Hello again! The topic of this video lesson is future plans and how we can express them in English. Of course, we have different tenses, but there are also structures that can be useful.
An important, albeit obvious, note to make here is that when we talk about plans, they are usually things that depend on us to a point – our wishes and actions. Some future forms we use for plans can also be used for making guesses, which is a topic for another lesson. Let’s see some examples of future forms for plans:
I’m going to focus on my career.
We’re planning to invest in stocks.
The team is having a meeting tomorrow.
She might change her job.
What are you doing this summer?
I’m not moving to the countryside.
What about you? Do you personally have any plans right now? Pause the video and write them down, then come back to see what future forms you used. Ready? Let’s see.
You probably wrote down something with will. It’s a common mistake, because Future Simple, which is will + infinitive, is one of the first future forms we learn.
However, it’s not used for things that we have spent time planning. It’s more common with decisions made at the moment of speaking. Those can also be threats, promises or requests. It’s also used for things that will definitely happen, but not because we have personally planned them. For example:
It’s snowing, so I’ll stay at home – this is my decision made now that I see it’s snowing outside.
You better study, or you’ll fail this exam – this is a possible consequence and a threat, not a plan.
This workout will get you in shape! – here we have a promise, not a plan.
Will you pass the salt? – this is a request, not a question about plans.
And some more examples, this time in a conversation
I’ll be 24 next week.
Wow, congratulations!
Thanks! Will you come to the party?
Of course I’ll come! Can Sarah join, too?
Oh, right. I’ll call her and invite her as well.
In I’ll be 24 next week we have something that will inevitably happen, and isn’t a plan. Will you come to the party is an invitation made then and there. Then we have a decision made at the moment of speaking – the lady agrees. After that the guy remembers Sarah and decides at that moment to call her, too.
As you can see, nothing here is planned beforehand. But if we don’t use will for plans, what do we use?
One of the most common structures is be going to + infinitive.
It’s used for intentions (in Bulgarian намерения) and plans, especially if they’re personal and mostly involve you.
You might often hear be going to said in a sentence as gonna. This is spoken English and is very informal, so don’t use it in written format or in formal situations. Be going to is also commonly combined with thinking verbs like think, guess, suppose, believe, as well as adverbs like maybe, perhaps, probably, certainly, definitely, etc.
For example,
You graduated high school. What are you going to do now? – we want to know if the girl has put any thought to her future plans. Has she had any ideas up until now?
I’m probably going to take a gap year and travel. And you? – The girl has indeed thought about it and intends to take a year to travel. The fact she’s not using will shows that it’s not a thing she just thought of at that moment.
I guess I’m going to apply to university. – The boy intends to apply to university. He might be unsure, but he has thought about it for some time.
Let’s look at more examples.
I think I’m going to (go to) the cinema. I want to watch a nice film. One thing we can do with be going to is that if the following verb is go, we can omit it, which is why it’s in brackets here.
Of course, we can also make negative sentences. We aren’t going to visit a fancy resort. – They have thought about it, and have decided not to. Again, it’s not a spontaneous decision.
What if our plans are not so clear and certain? Then we can use modal verbs like may, could and might, plus a verb in the infinitive. Out of these three verbs, might is the one that shows the smallest possibility, but it’s also the most commonly used.
For example, I might change my job.
May has a higher probability – about 50% , but for some people it sounds a bit formal, so it’s not used as much as might.
For example, We may visit our relatives this summer.
Could is also for about 50 % probability, but it’s most often used with conditions. For example, If I get this certificate, I could be given a promotion at work.
When it comes to using these verbs for negative sentences, we use might not or may not. They have no short forms. So we can say, for example We may not/might not visit all the sights, because our time is limited. Here if we use could not, it will be like the sentence is for the past, so we don’t make negative sentences with it in this context.
As for questions, we can ask questions with may and could, but not for plans. Be going to is a better choice here. So instead of Might/May/Could you sue the company?, it’s better to ask Are you going to sue the new company? or even Are you suing the company?. The last question is with the Present Continuous, which can also be used for the future.
Let’s take a look at it, shall we?
We know the Present Continuous is used for actions happening at the moment of speaking or temporarily. However, it can also be used for future arrangements and appointments with other people. It can also be used instead of be going to when we want to emphasise that a plan isn’t just an intention, but is fully developed and definitely happening. When you use the Present Continuous like this, make sure you include a future time phrase, so that it’s clear you’re talking about an upcoming thing. Let’s see examples.
What are you doing this Friday? – this is a very good question to remember, because when you ask it, you want to know the person’s plans and prior arrangements. Often one might ask you this before they invite you somewhere.
I’m meeting my old classmates from school. And you? – the guy here has already made plans with other people. If you have plans that don’t only include you but others as well, and you have a place and time, it’s better to express them with the Present Continuous than be going to.
I’m starting my driving lessons. I’m so excited! – The woman also has plans, not just intentions. This sentence can also be with be going to, but if you want to emphasise that it’s 100 percent happening, the Present Continuous is better. Besides, she has also made an appointment with another person, so the plan doesn’t involve only her.
Let’s see more examples.
What are you having for dinner? – Here again we want to know specific plans.
I had a big lunch, so I’m not having dinner tonight. – This is 100 % not happening. It’s also possible to use be going to here, but if you want to make it a stronger plan and emphasise it, use the Present Continuous.
To illustrate this, we have these two examples:
They’re getting married on 6th October
They’re going to get married one day.
The first is already arranged. The event date has been chosen, the guest have been informed. People have made arrangements for it to happen, so the Present Continuous is better. In the second one, there isn’t an arrangement yet. There is only an intention for marriage one day. It’s the beginning of a plan, but the plan isn’t fully formed yet. So be going to is better here.
Another tense we can also use with a future connection is Present Simple. We use it for timetables and schedules – like with transport, shops, events, etc. It’s also used after expressions like as soon as, before, after, when or in case. For example, The concert starts at 8, so I can head to the stadium after I arrive. – first we have the schedule for the concert, then we say after I arrive, not after I will arrive.The last bus leaves at 10. – here we also have the usual schedule for the bus.
What time do the shops close? – Present Simple again, because we talk about a usual situation.
Call me as soon as you get this message. – Here we have Present Simple after as soon as, instead of, for example, Call me as soon as you will get this message.
Last, but not least, we have these structures. They’re very useful in conversation, but be careful – they go with specific prepositions and non-finite verb forms. We have be planning to + infinitive, be hoping to + infinitive and be thinking of + verb + ing.
For example, I’m planning to learn French and move to Paris.
He’s hoping to get a loan for a house.
She’s thinking of starting a course.
Now you can go back to your sentences and see if they were correct, or change them up a bit with the Future forms from this lesson.
Until next time!
