Language Systems: Grammar

Integrated DELTA March 2013

Language Systems:
Grammar
Helping learners understand and use going to, present
continuous and will to talk about future

Kateryna Kirichenko
19-May-13

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Language Systems: Grammar

Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
1. BE GOING TO ..................................................................................................................................... 4
2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS ..................................................................................................................... 5
3. WILL(‘LL) / WON’T ............................................................................................................................. 6
Problems and solutions................................................................................................................................. 8
Problem 1:Over-generalising as a result of L1 interference ..................................................................... 8
Problem 2: Omission of verb to be ........................................................................................................... 9
Problem 3: Notional differences ............................................................................................................... 9
Problem 4: Overuse of full form of going to/will .................................................................................... 10
Word count: ................................................................................................................................................ 11
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 11

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Language Systems: Grammar

Introduction

While some language have a single ‘future tense’, English uses a lot of different verb forms to refer to
future time. This makes it difficult for learners to choose an appropriate form. In many situations more
than one is appropriate which makes the distinctions ‘fuzzy’ (Parrott, 2010).

In my experience, the most problematic is explaining that it’s not really about the time of the event, it’s
more about the likelihood of its occurrence (Willis, 2003) and often the speaker’s own perception.
He/she has to choose whether it’s a plan or arrangement; prediction based on evidence or just a guess,
etc.

Teaching future time has often been often a frustrating experience for me. Therefore I decided to
choose it as the topic of this essay.

I have chosen to restrict my research to the following constructions: going to, present continuous, and
will/won't.

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Language Systems: Grammar

Analysis

1. BE GOING TO
Meaning/Use
a. planned future events – something that has been thought about, mentioned or decided before
now (Scrivener, 2010):

We’re going to visit my aunt this weekend.

b. predictions based on present or past evidence and things that are on the way (Swan, 2005):

It’s going to be a sunny day. There is not a cloud in the sky!

She’s going to buy that dress she‘s seen in the show.
She’s going to have a baby.
These uses are closely related since both of them have a basis in present or past evidence - to make an
intention or decision about our own actions, or to predict external events (Parrott, 2010)

Some authors (Willis, 2003), (Swan, 2005) refer to be going to as a present continuous of go + the full
infinitive. However, I believe that it is easier to teach it as a separate structure, due to the differences in
meaning (see present continuous) and agree with G. Leech who points out the difference between be
going to as a single unit and the verb go in present continuous tense + infinitive of purpose and says that
they are “... not to be confused. The first is our present concern: it can be reduced to the pronunciation
represented gonna, where the second cannot” (Leech, 2004).

Grammatical form
question am/ subject am/is/are/ not going to bare
word is/ or or Infinitive
are ‘m/’s/’re n’t
Affirmative I ‘m going to have lunch
Question (When) are we going to to see them?
Negative They aren’t going to stay here
(Parrott, 2010)

Phonological problems
In informal speech, it is often pronounced /gənə/ . The initial pronoun is often pronounced very weakly:

He's going to be our boss in a few years if he keeps advancing at this rate.
/zgənə/

This often makes it difficult for the learners to understand what is being said (Scrivener, 2010).

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Language Systems: Grammar

2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
(also called Present Progressive)

Meaning/Use
It is often called “arranged future” – because we use it to refer to the future when arrangements have
been made (we bought the tickets, booked a table, or someone is expecting us to do something/to be
somewhere). We usually specify a future time (next Monday, tomorrow) unless it is clear that we are
referring to the future rather than the present (Parrott, 2010).

We are leaving tomorrow.

Only people can make arrangements, so this tense is only used when people are responsible for the
action - it is always ‘personal’:

The school is closing next week. (NOT * It’s raining tomorrow.)

The difference between ‘arrangement’ and “plan” is a very slight one, so be going to and present
continuous often can be interchangeable:

I’m going to visit my grandparents this weekend.

I’m visiting my grandparents this weekend.

However, there is sometimes a small change of emphasis, due to the social nature of arrangement
(Leech, 2004). The second example can express reluctance by someone who now regrets the
arrangement:

I’d love to meet but I’m visiting my grandparents.

Therefore, it can be somewhat strange to use present continuous to talk about activities the speaker will
do alone:

*I’m watching TV this evening (I’m going to watch TV is more natural).

Grammatical form
present form of to be + an -ing verb form.

question am/ subject am/ not -ing form

word is/ is/ or
are are n’t
Affirmative They are leaving tomorrow
Question (When) is he coming back?
Negative She isn’t coming today.
(Parrott, 2010)

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Language Systems: Grammar

Phonological problems
Contracted forms are used in most contexts, other than in formal writing. It may sound odd if the
auxiliary verb is pronounced fully, unless it is used to emphasise a point (Scrivener, 2010):

A: Anna’s not going.

Anna: I am going!

3. WILL(‘LL) / WON’T
Meaning/Use
a. to make predictions that aren’t based on present or past evidence (guesses based on
characteristic behaviour or assertions of faith about the future) (Parrott, 2010):

He won’t come to this kind of party.

They’ll never get elected.

b. volition – we use will to express willingness to do something (promises, undertakings and

agreements) (Willis, 2003):

I’ll get some bread on the way home.

c. to ask/ give factual information about the future (Swan, 2005):

He’ll be 12 this year.

Being a modal verb will has intrinsic (permission, willingness and necessity) and extrinsic (prediction or
possibility) meanings. For example, I will see you tomorrow combines an intrinsic use to express
willingness and an extrinsic use to imply a prediction about the future (Maxwell and Clandfield, n.d.).

Some authors such as Swan (2005), Thornbury (2006) and Willis (2003), refer to will as the most
common way to express future.

Grammatical form
will (‘ll, won’t) + bare infinitive of the main verb. It is a modal verb and therefore it doesn’t change form
to show tense or person (Scrivener, 2010)

Subject will (‘ll, won’t) bare infinitive

We ‘ll take him.
I won’t stay long.

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Language Systems: Grammar

Questions are formed by inverting the position of will (‘ll, won’t) with the subject:

Will you stay?

The full form is used in formal writing and speaking situations. In informal speech, we use the full form
after nouns and noun phrases (Parrott, 2010)

Phonological problems
An important feature of will is the high frequency contraction ‘ll in informal spoken language (Yule,
1998). It can be a problem for students to say it well. The sound of ‘ll is known as ‘dark l’ and is
pronounced as /ʊl/ (Scrivener, 2010).

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Language Systems: Grammar

Problems and solutions

Problem 1: Over-generalising as a result of L1 interference

Many learners tend to rely on a limited stock of future forms often as a result of L1 interference.

In Arabic language there are no future forms – verbs are used in present form with an added deictic
pointer (tomorrow, next week). Therefore most of my lower level students often use present simple:

*I go shopping tomorrow.

My Indonesian students overused will because in their language there is only one future form ‘akan’
used with deictic pointers. It is similar to will in English in form and is used to express all future
meanings:

*I will visit my parents this weekend.

Speakers of other languages have similar problems. German has a rough equivalent to will but no going
to so German learners tend to overuse will; French has no present continuous tense, therefore simple
present may be incorrectly used for the future, etc. ( Swan and Smith, 2001).

Solution: for my higher levels Arab students I have used text- based presentations as consciousness-
raising activities followed by explicit teaching of the uses of different forms and controlled practice.

Aim: to familiarise learners with the different ways future meanings are expressed in English language

Procedure

 students read a text where they see different ways of expressing future
 they highlight different future expressions and discuss the differences in groups. They then
present their findings to the class.
 open class feedback session where teacher answers questions and explains the differences
(handout provided at the end)
 students work in pairs to complete a gap filling activity using the handout as a reference.
 feedback with the whole class

Evaluation: Some learners feel comfortable if they have some declarative knowledge about grammar. It
is probably the easiest way to show the variety of future expressions. Inductive activities promote
deeper understanding and help memorisation. In this activity students are engages in meaningful
negotiation trying to work out the rules. The gap fill allows the students to apply the rules and the
teacher to check students’ understanding.

NB: Further practice in the following lessons is required to encourage learners to use different forms in
speaking and writing.

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Language Systems: Grammar

Problem 2: Omission of verb to be

In the languages where there is no auxiliary use of to be (such as Arabic or Korean that use inflectional
affixes instead), students often omit to be in present continuous of be going to:

I going to meet my cousin.

I flying to Dubai tomorrow morning.

Solution: grammaring – dictogloss (Thornbury S. , 2001)

Aim: to identify a gap in students’ knowledge and draw attention to the form of TL.

Procedure:

 Tell the students that they will listen to a short text. They need to remember any words or
expressions they can and write them down AFTER I finished reading the text. They can’t write
while I read. Write any words that may cause difficulties on the board (e.g. proper names.)
 Students start by writing individually, then they work in pairs/groups to reconstruct the text.
 Put students into larger groups to compare and alter their texts.
 Read the text again. Students make final changes.
 Show them the original text. Ask the students to highlight the differences. Accept alternative
correct answers.

Evaluation: This activity facilitates noticing and gives the students motivation to “get it right”. It gives
both input (the text) and provides output opportunities (Thornbury S. , 2001). It also provides the
students with opportunities for meaningful interaction and encourages peer correction and teaching.
Because the students work in pairs/small groups even the quieter students have opportunities to speak.
Very important is that students have time to think. As a group activity it doesn’t put the pressure on
individual students who are afraid to make mistakes. It suits both analytical and communicative
learning styles.

Problem 3: Notional differences

After introducing the three ways of expressing future in English or when using previously learnt forms
for contrasting with the new ones, it becomes complicated for students and teachers. Explaining the
notional differences between the many ways of expressing future in English to even higher levels
students is often met with a lot of confusion. The abstract notions (intentions, fixed arrangements,
premeditated decisions and spontaneous decisions, predictions based on present or past evidence) and
those based on speaker’s perception of the future event are very problematic for many students.
Register factors, such as speech vs. writing and formal vs. informal also influence the choice of form and
lead to further confusion (Thornbury S. , 2006).

Often when we learn the differences between the ways of expressing future, I give the students the
rules of thumb (in my experience differences between arrangement and plan seem to cause most
difficulties, particularly for elementary students). But then my students see examples in authentic texts
(newspapers, books) that contradict those rules and come back asking for explanations. I found it

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difficult to explain (especially for lower levels) that often personal view of the speaker or even the style
of the text can influence the choice of the form.

Solution: contextualising and consciousness –raising activity

Aim: to use context to clarify the conceptual differences between future the ways to express future in
English

Procedure:

 Students are given a ‘to do’ list that one person wrote and asked to talk about this person’s
plans. This elicits going to structure.
 Listen to a dialogue between two people discussing the plans. In the dialogue, items that are not
on the list come up and are discussed using will for immediate decisions.
 Listen to another conversation and say what is going to/will happen.
 Students complete an exercise where they need to choose correct ways of expressing future.

Evaluation: During these stages the students have opportunities to see different ways of expressing
future in context. This activity presents learners with an authentic input and stimulates output. It is
cognitively engaging and therefore helps memorisation.

Problem 4: Overuse of full form of going to/will

A lot of English learners (especially in lower levels) tend to use full forms of going to and will. For my
Arab students contracted form ‘ll can be difficult to pronounce and most of the Vietnamese students
struggled to pronounce /gənə/. In informal conversational speech full forms often sound too formal
and unnatural. Also, as I have mentioned in the analysis, both will and auxiliary to be in present
continuous and going to can suggest a degree of obstinate insistence when stressed.

Some languages, like Spanish, don’t have contracted forms so learners find it difficult to pick up will: I’ll
come tomorrow they construe as I come tomorrow ( Swan and Smith, 2001).

Solution: drilling/controlled speaking practice.

Aim: to raise students’ awareness of contracted forms in informal conversional speech and to provide
them with opportunities to practice the pronunciation of contracted forms

Procedure:

 students listen to a dialogue.

 they look at the transcript. The teacher draws their attention to contracted future forms,
models and drills their pronunciation.
 students listen to the dialogue again and practice it in pairs a few times. Then they act it out
with another pair who need to listen to provide peer correction.
 students write their own dialogues following the model, rehearse it and act it out.
 teacher provides feedback on the activity.

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Language Systems: Grammar

Evaluation: While this activity is quite restrictive, it helps the students by providing them with a model,
drawing their attention to the problem and allowing them to practice their pronunciation. Drilling is
often necessary for the students to understand how to pronounce certain structures and is often
expected by the students who had similar learning experiences in the past.

It also gives them an opportunity to personalise TL by writing their own dialogues.

Word count:

Introduction: 142 wrods

Analysis: 906 words

Problems and solutions: 1292 words

Total word count (including headings): 2343 words

Bibliography

Leech, G. (2004). Meaning and the English Verb. Pearson Education Limited.

Parrott, M. (2010). Grammar for English Language teachers. CUP.

Scrivener, J. (2010). Teaching English Grammar. Macmillan.

Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. OUP.

Swan and Smith. (2001). Learner English. CUP.

Thornbury, S. (2006). An A-Z of ELT. Macmillan.

Thornbury, S. (2001). Uncovering Grammar. Macmillan.

Willis, D. (2003). Rules, Patterns and Words Grammar and lexis in English Language Teaching. CUP.

Yule, G. (1998). Explaining English Grammar. OUP.

Online articles:

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Language Systems: Grammar

Maxwell and Clandfield. (n.d.). Modal Verbs 2. Retrieved May 16, 2013, from the World Wide Web:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-tenses/modal-verbs-2-
article/144871.article

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