- going to
I am going to buy a new car.
Going to is not a tense. It is a special structure that we use to talk about the future.
The structure of going to is:
| subject | + | be | + | going | + | to-infinitive |
The verb be is conjugated. Look at these examples:
| subject | be | not | going | to-infinitive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | am | going | to buy | a new car. | |
| I | 'm | going | to go | swimming. | |
| He | is | not | going | to take | the exam. |
| It | is | n't | going | to rain. | |
| Are | you | going | to paint | the house? |
How do we use going to?
going to for intention
We use going to when we have the intention to do something before we speak. We have already made a decision before speaking. Look at these examples:
- Jo has won the lottery. He says he's going to buy a Porsche.
- We're not going to paint our bedroom tomorrow.
- When are you going to go on holiday?
In these examples, we had an intention or plan before speaking. The decision was made before speaking.
going to for prediction
We often use going to to make a prediction about the future. Our prediction is based on present evidence. We are saying what we think will happen. Here are some examples:- The sky is very black. It's going to snow.
- It's 8.30! You're going to miss your train!
- I crashed the company car. My boss isn't going to be very happy!
In these examples, the present situation (black sky, the time, damaged car) gives us a good idea of what is going to happen.
Note that we can also use going to with be in other tenses, for example:
- I was going to tell him but I forgot.
- I had been going to fix the car for ages.
- for and since for Time
We lived there for five years.
He has been away since Tuesday.
He has been away since Tuesday.
We often use for and since when talking about time.
for + period: a "period" is a duration of time - five minutes, two weeks, six years. For means "from the beginning of the period to the end of the period".
since + point: a "point" is a precise moment in time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday. Since means "from a point in the past until now".
Look at these examples:
| for a period from start to end | since a point from then to now |
|---|---|
| >===< | x===>| |
| for 20 minutes for three days for 6 months for 4 years for 2 centuries for a long time for ever | since 9am since Monday since January since 1997 since 1500 since I left school since the beginning of time |
| all tenses | perfect tenses |
for
For can be used with all tenses. Here are a few examples:
- They study for two hours every day.
- They are studying for three hours today.
- He has lived in Bangkok for a long time.
- He has been living in Paris for three months.
- I worked at that bank for five years.
- Will the universe continue for ever?
We do not use for with "all day", "all the time":
- I was there all day. (not
for all day)
since
Since is normally used with perfect tenses:
- He has been here since 9am.
- He has been working since he arrived.
- I had lived in New York since my childhood.
We also use since in the structure "It is [period] since":
- It was a year since I had seen her.
- How long is it since you got married?
Both for and since also have other meanings, with no reference to time. Here are some examples:
- This is for you.
- Is this the train for London?
- Since you ask, I'll say yes.
- Since he didn't study, he didn't pass the exam.
- Subjunctive
She insists that he come.
The English subjunctive is a special, relatively rare verb form that expresses something desired or imagined.
We use the subjunctive mainly when talking about events that are not certain to happen. For example, we use the subjunctive when talking about events that somebody:
- wants to happen
- anticipates will happen
- imagines happening
Base Subjunctive
Form of base subjunctive
The form of the base subjunctive is extremely simple. For all verbs and all persons, the form is the base of the verb, for example: be, have, do, go, sing, work
The base subjunctive does not use any other forms (goes, sings, works).
This table shows the base subjunctive in all persons, using the verbs be, work and sing as examples:
| base-subjunctive | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| be | work | sing | |
| I | be | work | sing |
| you | be | work | sing |
| he, she, it | be | work | sing |
| we | be | work | sing |
| you | be | work | sing |
| they | be | work | sing |
Note that the subjunctive does not change at all according to person (I, you, he etc).
Use of base subjunctive
In certain that clauses
The base subjunctive is typically used in that clauses after two structures:
1. suggest-verb (or noun) + that
- advise, ask, command, demand, desire, insist, order, prefer, propose, recommend, request, suggest
- command, demand, order, proposal, recommendation, request, suggestion
2. advisable/anxious-adjective + that
- advisable, best, crucial, desirable, essential, imperative, important, necessary, unthinkable, urgent, vital
- adamant, anxious, determined, eager, keen
Look at these sentences which include examples of the above:
| main clause suggest-verb | that clause with subjunctive | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| He | suggests | that | you | be | present at the meeting. | |
| The board | recommend | that | he | join | the company. | |
| He | requested | that | the car park | not | be | locked at night. |
| main clause suggest-noun | that clause with subjunctive | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| They made a | suggestion | that | we | be | early. |
| He made a | proposal | that | the company | buy | more land. |
| The president has issued an | order | that | the secretary | resign | next month. |
| main clause advisable-adjective | that clause with subjunctive | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It is | advisable | that | she | rest | for a week. | |
| It was | essential | that | the army | advance | rapidly. | |
| After the landing, it will be | vital | that | every soldier | not | use | a radio. |
| main clause anxious-adjective | that clause with subjunctive | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tara is | anxious | that | you | return | soon. | |
| They are | keen | that | he | not | be | hurt. |
| We were | determined | that | it | remain | secret. | |
Notice above↑:
- the position of not when creating negation
- that the main clause can be in any tense
Look at some more examples, which include that clauses in negative and continuous form:
- The judges order that he stay the execution.
- We have made a request that we not be disturbed.
- It is important that a car be waiting when we arrive.
- The manager was eager that his visitor see the new building.
- The board of directors recommended that he not be dismissed.
- Have you seen my suggestion that work hours be reduced?
The use of the subjunctive as above is more common in American English than in British English, where should structures are often used:
- It was essential that we should vote the following day.
- He requested that the car park should not be locked at night.
be after if
We sometimes use subjunctive be after if/whether, though this is rather formal, especially in British English:
| If that | be | (not) | the case, | I intend to report the matter. |
| Whether he | be | prepared or not, |
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.William Shakespeare
Fixed expressions
Note the following fixed expressions with the subjunctive:
- Bless you!
- God bless America!
- God save the Queen.
- Long live the President!
- Heaven forbid!
- Heaven help us!
were-Subjunctive
Form of were-subjunctive
| were-subjunctive | |
|---|---|
| be | |
| I | were |
| you | were |
| he, she, it | were |
| we | were |
| you | were |
| they | were |
Note that the subjunctive does not change according to person (I, you, he etc).
Use of were-subjunctive
In the following examples, you can see that we sometimes use the were-subjunctive (instead of was) after:
- if
- as if
- wish
- suppose
Note that in these cases were is always correct, but was is possible in informal language:
| Formal with were | Informal with was |
|---|---|
| I would go if I were younger. | I would go if I was younger. |
| If he were not so mean, he would buy one. | If he wasn't so mean, he would buy one. |
| I'd tell her if I were you. | We do not normally say "if I was you" even in colloquial language. |
| It's not as if I were ugly. | It's not as if I was ugly. |
| She acts as if she were the Queen. | She acts as if she was the Queen. |
| I wish I weren't so slow! | I wish I wasn't so slow! |
| I wish the computer were working. | I wish the computer was working. |
| Suppose she were here. What would you say? | Suppose she was here. What would you say? |
If I Were a Rich ManFiddler on the Roof
If I were a boyBeyoncé
If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady,
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?Tim Hardin
Strange as it may seem, although the words hope and wish seem to be similar, we do not use the subjunctive with hope. Correct sentences with hope would be, for example:
- I hope that this computer works.
- I hope that this computer is working.
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