Table of Contents
Introduction
Expressing future intentions or plans in English often requires the use of “going to + verb.” This lesson focuses on helping students understand and apply this structure effectively to describe plans that have been decided before the time of speaking.
We’ll start by reviewing the simple future, as this will provide a foundation for understanding the more specific use of “going to.” Through engaging activities and real-life scenarios, students will discover the form and use of this structure, practice it, and eventually use it in their own written and spoken communication.
Before we explore how to teach future plans with going to, let’s have a look at the lesson overview!
Lesson Plan Overview
Teaching “Going To” for Future Plans
Objective:
- By the end of this lesson, students will be able to correctly use “going to + verb” to express future plans, specifically decisions made before the time of speaking.
Target Language:
- Structure: “going to + verb”
- Usage: To describe plans or intentions that were decided before the moment of speaking.
Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Printed dialogue for students
- Survey templates for the production activity
How to Teach Future Plans with Going to
1. Contextual Dialogue and Comprehension Check
Dialogue:
Allan: “Are you going to the party this weekend?”
Betty: “Yes, I am. I’m going to bring some snacks.”
Allan: “Great! Are you going to invite John?”
Betty: “I already did. He’s going to bring his guitar.”
True/False Questions:
- Betty is not planning to bring anything to the party. (False)
- Allan is not planning to go to the party. (False)
- Betty has already invited John to the party. (True)
2. Presentation: Discovering the Form and Use:
A. Discovering the Form:
- Students will examine the dialogue and notice how the target structure is formed to describe plans that have already been decided.
- They work in pairs or groups to complete this formula:
- “… to + ….”
- They work in pairs or groups to complete this formula:
B. Use of the Target Structure:
- Ask students to say which statement is correct about the future with going to:
- a. It is used when talking about decisions or plans made after the time of speaking
- b. It is used when talking about decisions or plans made before the time of speaking
- c. It is used when talking about past decisions.
- d. It is used when talking about happening at the time of speaking
- Once they decide which statement best describes the future with going to (b), make sure they differentiate between this structure and the future simple. To do so, offer them these examples and ask them which example describes an instant decision and which one refers to a decision made before the time of speaking:
- Someone is knocking at the door. I’ll open it. (Instant decision)
- I am going to buy some bread. It is on my shopping list. (Decision made before the time of speaking)
Note:
Going to + Verb is used when talking about decisions or plans made before the time of speaking. Highlight the difference between “going to” and the simple future (“will”) to reinforce understanding.
Examples:
- “I am going to visit my grandparents next weekend.”
- “We are going to start a new project tomorrow.”
3. Practicing Going to + Verb
Activity 1: Matching
Students will be given a list of sentences and verbs. They must match the sentences with the correct verbs to form meaningful sentences using “going to.”
Example of a matching exercise:
- Sentences:
“She is ______ the meeting.”
“They are ______ a new car.”
“We are ______ Paris.”
“She is ______ John.” - Verbs:
(a) going to buy
(b) going to attend
(c) going to marry
(d) going to visit
Activity 2: Gap-Fill
Students will fill in the blanks with the correct form of “going to” and the appropriate verb.
Exercise: Complete the Sentences with “Going To”
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “going to” and the verb in parentheses.
- “I __________ (visit) my cousin this weekend.”
- “They __________ (start) the project tomorrow.”
- “She __________ (buy) a new dress for the party.”
- “We __________ (travel) to Paris next month.”
- “He __________ (study) for his exams tonight.”
Answers:
- “I am going to visit my cousin this weekend.”
- “They are going to start the project tomorrow.”
- “She is going to buy a new dress for the party.”
- “We are going to travel to Paris next month.”
- “He is going to study for his exams tonight.”
Activity 3: Spotting the Mistake
Students will be given sentences where they need to correct the form of the verb to use “going to” appropriately.
Example:
- Incorrect: “She is go to the concert tomorrow.”
- Correct: “She is going to go to the concert tomorrow.”
Exercise: Correct the Sentences
Each sentence below has an error. Rewrite the sentence, using the correct form of “going to.”
- Incorrect: “They is going buy a new car next month.”
Correct: … - Incorrect: “I am go visit my grandparents next weekend.”
Correct: … - Incorrect: “We is going to start the project tomorrow.”
Correct: … - Incorrect: “He going visit his friend this evening.”
Correct: … - Incorrect: “You is going meet them at the park.”
Correct: …
Answers:
- Correct: “They are going to buy a new car next month.”
- Correct: “I am going to visit my grandparents next weekend.”
- Correct: “We are going to start the project tomorrow.”
- Correct: “He is going to visit his friend this evening.”
- Correct: “You are going to meet them at the park.”
Activity 4: Matching Sentences with Future Usage
Match the Sentence with the Correct Future Usage:
| Sentence | Future Usage |
|---|---|
| 1. Bread is not on my shopping list. Good idea! I’ll get a loaf. | A. Decision taken before speaking |
| 2. These flowers won’t grow there. It’s too dark there. | B. Future arrangement |
| 3. Sugar is on my shopping list. I am going to buy some. | C. Decision taken at the moment of speaking |
| 4. We’re playing tennis this afternoon. | D. Future possibility |
| 5. I might go to Paris. | E. Future prediction |
Answer Key:
- C
- E
- A
- B
- D
4. Production
Survey
Step 1: Describing the Situation
Your friend has planned what he or she is going to do tomorrow. Ask him questions like the following:
Are you going to …?
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Are you going to do the shopping tomorrow? | Yes, I am going to… |
| Are you going to visit your grandmother…? | No, I am not going to visit my grandmother tomorrow. |
| Are you going to… | … |
| Are you going to… | … |
| Are you going to… | … |
| Are you going to… | … |
| Are you going to… | … |
Examples of Survey Questions:
- “Are you going to travel this summer?”
- “What are you going to do next weekend?”
Step 2: Conducting the Survey
- Students conduct the survey by asking and answering the questions with their classmates.
Step 4: Writing a Report
- After gathering the information, they will write a short paragraph summarizing their partner’s future plans using “going to.”
Example Paragraph:
- “Sarah is going to visit her grandparents next weekend. She is also going to start a new book and meet her friends for lunch.”
Role-Play
Here is an example of a role-play activity:
A friend is planning to go on holiday soon. Ask her about her/his plans. Use the words in brackets to make questions:
- (where / go ?) ___________________ .
- (how long / go for?) _________________
- (when / leave ?) _____________________ .
- (travel/ alone ?) _______________________ .
- (who/travel with?)
- ( travel / by plane ?) ___________________.
- (where / stay ?) ______________________ .
Conclusion
In this lesson, students have learned to use “going to + verb” to express future plans and intentions. Through various activities, they have practiced identifying, forming, and using this structure in both written and spoken English.
By the end of the lesson, they should be more confident in describing their future plans using this specific structure.
Encourage students to continue practicing by discussing their plans with family or friends outside of the classroom.