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Grammar
Content
The present continuous tense and the form be going to.
The present continuous as a future form
The combination of will + infinitive and the present continuous tense
The Be going to form used for intention
Comparison of the use of be going to and will + infinitive to express intention
The be going to form used for prediction
Grammar practice
The present continuous tense and the form be going to.
Several ways of expressing the future form:
 The simple present.
 Will + infinitive, used for intention.
 The present continuous.
 The be going to form.
 The future simple…
In this unit, we focus on the present continuous tense and the form be going to as a future form in order to see the difference between them.
The present continuous as a future form
The present continuous can express a definite arrangement in the near future.
Example: I’m taking an exam in October implies that I have entered for it.
Note that the time must be mentioned, otherwise there may be confusion between present and future.
With verbs of movement such as arrive, come, fly, go, leave…, verbs indicating position such as stay remain, and the verbs do and have (food or drink), the present continuous can be used more widely.
Example: I’m going home tonight.
It can express a decision or plan without a definite arrangement.

The combination of will + infinitive and the present continuous tense
Look at the example below to see how they are combined:
ANN: I’ll have to pay $100 rent at the end of this month and I don’t know where to find the money.
TOM: Don’t worry. I’ll lend you $100.
Later, but before Tom has actually lent the money, Ann will say: Tom is lending me $100.
The Be going to form used for intention
Be going to can be used for the near future with a time expression as an alternative to the present continuous, but it doesn’t imply an arrangement.
Example: I’m going to meet Tom (Tom may get a surprise)
Be going to can be used with time clause when we want to emphasize the subject’s intention.
Example: What are you going to do when you get your degree?
Be going to can be used without a time expression.
Example: I’m going to buy you a new book.
Note that it is not very usual to put the verbs go and come into the be going to form.
Comparison of the use of be going to and will + infinitive to express intention
The be going to form always implies a premeditated intention, and often an intention + plan
Will + infinitive implies intention alone, and this intention is usually unpremeditated.
Example:
 I have bought some bricks and I’m going to build a garage.
 There is somebody at the hall door. I’ll go and open it
Will + infinitive used to express intention at the moment of decision.
The be going to form used for prediction
The be going to form can express the speaker’s feeling of certainty. The time is usually not mentioned, but the action is expected to happen in the near or immediate future:
Example: Look at those clouds! It’s going to rain.
Will is a common way of expressing what the speaker thinks, believes, hopes…
Example: It will probably be cold.
 Be going to implies that there are signs that something will happen.
 Will implies that the speaker thinks/believes that it will happen.
 Be going to is normally used about the immediate future; will doesn’t imply any particular time and could refer to the remote future.
Grammar practice
Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Thank you!!!