Future: be going to (I am going to work)

de English Grammar Today

Be going to: form

We use be going to + the base form of the verb:

I’m going to take a few exams at the end of the year.

It’s going to be difficult to get a job during the summer as the tourist industry
is suffering from the economic downturn.

Be going to: uses

Be going to is commonly used in informal styles.

Intentions

We use be going to to talk about future plans and intentions. Usually the
decision about the future plans has already been made:

She’s going to be a professional dancer when she grows up.

I’m going to look for a new place to live next month.

Predictions

We use be going to to predict something that we think is certain to happen or

which we have evidence for now:

It’s going to snow again soon. (The speaker can probably see dark snow
clouds.)

Look out! He’s going to break that glass.

Commands

We use be going to when we give commands or state that something is

obligatory:

[parent to a child]

You’re going to pick up all of those toys right now. This room is a mess!
Gonna (informal contexts)
Spoken English:
We use gonna /gənə/ instead of going to in informal contexts, especially in
speaking and in song lyrics. We write gonna to show how to pronounce it:

Are you gonna try and get stuff sorted as soon as you can then? (Are you
going to try and get things organised as soon as you can?)

One day I’m gonna be a star.

Be going to or will?

Will is often used in a similar way to be going to. Will is used when we are
talking about something with absolute certainty. Be going to is used when we
want to emphasise our decision or the evidence in the present:

[An ‘A’ road is a main road. A ‘B’ road is a smaller road.]

We are now very late so we’re going to take the ‘B’ road. (the speaker refers
to the present and emphasises the decision)

I know the ‘B’ road will be quicker at this time of day. (the speaker states a
fact)

See also:
 Will
 Future: will and shall
(“Future: be going to ( I am going to work )” de English Grammar Today © Cambridge
University Press.)
FUTURO CON "GOING
TO"
FORMACIÓN
Cuando empleamos "going to" en una oración para referirnos al futuro, la construcción se
compone de tres elementos:
el verbo "to be" conjugado conforme al sujeto + "going" + el infinitivo del verbo principal

Sujeto + to be (conjugado) + going

She is going

I am going

Afirmativa

He is going to jog.

Negativa

He is not going to jog.

Interrogativa

Is he going to jog?

Interrogativa negativa

Isn't he going to jog?

FUNCIÓN
El uso de "going to" para referirse a eventos futuros sugiere un vínculo muy sólido con el
presente. El momento preciso no es relevante, es posterior al ahora, pero la actitud implica que
dicho evento depende de algo que sabemos sobre la situación actual. "Going to" se emplea
sobre todo para hablar de nuestros planes e intenciones, o para realizar predicciones basadas
en evidencias actuales. En el discurso cotidiano, "going to" suele acortarse como "gonna",
especialmente en inglés americano, aunque nunca se escribe así.

USO DE "GOING TO" PARA REFERIRSE A PLANES E INTENCIONES

EJEMPLOS
 Is Freddy going to buy a new car soon?
 Are John and Pam going to visit Milan when they are in Italy?
 I think Nigel and Mary are going to have a party next week.
 We are going to have dinner together tomorrow.
 Aren't you going to stay at the library until your report is finished?

USO DE "GOING TO" PARA FORMULAR PREDICCIONES

EJEMPLOS
 He's going to be a brilliant politician.
 I'm going to have a hard time falling asleep.
 You're going to be sorry you said that.
 Is it going to rain this afternoon?
 Aren't they going to come to the party?

FUTURE CONTINUOUS
FORMACIÓN
El "future continuous" está compuesto por dos elementos:
el "simple future" del verbo 'to be' + el "present participle" (raíz+ing) del verbo principal

Sujeto "simple future" de 'to be' "present participle" del verbo principal

You will be watching

I will be staying
TO STAY, "FUTURE CONTINUOUS"

Afirmativa Negativa Interrogativa Ne

I will be staying. I won't be staying. Will I be staying? W

You will be staying. You won't be staying. Will you be staying? W

He will be staying. He won't be staying. Will he be staying? W

She will be staying. She won't be staying. Will she be staying? W

It will be staying. It won't be staying. Will it be staying? W

We will be staying. We won't be staying. Will we be staying? W

They will be staying. They won't be staying. Will they be staying? W

FUNCIONES
El "future continuous" hace referencia a una acción o evento inacabados que seguirán
ocurriendo con posterioridad al momento presente. El "future continuous" se emplea con una
considerable variedad de propósitos.

El "future continuous" puede utilizarse para proyectarnos hacia el futuro.

EJEMPLOS
 This time next week I will be sun-bathing in Bali.
 By Christmas I will be skiing like a pro.
 Just think, next Monday you will be working in your new job.

El "future continuous" puede utilizarse para realizar predicciones o suposiciones sobre eventos
futuros.

EJEMPLOS
 He'll be coming to the meeting, I expect.
 I guess you'll be feeling thirsty after working in the sun.
 You'll be missing the sunshine once you're back in England.

En forma interrogativa, el "future continuous" sirve para pedir educadamente información sobre
el futuro.
EJEMPLOS
 Will you be bringing your friend to the pub tonight?
 Will Jim be coming with us?
 Will she be going to the party tonight?
 Will I be sleeping in this room?

El "future continuous" puede utilizarse para hacer referencia a eventos de cierta duración que
creemos que se desarrollarán en el futuro.

EJEMPLOS
 I'll be seeing Jim at the conference next week.
 When he is in Australia he will be staying with friends.
 I'll be eating with Jane this evening so I can tell her.

En combinación con el término "still", el "future continuous" hace referencia a eventos que ya
están ocurriendo ahora y que suponemos que se prolongarán en el futuro.

EJEMPLOS
 In an hour I'll still be ironing my clothes.
 Tomorrow he'll still be suffering from his cold.
 Next year will she still be wearing a size six?
 Won't stock prices still be falling in the morning?
 Unfortunately, sea levels will still be rising in 20 years.

SIMPLE FUTURE
FUNCIONES DEL "SIMPLE FUTURE"
El "simple future" se refiere a un tiempo posterior al actual y expresa hechos o certezas. En
este caso, no hay lugar para la actitud.

El "simple future" se emplea:

 Para predecir un evento futuro:

It will rain tomorrow.
 Con "I" o "we", para expresar una decisión espontánea:
I'll pay for the tickets by credit card.
 Para expresar voluntad o disposición de hacer algo: I'll do the washing-up.
He'll carry your bag for you.
 En forma negativa, para expresar rechazo o falta de disposición para hacer algo:
The baby won't eat his soup.
I won't leave until I've seen the manager!
 En forma interrogativa con "shall" y "I", para formular un ofrecimiento:
Shall I open the window?
 En forma interrogativa con "shall" y "we", para formular una sugerencia:
Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
 En forma interrogativa con "shall" y "I", para solicitar consejo o instrucciones:
What shall I tell the boss about this money?
  Con "you", para dar órdenes:
You will do exactly as I say.
 En forma interrogativa con "you", para formular una invitación:
Will you come to the dance with me?
Will you marry me?

Nota:en el inglés actual, will tiene un uso preferente frente a shall. "Shall" se utiliza
fundamentalmente con las primeras personas, I y we, para ofrecer o sugerir algo, o para pedir
consejo (ver los ejemplos anteriores). Con el resto de las personas (you, he, she, they) "shall"
se emplea únicamente en construcciones poéticas o literarias, e.g. "With rings on her fingers
and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes."

FORMACIÓN DEL "SIMPLE FUTURE"

El "simple future" está compuesto por dos partes: will / shall + infinitivo sin to

Sujeto will infinitivo sin to

Afirmativa

I will go

I shall go

Negativa

They will not see

They won't see

Interrogativa

Will she ask?

Interrogativa negativa

Won't they try?

CONTRACCIONES
I will = I'll
We will = we'll
You will = you'll
He will = he'll
She will = she'll
They will = they'll
Will not = won't

La forma "it will" no suele contraerse.

TO SEE: "SIMPLE FUTURE"

Afirmativa Negativa Interrogativa Interrogativ

I will see I won't see Will I see? Won't I see?

*I shall see *Shall I see?

You will see You won't see Will you see? Won't you s

He will see He won't see Will he see? Won't he se

We will see We won't see Will we see? Won't we se

*We shall see *Shall we see?

They will see They won't see Will they see? Won't they s

*"Shall" está en desuso pero se emplea normalmente en lugar de "will" con construcciones
afirmativas e interrogativas en primera persona (I y we) en determinados casos (ver más
arriba).
Future: “Be Going To”

Introduction

In English, there are many ways of expressing future time. One of the most
common is the "be going to" construction. This page will explain the main
meaning of “be going to” and show you how to use “be going to” in sentences
and questions.

1. How to form "be going to" sentences

To make a verb form with “be going to”, you first put “be” into the correct form
to agree with the subject, and then add “going to” + the simple form of the
verb. Note also that the “be” form is often shortened. This table lists the main
forms:

Subject Statement Question Negative

I I am going to Am I going to I am not going to

leave. leave? leave.
I'm going to I'm not going to leave.
leave.

You You are going to Are you going You are not going to
leave. to leave? leave.
You're going to You aren't going to
leave. leave.
You're not going to
leave.

He He is going to Is he going to He is not going to

leave. leave? leave.
He's going to He's not going to
leave. leave.
 Subject Statement Question Negative

He isn't going to
leave.

She She is going to Is she going to She is not going to

leave. leave? leave.
She's going to She's not going to
leave. leave.
She isn't going to
leave.

It It is going to Is it going to It is not going to

leave. leave? leave.
It's going to It's not going to leave.
leave. It isn't going to leave.

We We are going to Are we going to We are not going to

leave. leave? leave.
We're going to We're not going to
leave. leave.
We aren't going to
leave.

They They are going Are they going They are not going to
to leave. to leave? leave.
They're going to They're not going to
leave. leave.
They aren't going to
leave.

2. The meaning of “be going to” future forms

“Be going to” is usually used when something is already planned or definite.
Look at the difference between these sentences:
 I'll make the supper tonight.
(Making a decision/volunteering to do something.)

I'm going to make the supper every Wednesday.

(This is already planned and organized.)

When you are sure that you understand the lesson, you can continue with the
exercises.

going to
I am going to buy a new car.

Going to is not a tense. It is a special structure that we use to talk

about the future.

The structure of going to is:

subject + be + going + to-infinitive

The verb be is conjugated. Look at these examples:

subject be not going to-infinitive

I am going to buy a new car.

I 'm going to go swimming.

He is not going to take the exam.

It is n't going to rain.

 subject be not going to-infinitive

Are you going to paint the house?

How do we use going to?

going to for intention

We use going to when we have the intention to do something before

we speak. We have already made a decision before speaking. Look at
these examples:

 Jo has won the lottery. He says he's going to buy a Porsche.

 We're not going to paint our bedroom tomorrow.
 When are you going to go on holiday?

In these examples, we had an intention or plan before speaking.

The decision was made before speaking.

going to for prediction

We often use going to to make a prediction about the future. Our

prediction is based on present evidence. We are saying what we think
will happen. Here are some examples:

 The sky is very black. It's going to snow.

 It's 8.30! You're going to miss your train!
 I crashed the company car. My boss isn't going to be very
happy!

In these examples, the present situation (black sky, the time,

damaged car) gives us a good idea of what is going to happen.

Note that we can also use going t

1. He his friend. (to phone)
2. We a new computer game. (to play)
3. My sister TV. (to watch)
4. You a picnic next Tuesday. (to have)
5. Jane to the office. (to go)
6. They to the bus stop this afternoon. (to walk)
7. His brother a letter to his uncle today. (to write)
8. She her aunt. (to visit)
9. I my homework after school. (to do)
10. Sophie and Nick their friends. (to meet)

1. He is going to phone his friend.

2. We are going to play a new computer game.
3. My sister is going to watch TV.
4. You are going to have a picnic next Tuesday.
5. Jane is going to go to the office.
6. They are going to walk to the bus stop this afternoon.
7. His brother is going to write a letter to his uncle today.
8. She is going to visit her aunt.
9. I am going to do my homework after school.
10. Sophie and Nick are going to meet their friends.