Be Going To- The Grammar Gameshow Episode 6

Hello and welcome to the Grammar Gameshow! I’m your host, Will! – and where there’s a will, there’s a way! And of course let’s not forget Leslie, our all-knowing voice in the sky. Hello everyone! Tonight we’re going to ask you three questions about… Be going to! Those three little words that are followed by a bare infinitive and let us talk about the future. OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants! Hello, everyone. I’m Mya! Contestant number two? Hello, everyone. I’m Tom! Welcome back Mya! This is a hat-trick for you, isn’t it? Yes. I’ve won three in a row! And, do you like hats? I hate them. Good! I wonder what our prize could be. Ok. Let’s get going and don’t forget you can play along at home too. Our first round is a video round. Watch the video and try to predict what happens next. Well, Mya, what do you think? I think he’s going to sneeze. And what about you, Tom? I think he’s going to yawn. Let’s see who was right… Oh dear. You were both wrong. But if you can tell me why we should use ‘be going to’ here, I’ll give you a point. Fastest finger first! It’s a prediction based on something you can see at the time. Leslie? Well done, Mya. ‘Be going to’ is used to make predictions about the future based on present evidence. Well done, Mya. But that’s not fair… where was the evidence that he was going to sing? It was right there! Let’s have a look again. See! One point for you Mya. On to our second question. In what other way can ‘be going to’ be used to talk about the future? Future plans! ‘Be going to’ can be used to talk about future plans. For example: I’m going to take a holiday next week. Leslie? Yes. ‘Be going to’ can be used to talk about future plans. Those are things that the speaker has decided before they talk about them. An example would be, ‘One day, I’m going to escape from my box in the sky, and see my family again.’ Not if I can help it, Leslie. Well done Tom. Three points to you. Where are you going on holiday by the way? I’m not going on holiday. It was an example Oh dear! Oh no, no, no, no. Minus three points for lying. Everything to play for now guys. On to our final question. In what way can ‘be going to’ be pronounced in connected or fluent speech? Gonna! Oh! Gonna! People say gonna! For example, I’m gonna win this game! Oi! Calm down, Tom. It’s not your fault she’s faster than you. Here’s a bonus question. People say ‘gonna’, but what should they never do except in informal circumstances? Write it down. Well done Mya! Two right answers! Tell them Leslie! Yes. People often say ‘I’m gonna’, ‘you’re gonna’, ‘he’s gonna’ in a very informal style, but we don’t recommend that you write it down. Fifty-twelve points to Mya. Well, that brings us to the end of today’s Grammar Gameshow. Let’s count out the points. And the winner is… Mya with six. Well done! Here’s what you’ve won! It’s a hat! To go with your hat trick! And you said you love hats! No I didn’t Tom! Bad luck, old friend. Did you have fun? You cheated! I want to complain… Here come the chickens! It looks like we’ll need another contestant. Thanks for joining us. Say goodbye Leslie Goodbye, Leslie See you next time.