Goodbye, City! — be going to (A2)

A2 · BE GOING TO

Goodbye, City!

IMAGE

“We’re going to grow our own food.”

(you'll add this)

be going to · plans and predictions

Reading

Speaking

STAGE 1 · WARM-UP

Could you live like this?

Imagine: no alarm clock, no traffic, no noisy neighbours — but no cinema, no restaurants, and the nearest shop is 40 minutes away.

Quick vote

IMAGE

(add your own)

Yes / No / Maybe for one year

Could you live like this?

STAGE 2 · BEFORE YOU READ

Leaving the city

The Kovac family — Ana, Petar and their two teenage children — are leaving the city next month to live on a small farm.

PREDICT

Who do you think is NOT happy about the plan — Ana, Petar, or the teenagers?

IMAGE

(add your own)

Read and check.

STAGE 3 · READING

Read once — who isn’t happy?

“We’re going to grow our own food” — one family’s big plan

Next month, the Kovac family is going to do something their friends call “brave” and their neighbours call “crazy”: they’re going to sell their city flat and move to a small farm, two hours away.

“We’ve talked about it for years,” says Ana, 43. “Now we’re really going to do it. We’re going to grow our own vegetables, and Petar is going to build a workshop. He’s going to make furniture and sell it online. I’m not going to leave my job — I’m going to work from home three days a week.”

And the teenagers? Sixteen-year-old Luka is positive: “I’m going to get a dog. A big one.” His sister Mila, 14, is less sure. “My friends are all here. Yes, we’re going to video-call every day, but it isn’t the same. I think the first year is going to be really hard.”

The family’s friends have made predictions. “You’re going to freeze in winter!” “You’re going to come back after six months,” laughs another. Ana’s mother is optimistic: “It’s going to be wonderful for the children. And I’m going to visit every weekend!” Petar smiles: “Every weekend? Now THAT’s going to be interesting.”

STAGE 4 · COMPREHENSION

True, false, or doesn’t say?

Write T (true), F (false) or DS (the text doesn’t say).

1 The family decided about the farm very quickly. ____

2 Petar is going to sell furniture on the internet. ____

3 Ana is going to stop working. ____

4 Luka is going to get a cat. ____

5 Mila thinks the first year is going to be difficult. ____

6 The farm doesn’t have electricity. ____

7 Ana’s mother thinks the move is good for the children. ____

STAGE 5 · TALK ABOUT IT

What do you think?

Discuss with a partner.

Was your guess correct? Do you understand how Mila feels?

IMAGE

(add your own)

Whose prediction do you agree with — “You’re going to come back in six months” or “It’s going to be wonderful”?

STAGE 6 · GRAMMAR — NOTICE

Plan or prediction?

Put each sentence in the correct column.

PLANS (decided to do)

PREDICTIONS (think will happen)

1 They’re going to sell their city flat. 2 You’re going to freeze in winter!

3 I’m going to get a dog. 4 I think the first year is going to be really hard.

I

he / she / it

you / we / they

+

I’m going to work.

Petar ________ going to build.

They ________ going to sell.

?

Am I going to like it?

________ it going to be good?

Are they going to come back?

STAGE 7 · THE RULES

be going to + infinitive

I

you / we / they

he / she / it

+

I'm going to move.

They're going to move.

She's going to move.

–

I'm not going to move.

They aren't going to move.

She isn't going to move.

?

Am I going to like it?

Are they going to move?

Is she going to move?

USE 1 — PLANS & INTENTIONS

USE 2 — PREDICTIONS

Things we have already decided to do.

When we know or can SEE it’s going to happen.

We’re going to grow our own vegetables.

Look at those black clouds — it’s going to rain.

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Write sentences with be going to

Example: + they / sell their flat next month → They’re going to sell their flat next month.

1 + Petar / make furniture

5 – the family / come back to the city

2 – Ana / leave her job

6 ? What / Mila / do without her friends

3 ? Luka / get a dog

7 + I think / the winter / be very cold

4 + Ana’s mother / visit every weekend

8 ? you / visit them at the farm

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Plan (P) or prediction (PR)?

Complete with be going to + a verb from the box, then write P or PR. rain · fail · buy · win · study · fall

1 Look at the sky! It ______ . ___

2 I’ve decided — I ______ a motorbike this year. ___

3 Careful! That glass ______ off the table! ___

4 She never opens a book. She ______ the exam. ___

5 After school, my sister ______ medicine. ___

6 It’s 3–0, two minutes left. We ______ ! ___

STAGE 9 · SPEAKING

The optimist & the pessimist

Write one real plan: “I’m going to start running.” “I’m going to cook for ten people on Saturday.”

STUDENT A

STUDENT B — pessimist

STUDENT C — optimist

Announce your plan. Then decide: after listening to both, are you still going to do it?

Dark predictions: “It’s going to rain every day. You’re going to hate it!”

Happy predictions: “It’s going to be fantastic! You’re going to feel amazing!”

Change roles. Did anybody cancel their plan because of the pessimist?

TEACHER'S REFERENCE

Answer key

4 True / false / doesn’t say

1 F (they’ve talked about it for years) 2 T 3 F (she’ll work from home 3 days) 4 F (a dog) 5 T 6 DS 7 T

6a Plans: 1, 3 · Predictions: 2, 4

6b ’s (is) / ’re (are) / Is

8a Write sentences

1 Petar’s going to make furniture. 2 Ana isn’t going to leave her job. 3 Is Luka going to get a dog? 4 Ana’s mother is going to visit every weekend. 5 The family aren’t going to come back. 6 What is Mila going to do without her friends? 7 I think the winter is going to be very cold. 8 Are you going to visit them at the farm?

8b Plan or prediction?

1 ’s going to rain — PR 2 ’m going to buy — P 3 ’s going to fall — PR 4 ’s going to fail — PR 5 ’s going to study — P 6 ’re going to win — PR