer - 1pm / on Brick Lane
At 1:00pm we're going to have lunch on Brick Lane.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ LOCATION CHUNK!
Afternoon - National Gallery
Answer - in the afternoon / for two hours
In the afternoon we're going to go to the National Gallery for two hours.
+ TIME CHUNK!
+ DURATION CHUNK!
Dinner - Chinatown
Answer - in the evening / Chinatown
In the evening we're going to have dinner in Chinatown.
+ TIME CHUNK!
Read here for a blog on when a '+ LOCATION CHUNK' isn't a chunk.
+ LOCATION CHUNK!
Going to Exercises - Negative
Subject + verb 'be' + not + going to + present form verb
Berlin
Answer
I'm not going to Berlin.
Answer
I'm not going to Berlin next month.
+TIME CHUNK!
With negative sentences I would put the TIME CHUNK at the end.
Next month
Spanish
every weekend
Answer
I'm not going to study Spanish.
Answer
I'm not going to study Spanish every weekend.
+FREQUENCY CHUNK!
With negative sentences I would put the FREQUENCY CHUNK at the end.
Going to Exercises - Questions (?)
Verb 'be' + subject + going to + present form verb
this / you / going to / stay in / Are / hotel
Answer
Are you going to stay in this hotel?
Are / a / this afternoon / going to / visit / we / museum
Answer
Are we going to visit a museum this afternoon?
at University / going to / Is / study / he / German
Answer
Is he going to study German at University?
visit / for one or two hours / going to / we / your parents / Are
Answer
Are we going to visit your parents for one or two hours?
stay / for one or two hours / going to / we / with / your parents / Are
Answer
Are we going to visit your parents for one or two hours?
Read here for a blog on the difference between STAY and VISIT.
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