Be going to or Present Continuous?

[Bilge Gökçen]

Planned future actions can be expressed by the present continuous tense with a time expression or by the be going to form with or without a time expression. The present continuous is mainly used for very definite arrangements in the near future. The be going to form can be used more widely.
Use the present continuous where possible in the following sentences and put the remaining verbs into the be going to form.

1 I (play) bridge tonight with Tom and Ann.
2 He (have) an operation next week.
3 It's very cold. I (light) a fire.
4 We (have) some friends to lunch tomorrow.
5 I've bought a piano; it (be) delivered this afternoon. ~
Where you (put) it? ~
I (put) it in the dining room.
6 You (go) to the auction tomorrow? ~
Yes, I (go) but I (not buy) anything.
7 I've reminded you once; I (not do) it again.
8 I (have) my hair cut this afternoon.
9 My nephew (come) to stay with me next weekend. ~
Where you (put) him? ~
I (put) him in the room in the tower.
10 Our class (start) German next term.
11 I (spend) a few days in London next week.
12 The Town Council (build) a new school here.
13 What you (tell) the police? ~
I (tell) them the truth.
14 He (start) tomorrow.
15 The Queen (open) Parliament next month.
16 The Prime Minister (speak) on TV tonight.
17 This shop (close) down next week.
18 When you (have) your next lesson? ~
I (have) it on Monday.
19 I (collect) my new dress this afternoon.
20 We (take) the children to the seaside this summer.
21 I (give) him a football for his next birthday.
22 She (sing) in her first big concert next month.
He (go) to Spain for his holidays. ~
He (fly)? ~
No, he (go) by boat.
24 She (see) a specialist next week.
25 He (wash) the car?
26 He (ring) me up tonight.
27 The inspector (ask) you a few questions.
28 Her parents (give) a party for her next month. They (invite) sixty guests.
29 Have you got a ticket for the big match on Saturday? ~
No, I don't even know who (play). ~
France (play) England.
30 They (launch) a ship this afternoon. You (come) to see it?
31 What you (do) with the money?
32 I (pick) you up at 6.30; don't forget.
33 Where you (go) tonight? ~
I (go) out with Peter. He (call) for me at eight.
34 I (compete) in the bicycle race tomorrow.
35 Mr Pitt has just phoned to say that he (not come) back till Wednesday night.
36 I (read) you his answer to my letter of complaint.

 

[Bilge Gökçen]

Cevap: Be going to or Present Continuous?

be going to is possible in all these sentences, but where the present continuous tense is given in the key, that is the better one to use.)
1 am playing 2 is having 3 am going to light 4 are having 5 is being, are you putting, am putting 6 are you going, am going, am not buying/am not going to buy 7 am not going to do Sam having 9 is coming, are you putting, am putting 10 is starting II am spending
12 is going to build 13 are you going to tell, am going to tell 14 is starting 15 is opening 16 is speaking 17 is closing 18 are you having, am having 19 am collecting 20 are taking 21 am giving 22 is singing 23 is going, is he flying, is going 24 is seeing 25 is he going to wash 26 is ringing 27 is going to ask 28 are giving, are inviting 29 is playing, is playing
30 are launching, are you coming 31 are you going to do 32 am picking 33 are you going, am going, is calling 34 am competing 35 isn't coming 36 am going to read