Be Going To: Plans and Intentions
Be going to is the English future for two clearly defined situations: plans and intentions already decided before the moment of speaking (I’m going to apply for the promotion next month) and predictions based on visible evidence (Look at that queue — this is going to take forever). The contrast with will is built into the meaning: be going to for what’s already decided or visibly likely; will for what’s just decided or based on opinion (“He hasn’t replied.” “I’ll call him.”).
This worksheet drills A2 use of be going to for plans and evidence-based predictions, with explicit contrast against will.
Worksheet preview
What’s inside:
- Grammar Box with form (am/is/are going to + base form) and both uses (plans; evidence-based predictions)
- Gap-fill: complete sentences with be going to in contexts of decided plans and visible evidence
- Will or going to? multiple-choice items forcing the meaning-based decision
- Personalised production: write five things you are going to do next month, with reasons
- Full Answer Key plus Teacher Notes on the plan-vs-decision and evidence-vs-opinion distinctions
Common mistakes addressed: will with decided plans (I will move house next week, when the move is already arranged), missing to (I’m going call him), and using the simple present where the future is needed (I move house next week in writing).
For: Adult and teenage learners (14+) at CEFR A2, in pre-intermediate classes, 1:1 lessons, or self-study. Be going to for plans is tested directly in Cambridge A2 Key (KET) and B1 Preliminary (PET) Writing — particularly in informal-email tasks where the writer announces plans. Part of the Future Tenses collection — the natural sibling is Future Simple (will): Predictions, which covers the contrasting opinion-based use.
