Ninety seconds on next month
Tell your teacher everything that is happening in the next month. Plans, bookings, intentions, things you would like to do. Ninety seconds, no preparation.
They are writing down every future form you use. There are three available in English, and most A2 speakers use one.
Seven travel words. Match each to what it actually means — three of these are commonly confused.
Three sentences that are not the same
Read all three, then read them again
1. I am flying to Porto on the 14th. — the ticket is bought
2. I am going to look for a flight to Porto. — I intend to; nothing is booked
3. I will look it up for you, if you like. — decided this second, because you asked
All three are about the future. All three are correct. None of them means what either of the other two means.
And in a conversation
Rita: What are you doing at the weekend?
Tom: I am seeing my sister on Saturday — she is coming down from Braga. Sunday is free.
Rita: We are going to paint the kitchen on Sunday, actually. We have been meaning to for a year.
Tom: Do you need a hand?
Rita: Really? That would be amazing.
Tom: I will bring my roller. What time?
Rita: Ten? It is going to take all day, I think.
Answer from the evidence. Nothing has been taught yet.
1. Tom says I am seeing my sister on Saturday. What kind of future is that?
2. Rita says We are going to paint the kitchen. Why not We are painting?
3. Tom says I will bring my roller. When did he decide that?
4. Rita says It is going to take all day. Nobody intends that. So what is going to doing?
Three forms, three meanings
What each one is for
| Form | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
present continuous | A fixed arrangement — agreed, booked, in the diary | I am flying to Porto on the 14th. |
going to | An intention — decided, but not arranged | We are going to paint the kitchen. |
going to | A prediction with evidence in front of you | It is going to take all day. |
will | A decision made at this moment | I will bring my roller. |
The Portuguese overlap, named early. Portuguese covers all of this with vou fazer and the simple future. English splits it three ways, and the split carries meaning: which form you pick tells your listener how settled the plan is.
And the rule that saves you: will is a modal, so nothing goes between it and the verb.
I will bring it. ✓ · I will to bring it. ✗ · I will bringing it. ✗
Same rule as can in Unit 2. Modals take the bare verb, always, and there are no exceptions.
Match each sentence to the job its form is doing. Two are the same job.
Choose the form
One or two words per gap. Choose the future form from the meaning, not from the words around it.
— What are you doing at the weekend? — I (see) my brother on Saturday, he has already bought the ticket. On Sunday I (going to / tidy) the garage, or at least that is the plan. — That sounds awful. — It is. It (going to / take) about six hours. — I (help) you, if you like. — Would you? — Of course. What time you starting? — Nine. And then we (going to / have) lunch somewhere, my treat.
Five sentences, five errors. Some are form, some are the wrong future. Rewrite each in full.
1. I will to call you tomorrow.
2. Next week I go to Lisbon — the flight is booked.
3. I am going to meet the dentist at four, it is in my diary.
4. I will going to buy a car.
5. Look at the sky. It will rain.
Next month, again
Task card · Speaking · Diagnostic
The same ninety seconds about next month — but with three forms now, not one.
At least two arrangements, two intentions, one prediction, and one will decision made live.
- Arrangements first — the things with a date and another person in them.
- Then intentions — the things you mean to do and have not booked.
- Then one prediction about how something will go, based on what you already know.
- Your teacher will offer to help with one of them. Accept or decline on the spot, with will.
Two decisions.
1. Your flight is booked for the 14th. Which?
2. Somebody offers you a lift and you accept. Which?
Which forms you used
Your teacher logged both attempts. Answer before you hear them.
1. In the warm-up, how many of the three forms did you use?
2. Which one was it?
3. In the second attempt, which was hardest to produce?
Before Lesson 2
One question.
1. What goes between will and the verb?
Informal input, before Lesson 2. Watch any travel vlog for ten minutes. Every time somebody says what they are going to do, write the sentence down exactly.
Five sentences. Mark each one: arrangement, intention, prediction, or live decision. Next lesson we check your marking.