Future plans
Using 'going to' and the present continuous are two ways we can talk about our future plans and arrangements in English. In this programme we learn more about them and the differences between them. Our challenger Sung Hyeon from South Korea has to describe her future plans when trying to find a space in her busy diary for a meeting with allum.
!oth the present continuous and 'going to' can be used to talk about future plans and arrangements e"en though they are present forms. #his is because the future plan has already been made and e$ists in the present% it is not something which is decided at the moment of speaking. Often there is "ery little difference between the two forms and you can use either% howe"er we tend to use the present continuous for a fi$ed arrangements% such as appointments.
Present continuous Subject I to be am 'm is 's are 're verb + ing
S ) he *ou +e #hey
babysitting tonight. studying this weekend. not doing anything ne$t week. seeing the dentist on #uesday. seeing friends at the weekend. meeting at &'.(( with the bank manager.
,or intentions and decisions we'd normally use 'going to'. Going to Subject I to be am 'm is 's are 're going to base infinitive
S ) he *ou +e #hey
going to
watch a film tomorrow. do the shopping later. take the train. start music lessons soon. study really hard at the weekend.
QUIZ 1 Instructions -ook at .aula's diary for ne$t week then complete the sentences about her plans by choosing the correct answer from the drop/down list. +hen you ha"e selected all the answers% click on the ' heck answers' button to see if you made the correct choices.
Monday
uesday
!ednesday
"ursday
Friday 3entist && am
Saturday
Sunday
0ohn / !uy mum's coffee present &(.1( Haircut 1.1(
E"ening class 2pm
!abysitting% ,iona 2pm
inema / lare 2.1(
-unch / 4um's birthday
her hair cut on #uesday.
lunch with her mum on Sunday.
lare on Saturday e"ening.
her mum a present on 4onday.
,iona on #hursday.
her e"ening class on +ednesday at 2.((.
0ohn for coffee on #uesday morning.
the dentist on ,riday morning.
QUIZ # Instructions 5ead this con"ersation and for each of the ten gaps select the correct answer from the drop/ down list to complete the sentence. +hen you ha"e selected all the answers% click on the ' heck answers' button to see how well you did. $rranging a %eeting $& +hat you at the weekend6
'& I'm 7uite busy on Saturday. the 8oo in the afternoon and then some friends for dinner in the e"ening.
the kids to o"er
$& +hat about on Sunday6 +hat
then6
'& +ell I don't ha"e any plans really.
$& +ell I '"e got an e$tra ticket for the concert in the park on Sunday. .aul and 3a"id too. .aul's and 3a"id a picnic the drinks. So do you fancy it6
'& Sounds lo"ely. +hat time
you
$& 1 o'clock at the park gates. See you then.
Check answ ers
1.
What_________________ (wear)
at the party tonight?
2. This is my last day here. I _____________(go) back to England tomorrow. . !ook at these big black clo"ds# It ___________(rain). $. I _____________(leave)on Sunday. %. Tony _____________(meet) a &riend tomorrow. '. What time ________________(lea(e) tomorrow? ). Look at the sky! The planes ___________(go)to land.
1.
What are yo" wearing
at the party tonight? back to England tomorrow.
2. This is my last day here. I am going
. !ook at these big black clo"ds# It is going to rain. $. I am leaving on Sunday. %. Tony is meeting a friend tomorrow. '. What time are you leaving tomorrow? ). The planes are going to land.
Si necesitas saber la diferencia para un examen y tu libro de texto no deja clara la diferencia, mi consejo sera optar por "present continuous" siempre que hables de tus propios planes inmediatos. Y por la frmula "be+going to+ v. infinitivo" para planes en general y lo que est camino de ocurrir. Ejemplo: Look !t"s going to sno#. Si tu libro de texto da otra explicacin, sigue la del libro de texto para poder pasar el examen.
