Language Systems: Grammar

Integrated DELTA March 2013

Language Systems:
Grammar
Helping learners understand and use going to, present
continuous and will to talk about future

Kateryna Kirichenko
19-May-13

1
Language Systems: Grammar

Table of Contents
Introduction (140 words) ......................................................................................................................... 3
Analysis (917 words)................................................................................................................................ 4
1. BE GOING TO (276) ...................................................................................................................... 4
2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS ................................................................................................................ 6
3. WILL(‘LL) / WON’T........................................................................................................................ 7
Problems and solutions (958 words) ........................................................................................................ 9
Problem 1: L1 interference .................................................................................................................. 9
Problem 2: Omission of verb to be ....................................................................................................... 9
Problem 3: Notional differences ........................................................................................................ 10
Problem 4: Overuse of full form of going to/will ................................................................................ 10
Problem 5: Many learners tend to rely on a limited stock of future forms .......................................... 11
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 12

2
Language Systems: Grammar

Introduction (141 words)

While some language have a single ‘future tense’, English uses a lot of different verb forms to refer to
future time. This makes it difficult for learners to choose an appropriate form. In many situations more
than one is appropriate which makes the distinctions ‘fuzzy’ (Parrot, 2010).

In my experience, the most problematic is explaining that it’s not really about the time of the event, it’s
more about the likelihood of the it’s occurrence (Willis, 2003) and often the speaker’s own perception.
He/she has to choose whether it’s a plan or arrangement; prediction based on evidence or just a guess,
etc.

Teaching future time has often been often a frustrating experience for me. Therefore I decided to
choose it as the topic of this essay.

I have chosen to restrict my research to the following constructions: going to, present continuous, and
will/won't.

3
Language Systems: Grammar

Analysis (917 words)

1. BE GOING TO (276)
Meaning/Use
a. planned future events – something that has been thought about, mentioned or decided before
now (Scrivener, 2010):

We’re going to visit my aunt this weekend.

b. predictions based on present or past evidence and things that are on the way (Swan, 2005):

It’s going to be a sunny day. There is not a cloud in the sky!

She’s going to buy that dress she‘s seen in the show.
She’s going to have a baby.
These uses are closely related since both of them have a basis in present or past evidence - to make an
intention or decision about our own actions, or to predict external events (Parrot, 2010)

Some authors (Dave Willis (Willis, 2003), Swan (Swan, 2005)) refer to be going to as a present
continuous of go + the full infinitive. However, I believe that it is easier to teach it as a separate
structure, due to the differences in meaning (see present continuous) and agree with G. Leech who
points out the difference between be going to as a single unit and the verb go in present continuous
tense + infinitive of purpose and says that they are “... not to be confused. The first is our present
concern: it can be reduced to the pronunciation represented gonna, where the second cannot” (Leech,
2004).

Grammatical form
question am/ subject am/is/are/ not going to bare
word is/ or or Infinitive
are ‘m/’s/’re n’t
Affirmative I ‘m going to have lunch
Question (When) are we going to to see them?
Negative They aren’t going to stay here
(Parrot, 2010)

Phonological problems
In informal speech, it is often pronounced /gənə/ . The initial pronoun is often pronounced very weakly:

He's going to be our boss in a few years if he keeps advancing at this rate.

4
Language Systems: Grammar

/zgənə/

This often makes it difficult for the learners to understand what is being said (Scrivener, 2010).

5
Language Systems: Grammar

2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
(also called Present Progressive)

Meaning/Use
It is often called “arranged future” – because we use it to refer to the future when arrangements have
been made (we bought the tickets, booked a table, or someone is expecting us to do something/to be
somewhere). We usually specify a future time (next Monday, tomorrow) unless it is clear that we are
referring to the future rather than the present (Parrot, 2010).

We are leaving tomorrow.

Only people can make arrangements, so this tense is only used when people are responsible for the
action, it is always ‘personal’:

The school is closing next week. (NOT * It’s raining tomorrow.)

The difference between ‘arrangement’ and “plan” is a very slight one, so be going to and present
continuous often can be interchangeable:

I’m going to visit my grandparents this weekend.

I’m visiting my grandparents this weekend.

However, there is sometimes a small change of emphasis, due to the social nature of arrangement
(Leech, 2004). The second example can express reluctance by someone who now regrets the
arrangement:

I’d love to meet but I’m visiting my grandparents.

Therefore, it can be somewhat strange to use present continuous to talk about activities the speaker will
do alone:

*I’m watching TV this evening (I’m going to watch TV is more natural).

Grammatical form
present form of to be + an -ing verb form.

question am/ subject am/ not -ing form

word is/ is/ or
are are n’t
Affirmative They are leaving tomorrow
Question (When) is he coming back?
Negative She isn’t coming today.
(Parrot, 2010)

6
Language Systems: Grammar

Phonological problems
Contracted forms are used in most contexts, other than in formal writing. It may sound odd if the
auxiliary verb is pronounced fully, unless it is used to emphasise a point (Scrivener, 2010):

A: Anna’s not going.

Anna: I am going!

3. WILL(‘LL) / WON’T
Meaning/Use
This is the most common way to express future.

a. to make predictions that aren’t based on present or past evidence (guesses based on
characteristic behaviour or assertions of faith about the future) (Parrot, 2010):

He won’t come to this kind of party.

They’ll never get elected.

b. volition – we use will to express willingness to do something (promises, undertakings and

agreements) (Willis, 2003):

I’ll get some bread on the way home.

c. to ask/ give factual information about the future (Swan, 2005):

He’ll be 12 this year.

Being a modal verb will has intrinsic (permission, willingness and necessity) and extrinsic (prediction or
possibility) meanings. For example, I will see you tomorrow combines an intrinsic use to express
willingness and an extrinsic use to imply a prediction about the future (Maxwell and Clandfield,
unknown).

Grammatical form
will (‘ll, won’t) + bare infinitive of the main verb. It is a modal verb and therefore it doesn’t change form
to show tense or person (Scrivener, 2010)

Subject will (‘ll, won’t) bare infinitive

We ‘ll take him.
I won’t stay long.

7
Language Systems: Grammar

Questions are formed by inverting the position of will (‘ll, won’t):

Will you stay?

The full form is used in formal writing and speaking situations. In informal speech, we use the full form
after nouns and noun phrases (Parrot, 2010)

Phonological problems
An important feature of will is the high frequency contraction ‘ll in informal spoken language (Yule,
1998). It can be a problem for students to say it well. The sound of ‘ll is known as ‘dark l’ and is
pronounced as /ʊl/ (Scrivener, 2010). For example, Spanish doesn’t have contracted forms and find it
difficult to pick up will: I’ll come tomorrow they construe as I come ( Swan and Smith, 2001).

8
Language Systems: Grammar

Problems and solutions (958 words) Commented [S1]: Sorry this part is a bit sketchy at the
moment.
750 words+800 words

Problem 1: L1 interference
In Arabic language there are no future forms – verbs are used in present form with an added deictic
pointer (tomorrow, next week). Therefore most of my lower level students often use present simple:

*I go shopping tomorrow.

My Indonesian students overused will because in their language there is only one future form which is
similar to will in English:

*I will visit my parents this weekend.

Speakers of other languages have similar problems. Especially when L1 has a specific future tense -
German has a rough equivalent to will but no going to, French has no present continuous tense,
therefore simple present may be incorrectly used for the future, etc. ( Swan and Smith, 2001) or when
affixes are used to express meanings (agglutinative languages).

Solution: for my Arab students I have used recasting exercises, implicit teaching, exercises followed by a
freer speaking practice where they need to choose different forms.

Aim: to familiarise learners with the different ways future meanings are expressed in English language e Commented [S2]: I’m a bit confused, this has suddenly become
the same as problem 5. Which one do I keep?
Procedure: explicit teaching using text book presentation model (Cutting Edge Pre-Int Module 6)

Evaluation: Some learners feel comfortable if they have some declarative knowledge about grammar. It
is probably the easiest way to show the variety of future expressions. Further practice is required
though to encourage the use of the forms.

Problem 2: Omission of verb to be

In the languages where there is no auxiliary use of to be (such as Arabic or Korean that use inflectional
affixes instead), students often omit to be in present continuous of be going to:

I going to meet my cousin.

I flying to Dubai tomorrow morning.

Solution: grammaring – dictogloss (Thornbury S. , 2001)

Aim: to identify a gap in students’ knowledge and draw attention to the form of TL.

Procedure: Tell the students that they will listen to a short text. They need to remember any words or
expressions they can and write them down AFTER I finished reading the text. They can’t write while I
read. Write any words that may cause difficulties on the board (e.g. proper names.)

9
Language Systems: Grammar

Students start by writing individually, then they work in pairs/groups to reconstruct the text. Then put
them into larger groups to compare and alter their texts.

Read the text again. Students make final changes.

Show them the original text. Ask the students to highlight the differences.

Evaluation: This activity facilitates noticing and gives the students motivation to “get it right”. It gives
both input (the text) and provides output opportunities (Thornbury S. , 2001)

Problem 3: Notional differences

Explaining the notional differences between the many ways of expressing future in English is often met
with a lot of confusion. The abstract notions (intentions, fixed arrangements, premeditated decisions
and spontaneous decisions, predictions based on present or past evidence) and those based on
speaker’s perception of the future event are very problematic for many students. Register factors, such
as speech vs. writing and formal vs. informal also influence the choice of form and lead to further
confusion (Thornbury S. , 2006).

Often when we learn the differences between the ways of expressing future, I give the students the
rules of thumbs (in my experience differences between arrangement and plan seem to cause most
difficulties). But often my students see examples in authentic texts (newspapers, books) that contradict
those rules and come back asking for explanations. I found it difficult to explain (especially for lower
levels) that often personal view of the speaker or even the style of the text can influence the choice of
the form.

Solution: contextualising and consciousness –raising activity

Aim: to use context to clarify the conceptual differences between future the ways to express future in
English

Procedure: Students are given a ‘to do’ list that one person wrote and asked to talk about this person’s
plans. This elicits going to structure. Later they listen to a dialogue between two people discussing the
plans. In the dialogue, items that are not on the list come up are discussed and will form is used for
immediate decisions. Then the students listen to another conversation and say what is going to/will
happen.

This is followed by an exercise where students need to choose correct way of expressing future.

Evaluation: During these stages the students have opportunities to see different ways of expressing
future in context. This activity presents learners with an authentic input and stimulates output. It is
cognitively engaging and therefore helps memorisation.

Problem 4: Overuse of full form of going to/will

Solution: drilling/controlled speaking practice

10
Language Systems: Grammar

Aim: to provide students with opportunities to practice pronunciation of contracted forms

Procedure:

 students listen to a dialogue.

 they look at the transcript. The teacher draws their attention to contracted future forms,
models and drills the pronunciation.
 students practice the dialogues in pairs a few times and then act it out with another pair who
need to listen provide peer correction.
 students write their own dialogues following the model, , rehearse and act it out

Evaluation: While this activity is quite restrictive, it helps the students to practice their pronunciation
and also give them opportunity to personalise the language by writing their own dialogues.

Problem 5: Many learners tend to rely on a limited stock of future forms

Often a result of L1 interference or because the students have been introduced to one particular form in
the early stages of learning.

Solution: text- based presentation as a consciousness-raising activity

Aim: to expose the learners to different ways of expressing future and help them differentiate between
them.

Procedure:

 students read a text where they see different ways of expressing future
 they highlight different future expressions and discuss the differences in groups. They then
present their findings to the class.
 open class feedback session.

Evaluation: inductive activities promote deeper understanding and help memorisation. In this activity
students are engages in meaningful negotiation trying to work out the rules.

Total word count (including headings): 2031 words

11
Language Systems: Grammar

Bibliography

Leech, G. (2004). Meaning and the English Verb. Pearson Education Limited.

Parrot, M. (2010). Grammar for English Language teachers. CUP.

Scrivener, J. (2010). Teaching English Grammar. Macmillan.

Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. OUP.

Swan and Smith. (2001). Learner English. CUP

Thornbury, S. (2006). An A-Z of ELT. Macmillan.

Thornbury, S. (2001). Uncovering Grammar. Macmillan.

Willis, D. (2003). Rules, Patterns and Words Grammar and lexis in English Language Teaching. CUP.

Yule, G. (1998). Explaining English Grammar. OUP.

Online articles:

Maxwell and Clandfield. (unknown). Modal Verbs 2. Retrieved May 16, 2013, from the World Wide Web:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-tenses/modal-verbs-2-
article/144871.article

12