Welcome to your A1 English grammar lesson! Today, we’re going to learn about how to use “going to” to talk about your future plans. This is a super useful part of English grammar, especially when you want to talk about what you are planning to do. If you’re just starting to learn English, or want to improve your spoken English, you’re in the right place!

What is ‘Going to’ for Future Plans?

We use “going to” to talk about our future plans and intentions. It’s like saying what you have already decided to do. It’s different from “will,” which we often use for spontaneous decisions or predictions. For English beginners, understanding “going to” is a key step in talking about the future.

Think of it this way: you’ve already made a plan in your head. You’re ready to share it. That’s when you use “going to“.

How to Use ‘Going to’: The Grammar Structure

The structure for “going to” is quite simple:

Subject + be (am/is/are) + going to + base verb

Let’s break it down:

• Subject: This is who is doing the action (I, you, he, she, it, we, they).
• be (am/is/are): This is the verb “to be” and it changes depending on the subject:
  • I am
  • You/We/They are
  • He/She/It is
• going to: This stays the same for all subjects.
• Base verb: This is the simple form of the verb (e.g., go, eat, study, play). No changes here!

Examples of ‘Going to’ Sentences

Let’s look at some examples to make it clearer. These are all future plans:

• I am going to study English tonight. (My plan is to study English later.)
• You are going to travel to Paris next year. (Your plan is to visit Paris.)
• He is going to play football after school. (His plan for after school is football.)
• She is going to cook dinner for her family. (Her plan is to prepare dinner.)
• It is going to rain tomorrow. (The weather forecast says rain is planned/predicted, although for plans we usually use people as subjects.)
• We are going to watch a movie this weekend. (Our plan for the weekend is a movie.)
• They are going to learn Spanish. (Their plan is to start learning Spanish.)

See? It’s quite straightforward. Just remember the “be going to + base verb” structure. This is very important for A1 grammar and spoken English practice.

Negative Sentences with ‘Going to’

To make negative sentences, we simply add “not” after “am/is/are”:
Subject + be (am/is/are) + not + going to + base verb
Examples:

• I am not going to go to the party. (I don’t plan to attend the party.)
• You are not going to eat all that cake! (You shouldn’t plan to eat all the cake.)
• He is not going to watch TV tonight. (He has other plans, not TV.)
• She is not going to be late for work. (She plans to be on time.)
• We are not going to buy a new car this year. (It’s not in our plans to buy a car.)
• They are not going to move to a new city. (They are staying in their current city.)

You can also use contractions like “isn’t” and “aren’t”:

• He isn’t going to watch TV tonight.
• They aren’t going to move to a new city.

Questions with ‘Going to’

To ask questions with “going to“, we move “am/is/are” to the beginning of the sentence:
Be (Am/Is/Are) + Subject + going to + base verb?
Examples:

• Am I going to pass the test? (Asking about my chances of passing.)
• Are you going to come to my house later? (Asking about your plans to visit.)
• Is he going to play video games? (Asking about his planned activity.)
• Is she going to wear the blue dress? (Asking about her choice of clothing.)
• Are we going to have pizza for dinner? (Asking about the dinner plan.)
• Are they going to visit their grandparents? (Asking about their family visit plan.)

Remember to use a question mark at the end! Practicing questions is great for improving your spoken English and understanding English future tense.

Short Answers to ‘Going to’ Questions

When someone asks you a question with “going to“, you can give short answers:

• Are you going to come?
  • Yes, I am.
  • No, I’m not.
• Is she going to help?
  • Yes, she is.
  • No, she isn’t.
• Are they going to study?
  • Yes, they are.
  • No, they aren’t.

Keep it short and simple! This is very common in spoken English.

‘Going to’ vs. ‘Will’: What’s the Difference?

Sometimes, learners get confused between “going to” and “will” for talking about the future. Here’s a simple way to think about it:

• ‘Going to’: Use it for plans and intentions you’ve already made. You’ve thought about it and decided.
• ‘Will’: Use it for spontaneous decisions, predictions, or promises. Decisions you make right now, or things you think will happen.

Examples:

• Going to (Plan): “I am going to call my friend later.” (I planned this earlier.)
• Will (Spontaneous decision): “Oh, the phone is ringing! I will answer it.” (Decided to answer right now.)
• Going to (Plan): “We are going to visit Italy in the summer.” (We have travel plans.)
• Will (Prediction): “I think it will rain tomorrow.” (My guess about the weather.)

For A1 level, focusing on “going to” for plans is a great starting point. You’ll learn about “will” later! Mastering “going to” will significantly improve your ability to talk about your future plans in English.

Let’s Practice!

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “going to” (am going to, is going to, are going to, am not going to, isn’t going to, aren’t going to).

1. I ______ (visit) my grandma next week.
2. They ______ (play) basketball tomorrow.
3. She ______ (not watch) TV tonight. She ______ (read) a book.
4. We ______ (have) a party on Saturday.
5. He ______ (not go) to the beach. It’s too cold.
6. ______ you ______ (cook) dinner tonight?
7. What ______ you ______ (do) after class?

Answers to Practice Exercises

1. I am going to visit my grandma next week.
2. They are going to play basketball tomorrow.
3. She isn’t going to watch TV tonight. She is going to read a book.
4. We are going to have a party on Saturday.
5. He isn’t going to go to the beach. It’s too cold.
6. Are you going to cook dinner tonight?
7. What are you going to do after class?

Practice Speaking ‘Going to’ with Lingofrnd

Now that you understand how to use “going to” for future plans, it’s time to practice speaking! The best way to improve your spoken English and build confidence is to talk. Lingofrnd.com is your AI spoken English teacher that can help you practice using “going to” in real conversations. You can practice making sentences about your own future plans and get instant feedback!
Download the Lingofrnd app and start practicing today! It’s a fun and effective way to improve your English pronunciation tips and fluency. Talk about what you are going to do this week, this month, or this year!
Visit Lingofrnd.com to learn more.
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