Unit 19A discusses the difference between using "I am doing" and "I am going to do" in the future tense. "I am doing" refers to planned future actions, while "I am going to do" refers to decided but not necessarily planned future actions. Some examples are provided to illustrate the distinction. The document also explains how to use "something is going to happen" to talk about events in the future that are foreseeable based on the current situation.
Unit 19A discusses the difference between using "I am doing" and "I am going to do" in the future tense. "I am doing" refers to planned future actions, while "I am going to do" refers to decided but not necessarily planned future actions. Some examples are provided to illustrate the distinction. The document also explains how to use "something is going to happen" to talk about events in the future that are foreseeable based on the current situation.
Unit 19A discusses the difference between using "I am doing" and "I am going to do" in the future tense. "I am doing" refers to planned future actions, while "I am going to do" refers to decided but not necessarily planned future actions. Some examples are provided to illustrate the distinction. The document also explains how to use "something is going to happen" to talk about events in the future that are foreseeable based on the current situation.
Unit 19A discusses the difference between using "I am doing" and "I am going to do" in the future tense. "I am doing" refers to planned future actions, while "I am going to do" refers to decided but not necessarily planned future actions. Some examples are provided to illustrate the distinction. The document also explains how to use "something is going to happen" to talk about events in the future that are foreseeable based on the current situation.
I am going to do something = ! 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? CD This cheese smells horrible. I'm not going to eat it.
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 aredirty.' ‘Yes, Iknow. I'm going to clean them.' (= I've decided to clean them, but Ihaven'tarranged 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.
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 w alk into the wall.
When we say that ‘something is going to happen',
the situation now makes this clear. The man is walking towards the wall now, so we can see that he is going to walk into it.
going to
situation now future happening
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.
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. L 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
H-U t am doing for the future Unit 19A I w ill and I'm going to ~¥ Unit 23 Exercises ra W rite a question with going to for each situation. 1 Your friend has won some money. You ask: (what / do with i t W'kiat are you going to <i.o with It?.... 2 Your friend is going to a party tonight. You ask: (what / wear?) What are you going to wear? .. 3 Your friend has just bought a new table. You ask: (where / put it?) Where............................................... are you going to put it? .................................... 4 Your friend has decided to have a party. You ask: (who / invite?) Who are you going to invite? ..........
Read the situations and complete the dialogues. Use going to. 1 You have decided to clean your room this morning. f r i e n d : Are you going out this morning?
you; No, 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. f r ie n d : That sweater is too big for you. yo u: I know. I'm going to back to the shop. 3 You have been offered a job, but you have decidednot to accept it. f r i e n d : I hear you've been offered a job.
yo u : That's right, but I'm going to not to accept it.
4 You have to phone Sarah. It's morning now, and you have decided to phone her tonight. f r i e n d : Have you phoned Sarah yet?
yo u: I'm going to phone her tonight.
No, ....................................................... ......................................... ................. 5 You are in a restaurant. The food is awful and you'vedecided to complain. f r i e n d : This food is awful, isn't it?
yo u : Yes, it's disgusting. I'm going to complain.
J 2 | W hat 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 gotng 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 going to late. 3 There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. A lot of water is coming in through the hole. (sink) The boat going to sink. .................................................................................................................. 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 going to run out. ............ ..............................
2 9 Complete the sentences with w as/w ere going to + the following verbs:
buy give up phone play say t ravel
1 We were going to travel by train, but then we decided to go by car instead.
2 I was going to buy somenewclothes yesterday, but I was very busy and didn't have time to go to the shops. 3 Oliver and I was going to play tennis Last week, but he had to cancel because he'd hurt his knee. was going to phone 4 I ............................................................. Jane, but I decided to email her instead. 5 a : When I last saw Tim, he was going to give up his job. b : That's right, but in the end he decided to stay where he was.
