Be going to is a verb form that is used to talk about future plans and intentions, usually when the decision has already been made. For example:
- I’m going to visit my grandparents next week. (This means I have already decided to do this.)
- She’s going to be a doctor when she grows up. (This means she has already chosen her career.)
Be going to can also be used to make predictions based on present evidence. For example:
- Look at those dark clouds. It’s going to rain soon. (This means I can see the signs of rain.)
- He’s going to fail the exam. He hasn’t studied at all. (This means I know his situation.)
Be going to has the following structure:
- Subject + be + going to + infinitive verb
- For example: They are going to watch a movie tonight.
Be going to can be used with different forms of be, such as am, is, are, was, were, etc. Be can also be contracted with the subject or with not. For example:
- I am going to study hard. = I’m going to study hard.
- She is not going to eat pizza. = She isn’t going to eat pizza.
To make questions with be going to, we put be before the subject. For example:
- Are you going to travel abroad? (Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.)
- What is he going to do tomorrow? (He’s going to play soccer.)
