Future Simple Tense- Going To

We use the Future Simple Tense with ‘going to’ to express:

  1. An action we have planned for the future;

  2. A prediction.

  3. We use the Future Simple Tense with ‘going to’ to talk about an event in the future which we have already planned.


<-------make-------now-----x------>
    plan/decision

I’m going to see a movie tonight.

I’m seeing the movie tonight. I decided to see the movie yesterday.

I’m going to visit my sister when I’m in Sydney.

I’m going to Sydney. I’m visiting my sister. I decided to visit her last week.
We also use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about future plans.
I’m is the short form of I am.
  1. We use the Future Simple Tense with ‘going to’ to make a prediction if we have some evidence.

      #-----------------------#
<-----+---see---------make----+----x------>
      | evidence   prediction |
      #-----------------------#
         /
        now

It’s going to rain.

You can see dark clouds. You think it’s going to rain soon.
We can also use the Future Simple Tense with ‘will’ to make predictions.

Making the Future Simple Tense with Going To

+ I’m going to see a movie tonight. s=‘I’ + be + going to + v=‘see’

- I’m not going to see a movie tonight. s=‘I’ + be + not + going to + v=‘see’

? Are you going to see a movie tonight? be + s=‘you’ + going to + v=‘see’

Pronunciation

I’m going to see a movie tonight.

I’m not going to see a movie tonight.

Are you going to see a movie tonight?