The going to-future is a simple and useful way to talk about what you plan to do or what you think will happen. In English, we use the structure be going to + verb to form this tense. It works for all subjects by changing the “be” verb (am, is, are).
Why use going to-future?
We use going to-future for three main reasons:
- Plans and intentions: When you have already decided or planned to do something.
- Predictions based on evidence: When you see signs that something is about to happen.
- Spontaneous decisions (less common): When you decide something just before saying it.
Forming the going to-future
The going to-future uses the verb “to be” + “going to” + base form of the main verb. The form of “to be” changes according to the subject.
Affirmative (positive)
| Subject | Example |
|---|---|
| I | I am going to eat dinner. |
| You | You are going to study. |
| He / She / It | She is going to travel. |
| We | We are going to play soccer. |
| They | They are going to watch a movie. |
Negative
Add not after the form of “to be.”
| Subject | Example |
|---|---|
| I | I am not going to eat dinner. |
| You | You are not going to study. |
| He / She / It | She is not going to travel. |
| We | We are not going to play soccer. |
| They | They are not going to watch a movie. |
Question
Invert the subject and the form of “to be.”
| Example |
|---|
| Are you going to study? |
| Is he going to travel? |
| Are we going to play soccer? |
Short answers
| Question | Yes / No |
|---|---|
| Are you going to study? | Yes, I am. / No, I’m not. |
| Is he going to travel? | Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t. |
Examples of going to-future in use
Here are some example sentences for each use case.
Plans and intentions
| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I am going to start a new job next week. | I have already decided to start a new job. |
| We are going to visit our grandparents tomorrow. | Visiting grandparents is already planned. |
| She is going to learn French. | She has the intention to learn French. |
Predictions based on evidence
| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Look at those dark clouds! It’s going to rain. | The sky shows signs of rain soon. |
| That glass is going to fall off the table. | It looks like the glass will fall. |
| He’s going to be late. | Something visible shows he won’t arrive on time. |
Spontaneous decisions (less common)
| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I’m hungry. I’m going to make a sandwich. | Deciding to make a sandwich right now. |
| It’s cold. I’m going to close the window. | Deciding to close the window just now. |
Common time expressions with going to-future
These time words often appear with going to-future.
| Time Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| tomorrow | I’m going to call you tomorrow. |
| next week / month / year | She’s going to move next month. |
| soon | We’re going to leave soon. |
| in an hour / two days | He’s going to arrive in an hour. |
| tonight | They’re going to watch TV tonight. |
Complete the sentence: "She’s going to move next _____.”
month
Time expressions like ‘next month’ are commonly used with going to-future to indicate planned future events.
Which of these time expressions is commonly used with going to-future?
tomorrow
'Tomorrow' talks about the future and fits naturally with going to-future.
Going to-future vs. will-future
Both going to and will talk about the future, but they are used differently.
Use going to
- When you have a plan or intention.
- When you predict something based on what you see or know.
Use will
- When you decide something at the moment of speaking.
- When you make a general prediction or guess.
- When you offer help or make a polite request.
Examples
| Meaning | Going to | Will |
|---|---|---|
| Decide now | (not common) | I’ll open the door. |
| Planned | I’m going to open the door. | (not common) |
| Prediction (signs) | It’s going to snow. (sky is dark) | It will snow. (guessing) |
In short: use going to for plans and evidence-based predictions, and will for spontaneous decisions and general guesses.
Flashcards (1 of 8)
- Meaning: I have already decided to start a new job.
- English: I am going to start a new job next week.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
