B1 [How to talk about _

Future Plans and Arrangements]

Unit 10

I. “Be going to verb ….”

LISTS

We use “be going to” for the future. We use it:

I Be going to verb ....
1) to talk about things we have decided to do in the future:
II Be “v.+-ing” ….
A: What are you going to do tomorrow?
(Present progressive
for the future) B: I'm going to visit Paul in Brighton.
A: Are you going to drive?
III Present simple B: No, I'm going to take the train.

2) to predict the future, using information we know now, but for the
IV Be + adj./prep. moment we are not going to elaborate on it:

Look at that blue sky! it's going to be hot.

I've eaten too much. I'm going to be ill.
Look at the time. it's two o'clock. They aren't going to come now.

For future plans, we refer to plans already decided at the time of

speaking, illustrated as below:

I'm going to clean my room this afternoon. (I decided to clean it this morning.)

Are you going to take the three o'clock train? (= Have you decided to take the
three o'clock train?)
II. Present Progressive (be v.+-ing ….)

We use “be v. + -ing …. (Present progressive tense)” talking about the future, not the present.

You bought a plane ticket last week. You can now say, "I'm flying home next week."

Now

Last week
Next week

The important part of a Present Progressive for the future is often a time or day (e.g., next week, in July,
tomorrow, on Sunday):

PRESENT: I'm leaving now.

FUTURE: I'm leaving tomorrow.
PRESENT: We're having a party at the moment. Can I phone you tomorrow?
FUTURE: We're having a party in July.

We do not use the Present Continuous for future events that we cannot arrange or have not arranged:

The sun will shine tomorrow. (NOT The sun is shining tomorrow.)
The Irish team will win next week. (NOT The Irish team are winning next week.)

III. Present Simple

We use present simple for things with fixed times (e.g., train time tables, flight schedules, etc.)

My flight leaves on Sunday morning at 11:15.

Our weekend party is on Friday night at 7 p.m.

IV. Be + adj. /prep.

We use “Be + adj./prep.” to discuss a time or date etc. for some future arrangement:

_ Is Sunday good for you? _ Yes, Sunday is fine.