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BeginnerTenses

Learn Simple Future: be going to Tense in English

Express future plans and intentions with be going to.

Learning goal
Recognize and use this pattern in context.
Practice
10 randomized questions with explanations.
Suggested workflow
Study the examples, then take the quiz.

Grammar Focus

Be going to is a future structure used to talk about plans, intentions, and predictions based on present evidence. It is one of the most common ways to express the future in everyday spoken English, and native speakers use it constantly in casual conversation. Understanding it will immediately improve both your listening comprehension and your ability to express future ideas clearly.

  • Use be going to for plans and intentions you have already decided: "I am going to start a new course next week."
  • Use it for predictions based on evidence: if you see dark clouds, you say "It is going to rain."
  • The form changes with the subject: am going to (I), is going to (he/she/it), are going to (you/we/they)
  • The verb that follows going to is always the base form (infinitive without to): "She is going to cook dinner."
  • In spoken English, going to is often shortened to gonna, but always write the full form in formal contexts

Form & Structure

Affirmative

Subject + am/is/are + going to + base verb
I am going to visit my grandmother this weekend.
She is going to apply for a new job next month.
They are going to move to a bigger apartment.

Negative

Subject + am not / is not / are not + going to + base verb
I am not going to eat fast food anymore.
He isn't going to attend the meeting tomorrow.
We aren't going to travel this summer.

Questions

Am / Is / Are + subject + going to + base verb?
Are you going to call him later?
Is she going to study abroad?
Are they going to join us for dinner?

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong form of 'be' with the subject

She are going to leave early.
She is going to leave early.

Tip: Match the verb 'be' to the subject: am (I), is (he/she/it), are (you/we/they).

Adding 'to' before the base verb twice

I am going to to travel next year.
I am going to travel next year.

Tip: 'Going to' already includes 'to' — the base verb follows directly without another 'to'.

Using the infinitive with 'to' instead of the base verb

He is going to to eat lunch now.
He is going to eat lunch now.

Tip: After 'going to', always use the base form of the verb (eat, go, study — not to eat, to go, to study).

Why This Grammar Matters for Listening and Speaking

Talking about weekend or holiday plans

“I'm going to spend the weekend at the beach.”
“Are you going to visit your family for the holidays?”

Making predictions based on visible evidence

“Look at those clouds — it's going to storm.”
“He hasn't slept in two days. He's going to crash soon.”

Discussing life decisions and goals

“She's going to quit her job and start her own business.”
“We're going to save money and buy a house.”

Giving warnings or expressing inevitability

“Watch out! You're going to fall!”
“If he keeps driving like that, he's going to cause an accident.”