miércoles, 17 de septiembre de 2008

Be going to

1.- We form with be going to like this:


be going + to + Infinitive


It going to snow


Positive

I am
He/she/it is ---------------> going to leave
We/you/they are

Negative

I am
He/she/it is -------------------> not going to leave
We/you/they are

Questions

Am I
Is he/she/it --------------------> going to start?
Are we/you/they

2.- Note that we usually use the short form of be (I'm, he/she/it's, we/you/they're):

They're going to leave
He's going to spend a week by the sea.

3.- The negative short form is I'm not going to:

I'm not going to play tennis today.

With he,she and it, there are also two negative short forms:

He/she/it isn't going to come.
He/she/it's not going to come.

With you, we and they, there are also two negative short forms:

You/we/they aren't going to come.
You/we/they're not going to come.

4.- We use be going to for the future. We use it:

----> to talk about things we have decided to do in the future:

A: What are you going to do tomorrow?

B: I'm going to visit Paul in Brighton

A: Are you going to drive?

B: No, I'm going to take the train.


----> to predict the future, using information we know now:

Look at that blue sky! It's going to be hot.

I've eaten too much. I'm going to be ill.

Look at the time. It's two o' clock. They aren't going to come now.










miércoles, 10 de septiembre de 2008

Used to

1.- We can use the Present Simple to talk about present situation or habits:

----> Situations:
My sister works as a translator.
Andrew lives in London.

----> Habits:

Peter usually wears jeans.
I oftent eat a sandwich for lunch.
Mike doesn't smoke anymore.
Does John drive to work every day?

2.- Look at these sentences with the Past Simple:

----> Situation:
Henry lived in France for many years.

---->habit:
When I was young. I ran three miles every day.

The verbs are in the Past Simple and the sentences are about past situations or habits.


3.- Look at these sentences with used to:

Jill used to live in Ireland
Many people used to make their own bread
My husband used to work at home


We use used to to talk about a past situation or habit that continued for months or years, and to emphasize that the situation today is different:

Jill doesn't live in Ireland now.
Nowadays people usually buy bread from a shop.
My husband doesn't work at home now


Compare the Past Simple and used to:

----> Past Simple:

When he was young, he ran three miles every day. ( He may or may not run three miles every day now.)

----> used to

When I was young, I used to run three miles every day. I don't do that know.
(I don't run three miles every day now.)

We make negative sentences and questions with did + use to:

Sue didn't use to like black coffee.
Paul didn't use to smoke a pipe.
Did Alan use to cycle to school?
Did your parents use to read to you?


4.- We do not use to for present situations or habits; we use the Present Simple:

Ann sings in a band. ( Not Ann uses to sing in a band) X
Joe doesn't cycle to school. (Not... doesn't use to cycle...) X








These songs are dedicated for my best friends