Near Future (going to)

Posted by Mamad Kuncoro at 10:08 AM Read our previous post

Near Future

Study the following examples and try to see how the verbs are formed and used to express future plan. 

Next Saturday, I'm playing tennis with Tom at 10:00 am. I'm having lunch with some friends in a Chinese restaurant at 12:30. In the afternoon, I'm going to stay at home. At 8:00 pm, I'm going to call on Alice; she's having a birthday party.

Notice that these situations are arranged and decided. (I decided to play tennis on Saturday at 10:00...) We can not use simple future in these cases. We use instead either:

• Present continuous for future plan, or
• "to be + going to + verb"

1. The present continuous for future plans:

The present continuous for future plan is used when we say what we have arranged to do at a specific time in the future. (It's an intention)

Examples:

• I'm doing my homework this evening.
• Are you watching television?
• No, I'm not watching television. I'm doing my homework.

2. To be + going to + verb:

We use 'going to' when we say what we've decided to do some time in the future. (It's a decision)
Example
:" The windows are dirty." "Yes I know. I'm going to clean them later."
 = "I've decided to clean them ,but I haven't arranged to clean them"

Form:

to be ( in the simple present) +going to+ verb

Examples:

• I'm going to travel to England next weekend.
• Are you going to visit London?
• No, I'm not going to visit London. I'm going to visit Liverpool.

Remember:

We don't usually say "going to go to a place or event", instead you can drop the go to and just say "going to + a place or event".

Examples:

• I'm going to England.
• I'm going to the concert