FuturePlans
be going to vs Present Continuous
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Warm-up · Section 1
5 minGet talking
Tell your partner three things you're doing this weekend — with a time or place for each.
What are you going to do before the end of the year? Name three.
Look out the window — predict the weather using 'It's going to…'
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minbe going to vs Present Continuous for future
BE GOING TO = intention OR prediction based on evidence.
→ I'm going to learn Italian this year.
→ I'm flying to Rome on Friday at 6.
→ It's going to be a long day.
→ We're meeting at the café at 8.
More detail
'I'm going to study tonight.' (intention) 'Look at those clouds — it's going to rain.' (prediction). PRESENT CONTINUOUS = arrangement already fixed, often with a time/place. 'I'm meeting Sara at 8.' (booked). Quick rule: if you can answer 'when?' and 'where?' specifically, use Present Continuous. If it's just an intention, use 'going to'. With verbs like go/come, native speakers prefer Present Continuous ('I'm going to the gym at 7') over 'I'm going to go'.
Question 1.I ____ ____ start the gym next month.
Question 2.We ____ at 7pm at the cinema.
Question 3.Look at the sky — it ____ ____ rain.
Question 4.What ____ you ____ this weekend? Anything booked?
Question 5.She ____ ____ apply for a master's next year.
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
plans falling through
plans cancelled / not happening
"Our plans fell through at the last minute."
When did your plans last fall through?
set in stone
fixed, can't change
"Nothing's set in stone yet."
Name something in your week that's set in stone.
to play it by ear
decide as you go
"We're just going to play it by ear."
Are you a planner or a play-it-by-ear person?
to pencil in
tentatively schedule
"Let's pencil in Saturday."
Pencil in a plan with your partner for next week.
to call off
cancel
"They called off the concert."
What's the last thing you called off?
to be up to
be doing (informal)
"What are you up to tonight?"
Ask your partner: 'What are you up to this weekend?'
to fancy
want / feel like (UK)
"Fancy going for a coffee?"
Fancy doing something this weekend? Make a real offer.
to be on the cards
likely to happen
"A trip to Japan is on the cards next year."
What's on the cards for you in 2026?
Discuss with a partner
- →What's set in stone this month? What's just on the cards?
- →Tell a story about plans falling through.
Finish the sentence about you
- Nothing's set in stone, but I'm… …
- Fancy …ing on…? …
- Let's pencil in… …
60-second write
Write 4 sentences about your next 7 days — mix going to and Present Continuous.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 min'going to' → 'gonna' /ˈɡənə/ in fast speech
- • I'm GONna start the gym next week. (intention)
- • It's GONna be a great day. (prediction)
- • I'm GOing to the SHOPS. (real movement — no 'gonna')
- • We're GONna call you tonight.
How to say it
In informal spoken English, 'going to' for intention reduces to 'gonna'. 'I'm gonna call her.' /aɪm ˈɡənə kɔːl hər/. Use 'gonna' in speech, but NEVER in writing. Don't reduce when 'going' is a real movement verb: 'I'm going to the gym' (movement — stays as /ˈɡəʊɪŋ tə/).
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minA very full week
Honestly, my week looks intense. On Monday I'm flying to Berlin for a two-day work trip — that's set in stone. As soon as I'm back, I'm meeting an old friend on Wednesday evening; we've penciled in dinner at 8. On Thursday, I'm going to finally start my new running plan — it's just an intention so far, but if the weather's good, I'll be out there at 6 a.m. On Friday, nothing's set in stone; we're just going to play it by ear. The big one is Saturday: my sister is getting married. Family is flying in from three countries. After all that, on Sunday I'm doing absolutely nothing. It's on the cards to spend the whole day on the sofa.
Question 1.Which trip is set in stone?
Question 2.What's just an intention?
Question 3.What's happening Saturday?
Q1.The writer has dinner planned for Wednesday at 8.
Q2.Friday's plans are fixed.
Q3.Family is travelling for the wedding.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minTwo friends compare weekend plans
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Liv:What are you up to this weekend?
Max:Saturday's busy — I'm meeting my parents for lunch at 1, then I'm going to the gym at 4.
Liv:And Sunday?
Max:Nothing's set in stone. I'm going to try and read for a bit. Maybe a walk if it's not raining. You?
Liv:Friday is mad. I'm flying to Edinburgh at 6pm for my best friend's birthday.
Max:Nice! Fancy a coffee Sunday afternoon then?
Liv:Yes — let's pencil in 4 at the usual place. I'll confirm Saturday.
Question 1.What's set in stone for Max on Saturday?
Question 2.Why is Liv flying to Edinburgh?
Question 3.When is their coffee penciled in?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Speaking Part 2 (collaborative task)
Task
With your partner, plan a 3-day weekend trip. Agree on travel, accommodation and 2 activities per day.
Strategy
Switch tenses naturally: PRESENT CONTINUOUS for fixed pieces ('We're flying on Friday at 8'), GOING TO for intentions ('We're going to try the local food'). Suggest with 'How about…?' and 'Why don't we…?' Confirm with 'Let's pencil in…' Negotiate, don't just agree.
Example
How about Lisbon? We could fly Friday evening — let's say we're flying out at 7. We're going to spend Saturday at the beach and Sunday in the old town. We could pencil in a fado dinner on Saturday. Sound good?
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I ____ ____ Tom at 7 — it's confirmed.
Question 2.Look at those clouds — it ____ ____ pour.
Question 3.Nothing's ____ ____ stone yet.
Question 4.Let's just play it by ____.
Question 5.Fancy ____ for a drink later?
Q1.Fixed plan: 'meet Anna / 8pm / café' →
Q2.Intention: 'this year / learn / Italian' →
Q3.Prediction with evidence: 'sky black / rain' →
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 120-word message to a friend about your next 7 days. Mix Present Continuous (3+ fixed plans) and 'be going to' (3+ intentions). Include 2 phrases from today's vocab.
Show model answer
Hi! Quick update on my week. Monday is intense — I'm flying to Madrid at 6am for work and I'm not getting home until late Tuesday. After that, I'm meeting Sara on Wednesday for dinner at the Italian place; we penciled it in last week. Thursday and Friday aren't set in stone, but I'm going to finally get back into running — three short sessions, hopefully. Saturday, fancy something? I'm free after 4. On Sunday I'm going to do absolutely nothing — sofa, books, snacks. Honestly, it's on the cards to spend the whole day in pyjamas. Let me know what works for you! x
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
DIARY SWAP · Pairs. Each partner shows their (real or invented) diary for next week. Negotiate ONE plan you'll actually do together — agree on time, place and activity. Use both future forms naturally and confirm in writing at the end.
Useful phrases
- • What are you up to on…?
- • I'm meeting … at … at …
- • I'm going to … this week.
- • Fancy …?
- • Let's pencil in…
- • Nothing's set in stone.
- AWhat are you up to Saturday?
- B_______________
- AFancy a coffee around 4?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Push for natural switching between the two forms. ~26 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Write your real diary for next week — 5 fixed plans and 3 intentions.
Record a 60-second voice note answering 'What are you up to this weekend?'
Find an English-language event listing online; identify 3 fixed arrangements and rewrite them in Present Continuous.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Present Continuous = fixed plan (time + place).
- be going to = intention or prediction with evidence.
- 'going to' → 'gonna' /ˈɡənə/ in fast speech (never in writing).
- Avoid 'going to go' — prefer 'I'm going to the gym'.
- Plan vocab: set in stone, on the cards, pencil in, play it by ear.