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This kind of question is always used to ask about the future. They have the same meaning as questions with “will”.
- Will you go? = Are you going to go?
- Will it rain today? = Is it going to rain today?
If the question begins with a “be verb” (am/is/are), then it is a yes/no question. So, the answer will either be yes or no.
A) Are you going to play soccer today?
B) Yes, I am going to play soccer.
A) Is it going to snow today?
B) No, it isn’t.
Be verb + subject + going + infinitive…?
- Is she going to visit her family on Christmas?
- Are you going to come to the party?
- Is Mark going to tell his girlfriend the truth?
- Is the company going to fire some employees?
- Are we going to finish before 9 p.m.?
- Are they going to break up?
It is also possible to use an adjective, noun, or prepositional phrase after “going to”. We just need to use the verb “to be”.
Be verb + subject + going to be…?
- Is it going to be cold tomorrow?
- Are they going to be ready soon?
- Is he going to be a lawyer?
- Are Tony and Sally going to be okay?
- Am I going to be fired?
Use the same pattern for the passive voice.
- Is the company going to be sold?
- Are the old computers going to be fixed?
- Is the dog going to be fed?
Bonus Tips and Points
1. “Going to + verb” and “will” are very similar. Many times, we can use either one and they have exactly the same meaning.
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- I am going to study hard.
(=I will study hard.)
- I am going to study hard.
- It is going to be hot today.
(=It will be hot today.)
We cannot use “going to + verb”, we can only use “will” when the speaker has decided to do something at the time of speaking. They did not decide before.
A) Let’s leave.
B) Good idea. I will get our coats.
However, it is very common to use “going to + verb” to talk about plans and intentions. We use this for things that we have already decided. These things are usually in the near future.
- I am going to visit my mother next weekend.
- She is going to buy a new house in 3 years.
- We are going to get a puppy after we get married.
- They are going to see a movie tonight.
- He is going to quit his job next year.
Real-World English Conversations
A) Are you going to go home soon?
B) Yes, I think that I am going home in 30 minutes.
A) Is he going to come?
B) No. I don’t think that he is going to come.
A) Are you going to eat that?
B) No. You can have it.
A) Thanks.
A) Is your son going to attend university next year?
B) No. He is going to join the army next year.
A) Are you going to buy that coat?
B) I want to, but it is too expensive.
Study these free English lessons to improve your English speaking. If you learn these common sentence patterns well, then your English speaking will improve greatly and you will be able to have fluent conversations in English in the near future! Study the lessons well, practice using the sentences and questions at home and in real life, and make sure to come back to review the material so you do not forget. If you do these three things, then you will be speaking English like a native English speaker in no time!
English Sentence Patterns for Speaking Index
