be going to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be going to" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is often used to express an intention or plan for the future. Example: "I am going to start my new job next week." This sentence indicates that the speaker has a definite plan to start their new job in the future. Another example: "She is going to travel to Europe next summer." This sentence expresses the speaker's intention to travel to Europe in the upcoming summer. The phrase can also be used to make predictions about the future, especially when there is evidence or intention to support it. Example: "It's going to rain later, so remember to bring an umbrella." This sentence suggests that the speaker believes it will rain based on current weather conditions. "Look at those dark clouds, it's going to storm." In this sentence, the speaker is making a prediction about the future weather based on what they can currently see.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I'll be going to Wembley this Saturday.

The Guardian - Sport

He could be going to worse places.

The New York Times - Sports

"They might be going to Harlem.

The New Yorker

It could be going to a museum.

The New York Times

Should you be going to Sri Lanka?

The Guardian

"I wouldn't be going to college.

The New York Times

No proceeds will be going to charity.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"We should be going to them.

The Guardian

I will be going to college eventually.

The New York Times - Magazine

He will not be going to Rutgers, however.

The New York Times - Sports

They'll be going to China by train from Hong Kong.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be going to" to make predictions about the future when you have evidence or a good reason to believe something will happen. For example, "Look at those dark clouds, it's going to rain."

Common error

Avoid omitting the 'to' after 'going'. Saying "I'm going shopping" is correct, but "I'm going start a new job" is grammatically incorrect; it should be "I'm going to start a new job".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be going to" functions primarily as a future tense marker, indicating an action or event that is expected to happen in the future. As shown in Ludwig, it is a common way to express intentions, plans, or predictions about future events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be going to" is a grammatically correct and very common way to express future intentions, plans, or predictions in English. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a versatile structure suitable for various contexts, particularly in News & Media. When writing, remember to include 'to' after 'going' and use the correct conjugation of "to be" according to the subject. While "will" can be an alternative, "be going to" often implies a pre-existing intention or evidence-based prediction. High quality sources like The New York Times and The Guardian utilize "be going to" frequently, so it's reliable and effective.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

will

Uses a simpler auxiliary verb to express future tense, often implying a more immediate decision.

will be

Expresses future actions or states, often interchangeable but sometimes indicates a continuous aspect.

shall

Similar to 'will' but more formal and traditionally used with 'I' or 'we'.

intends to

Emphasizes intention or purpose behind the future action.

plans to

Highlights a deliberate plan or arrangement for the future.

is planning on

Similar to 'plans to' but uses a continuous form to suggest ongoing planning.

is about to

Indicates an action that will happen very soon or is imminent.

is set to

Suggests that arrangements have been made and the action is scheduled.

is to

Formal way of expressing a future arrangement or obligation.

is scheduled to

Emphasizes a prearranged timetable for the future action.

FAQs

How can I use "be going to" in a sentence?

Use "be going to" to talk about future plans or intentions. For example, "I am going to visit my family next month" indicates a planned trip. Also use it to make predictions based on current evidence: "It is going to snow because the temperature is dropping."

What's the difference between "will" and "be going to"?

"Will" often indicates a spontaneous decision or a general prediction, while "be going to" suggests a prior plan or a prediction based on current evidence. For example, "I will help you" (spontaneous) vs. "I am going to help you" (planned). You can explore alternatives like "intend to" and "plan to".

Is it correct to say "I be going to"?

No, "I be going to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form uses the appropriate conjugation of "to be": "I am going to". The form changes depending on the subject: "he is going to", "they are going to", etc.

What are some alternatives to "be going to" for expressing future plans?

You can use phrases like "intend to", "plan to", or "is about to" depending on the nuance you want to convey. These alternatives offer varying degrees of formality and immediacy.