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Be going to: what's your plan? Going to exercises for plans and predictions

This A2 drill lesson gives be going to exercises for plans and for predictions from what you can see: I'm going to learn to swim. It's going to rain.

Grammar
Am, is or are + going to + base verb for every person, full and short forms, not after be, yes/no and wh- questions, short answers, and plans against predictions.
Topic
New Year's plans: Hazel's resolutions with her friends' comments, the Adeyemi family's list, a street interview, a party talk and Imani's texts on January 1.
Activities
True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, drag-and-drop texts, word order, matching, tables, quizzes, a memory game and a chat, each showing right or wrong at once.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1The rule

    • PictureUnlock
    • Study the scheme: be going toGrammar schemeTry it
    • Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: am, is or are going to?Sort into columnsTry it
    • Choose the right form of be going toChoose the optionUnlock
    • Write the short formFill in the gapsUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Big plans

    • Fill in the gaps: am / is / are going to + verbFill in the gapsTry it
    • Fill in the gaps: subject + am / is / are going to + verbFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the right verb after going toChoose the optionUnlock
    • Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
    • Read Elsa's blog post and fill in the gaps with going toFill in the gapsUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Negatives and questions

    • Fill in the gaps: negative sentences with going toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableTry it
    • Fill in the gaps: make questions with going toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right short answerChoose the optionUnlock
    • Write the questions with going toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
    • Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
    • Read the phone call and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock

  4. Chapter 4What's going to happen?

    • Sort the sentences: a plan or a prediction?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Match what you see and what is going to happenMatchTry it
    • Fill in the gaps with going to: what is going to happen?Fill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right words: what is going to happen?Choose the optionUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: predictionsUnjumbleUnlock
    • Read the radio report and fill in the gaps with going toFill in the gapsUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Real life: New Year's plans

    • Read Hazel's postReal-life documentUnlock
    • Read the post again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
    • Read the Adeyemi family's list and fill in the gaps with going toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Read the street interview and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
    • Read Hazel and Dario's talk at the New Year's Eve party and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Choose the right replies: Imani texts youChatTry it
    • Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Choose the right form: at the officeChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with going to: weekend plansFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: negative sentences about plansFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with going to: what is going to happen next?Fill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: positive, negative or question?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: questionsUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the right short answer: a family tripChoose the optionUnlock
    • Write questions with going to about Lisa's new jobFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Match the questions and the answersMatchUnlock
    • Find the matching pairs: full and short formsMemory gameUnlock
    • Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
    • Fill in the table: questions and short answersFill in the tableUnlock
    • Read Tomasz's email and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Read the bakery's post and fill in the gaps with going toFill in the gapsUnlock

49 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Grammar: be going to for plans and predictions

Be going to looks ahead in two ways: a plan someone made before now (I'm going to visit my aunt next weekend) and a prediction from what you see or know now (Look at those black clouds! It's going to rain.). Only am, is or are changes with the person.

Be going to: plans and predictions

Talk about your plans and about things you can see are going to happen: am / is / are + going to + base verb.

am / is / are + going to + base verb

I takes am; he, she and it take is; the others take are: They're going to paint the kitchen. The negative puts not right after be: I'm not going to cook. He isn't going to cook.

am / is / are + going to + base verb

subjectam / is / aregoing tobase verb

I am going to visit Rome.

My sister is going to buy a car.

They are going to paint the kitchen.

Every person: + − ?

WhoPositive (+)Negative (−)Question (?)
II am going to cook. · I'm going to cook.I am not going to cook. · I'm not going to cook.Am I going to cook?
youYou are going to cook. · You're going to cook.You are not going to cook. · You aren't going to cook.Are you going to cook?
heHe is going to cook. · He's going to cook.He is not going to cook. · He isn't going to cook.Is he going to cook?
sheShe is going to cook. · She's going to cook.She is not going to cook. · She isn't going to cook.Is she going to cook?
itIt is going to rain. · It's going to rain.It is not going to rain. · It isn't going to rain.Is it going to rain?
weWe are going to cook. · We're going to cook.We are not going to cook. · We aren't going to cook.Are we going to cook?
theyThey are going to cook. · They're going to cook.They are not going to cook. · They aren't going to cook.Are they going to cook?

Questions and short answers

Am, is or are comes before the subject, after a question word if there is one: Where is Sara going to stay? Short answers keep only the be verb: Yes, I am. No, he isn't. Not Yes, I'm or Do you going to call?

Questions and short answers

QuestionYesNo
Am I going to win?Yes, you are.No, you aren't.
Are you going to call Ana?Yes, I am.No, I'm not.
Is Leo going to drive?Yes, he is.No, he isn't.
Is your mom going to come?Yes, she is.No, she isn't.
Is it going to snow?Yes, it is.No, it isn't.
Are you and Ben going to help?Yes, we are.No, we aren't.
Are they going to stay?Yes, they are.No, they aren't.

Wh- questions

Question wordam / is / areSubjectgoing to + base verb
Whatareyougoing to do this weekend?
WhereisSaragoing to stay?
Whenaretheygoing to arrive?
Whoareyougoing to invite?
Howarewegoing to get there?

Negatives, questions and short answers

Negative: not comes after am / is / are: I'm not going to eat it. He isn't (= he's not) going to come. (Not: I don't going to eat it.) Questions: am / is / are comes first: Are you going to call? What are you going to do? (Not: What you are going to do? Do you going to call?) Short answers: Yes, I am. No, he isn't. (Not: Yes, I'm.)

A plan or a prediction?

A plan was decided earlier and often has a time word: tomorrow, next week, in May. A prediction comes from what you see now, often after Look! or Watch out!: Look! That ball is going to hit the window.

When do we use it?

Plans: you decided before now

  • tomorrow · tonight · this weekend · next week · next year · in May · soon
  • I'm going to visit my aunt next weekend.
  • We're going to wash the car tomorrow.

Predictions: from what you see or know now

  • Look! · Look at… · Watch out! · Be careful!
  • Look at those black clouds! It's going to rain.
  • Watch out! You're going to fall!

Examples

  • I'm going to start a new job next month.a plan
  • Look! That ball is going to hit the window.a prediction: you can see it
  • We aren't going to take the car. We're going to walk.negative and positive
  • Is Ana going to come? No, she isn't.question and short answer
  • What are you going to cook tonight? Pasta!What … going to …?
  • Where are you going to put the tree? Next to the window.Where … going to …?

Common mistakes

The scheme puts back a missing am (I going to call you → I'm going to call you) and fixes is going to buys and going to visited. Going to is followed by the base verb, with no -s and no past form.

  • I going to call you tonight.

    I'm going to call you tonight.

    don't forget am / is / are

  • She is going to buys a bike.

    She is going to buy a bike.

    going to + base verb: no -s

  • We're going to visited Grandma.

    We're going to visit Grandma.

    no past form after going to

  • Are you going to help? Yes, I'm going.

    Are you going to help? Yes, I am.

    short answers: Yes, I am. · No, I'm not.

More lessons on this grammar: Future tenses lessons and exercises

Try the be going to exercises

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What's in the lesson

  • 40 auto-checked exercises
  • 6 games
  • 1 real-life document
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • build be going to for any person: My sister is going to study medicine in Boston. We're going to plant flowers.
  • keep the verb after going to in its base form: Kim is going to take the bus, not takes or took
  • make negatives and questions with be, never do: I'm not going to eat dessert. What are you going to do this weekend?
  • answer with the be verb alone: Are you going to call Grandma tonight? – Yes, I am. No, he isn't.
  • predict from what you see: The sky is almost black. It's going to rain any minute.
Grammar:
be going to · plans and intentions · predictions with evidence · short answers
Topic:
grammar practice · plans · New Year's resolutions · predictions

Teaching tips

  • Write the class's own resolutions: after Hazel's post, each student writes three, one of them negative (I'm not going to look at my phone in bed), and a partner asks Are you going to…? about each.
  • Mime a scene for the class to predict: a student carries too many books or leans back on a chair, and the others call out what comes next: He's going to drop them!
  • Fire off quick yes/no questions: Is it going to rain today? Are you going to cook tonight? Accept only Yes, I am or No, it isn't, and send back every Yes, I'm.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · A2

English Grammar Practice · A2 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the past simple and continuous, used to, comparatives, going to and will, the present perfect, modals, the zero and first conditionals and questions. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

  1. 1Past simple with -ed: moving day!
  2. 2Past simple irregular verbs: we went, we saw, we bought
  3. 3Past simple negatives and questions: where did the cake go?
  4. 4Past continuous: what were you doing at 9 p.m.?
  5. 5Past simple or past continuous: what were you doing when it happened?
  6. 6Used to: how things were back then
  7. 7Comparatives: which one is better?
  8. 8Superlatives: the best in town
  9. 9As … as, too, enough: is it the right size?
  10. 10Adverbs of manner: how did she drive?
  11. 11Much, many, a few, a little: how much do we need?
  12. 12Possessive pronouns: whose is it?
  13. 13Be going to: what's your plan?
  14. 14Will: what will the future bring?
  15. 15Present continuous for plans: what are you doing tonight?
  16. 16Will vs going to: decided before or right now?
  17. 17Present perfect: have you ever tried it?
  18. 18Just, already, yet: have you done it yet?
  19. 19For and since: how long have you known her?
  20. 20Present perfect or past simple: up to now or finished time?
  21. 21Must and have to: what are the rules?
  22. 22Should: what should I do?
  23. 23Can, could, may: could you help me, please?
  24. 24Verb + to or -ing: what do you enjoy doing?
  25. 25Zero conditional: what happens if…?
  26. 26First conditional: what will you do if it rains?
  27. 27Articles: a, the or no article?
  28. 28Subject and object questions: who won the quiz?
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