20. (I’M) GOING TO (DO) ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

20. (I’M) GOING TO (DO)

A	I am going to do something= I have already decided to do it, I intend to do it: ·         ‘Are you going to eat anything?' ‘No, I'm not hungry.' ·         A: I hear Sarah has won some money. What is she going to do with it?   B: She's going to buy a new car. ·         I'm just going to make a quick phone call. Can you wait for me? ·         This cheese smells horrible. I'm not going to eat it.
B	I am doing and I am going to do We use I am doing (present continuous) when we say what we have arranged to do- for example,  arranged to meet somebody, arranged to go somewhere: ·         What time are you meeting Ann this evening? ·         I'm leaving tomorrow. I've got my plane ticket. I am going to do something= I've decided to do it (but perhaps not arranged to do it): ·         Your shoes are dirty.' ‘Yes, I know. I'm going to dean them.’ (=I've decided to clean them, but I haven't arranged to clean them) ·         I've decided not to stay here any longer. Tomorrow I'm going to look for somewhere else to stay. Often the difference is very small and either form is possible.
C	You can also say that ~something is going to happen' in the future. For example: The man isn't looking where he is going. He is going to walk into the wall. When we say that 'something is going to happen', the situation now makes this dear. The man is walking towards the wall now, so we can see that he is going to walk into it. Some more examples: ·         Look at those black clouds! It's going to rain. (the clouds are there now) ·         I feel terrible. I think I'm going to be sick. (I feel terrible now) ·         The economic situation is bad now and things are going to get worse.
D	I was going to do something= I intended to do it, but didn't do it: ·         We were going to travel by train, but then we decided to go by car instead. ·         Peter was going to do the exam, but he changed his mind. ·         I was just going to cross the road when somebody shouted 'Stop!' You can say that 'something was going to happen' (but didn't happen): ·         I thought it was going to rain, but it didn't.

EXERCISES

20.1		Write a question with going to for each situation. 1 Your friend has won some money. You ask: (what /do with it?) ___ What are you going to do with it? ____ 2 Your friend is going to a party tonight. You ask: (what /wear?) ________________________________________ 3 Your friend has just bought a new table. You ask: (where /put it?) _______________________________________ 4 Your friend has decided to have a party. You ask: (who /invite?) __________________________________________
20.2	Read the situations and complete the dialogues. Use going to. 1 You have decided to clean your room this morning. FRIEND: Are you going out this morning? YOU:  No, ____I’m going to clean my room._______ 2 You bought a sweater, but it doesn't fit you very well. You have decided to take it back to the shop. FRIEND: That sweater is too big for you. You: I know. _______________________________ 3 You have been offered a job, but you have decided not to accept it. FRIEND: I hear you've been offered a job. You: That's right, but _________________________________________ 4 You have to phone Sarah. It’s morning now, and you have decided to phone her tonight. FRIEND : Have you phoned Sarah yet? You: No, ______________________________ 5 You are in a restaurant. The food is awful and you've decided to complain. FRIEND : This food is awful, isn't it? You: Yes, it's disgusting. _________________________________________
20.3	What is going to happen in these situations? Use the words in brackets. 1 There are a lot of black clouds in the sky. (rain) _____ It’s going to rain._____________________ 2 It is 8.30. Tom is leaving his house. He has to be at work at 8.45, but the journey takes 30 minutes. (late) He ________________________ 3 There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. A lot of water is coming in through the hole. (sink) The boat ________________________________________________ 4 Lucy and Chris are driving. There is very little petrol left in the tank. The nearest petrol station is a long way away. (run out) They ________________________________________
20.4	Complete the sentences with was/were going to +the following verbs: buy         give up        phone       play       say       travel 1 We _____were going to travel____ by train, but then we decided to go by car instead. 2 I _____________ some new clothes yesterday, but I was very busy and didn't have time to go to the shops. 3 Oliver and I _________ tennis last week, but he had to cancel because he'd hurt his knee. 4 I __________________ Jane, but I decided to email her instead. 5 A: When I last saw Tim, he _________________ his job. B: That's right, but in the end he decided to stay where he was. 6 I'm sorry I interrupted you. What ___________________ you _______________?

ANSWER KEY

20.1 2 What are you going to wear? 3 Where are you going to put it? 4 Who are you going to invite? 20.2 2 I'm going to take it back to the shop. 3 I'm not going to accept it. 4 I'm going to phone her tonight. 5 I'm going to complain. 20.3 2 He's going to be late. 3 The boat is going to sink. 4 They're going to run out of petrol. 20.4 2 was going to buy 3 were going to play 4 was going to phone 5 was going to give up 6 were you going to say