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ESL Lesson Plan · CEFR A1

Be Going To for Plans ESL Lesson Plan (A1, 60 Minutes)

A complete 60-minute A1 lesson on Be Going To for Plans, built round the theme "My Holiday Plans".

  • CEFR A1
  • 60 minutes
  • Teenagers and adults
  • Grammar
  • Future Forms
  • Be Going To for Plans

About this lesson

Who it is for. Beginners who use the present simple and am/is/are confidently. They talk about the future with the present simple (Tomorrow I visit my aunt).

Everything the lesson needs is on this page: the language analysis, the timed stages with the teacher's own words and instruction-checking questions, the differentiation, the printable handouts and the answer key.

At a glance

Level
CEFR A1 (Beginner)
Learners
Teenagers and adults
Length
60 minutes. For 45 minutes, run only "Pairs" of the two tasks in "Freer practice" and cut "Feedback and wrap-up" to board-based error correction.
Skills
Speaking
Language focus
Grammar: Be Going To for Plans
Framework
PPP (presentation, practice, production)
Materials
Handout 1 (Hasini's holiday diary), Handout 2 (practice), Handout 3 (my week planner), teacher's weekend calendar drawn on the board.
Preparation
About 10 minutes: print Handouts 1 to 3, one per learner, and read the language analysis. The answer key is for you, not the class.

Aims

Main aim. To present and practise be going to + base verb for future plans and intentions.

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can say 6 sentences about their plans and ask a partner Are you going to ...? questions.

  • Subsidiary aim. To practise future time expressions.
  • Subsidiary aim. To develop speaking by arranging a time to meet.

Language analysis

What to know before the lesson: the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language, and the problems learners usually have with it.

Form

PositiveNegativeQuestionShort answer
II'm going to visit my aunt.I'm not going to work.Am I going to see you?Yes, you are. / No, you aren't.
He / She / ItShe's going to study.He isn't going to play.Is she going to come?Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
You / We / TheyThey're going to travel.We aren't going to stay.Are you going to swim?Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.

Form: notes

am / is / are + going to + base verb

Meaning and use

  • Plans and intentions: something we have already decided to do.
  • Time expressions: tonight, tomorrow, this weekend, next week, next month, next year, on Saturday, in the holidays.

Pronunciation

  • In fast speech, going to often sounds like /ˈɡənə/ (gonna). Students should understand it but write going to.
  • Weak to: /tə/. I'm going to visit /aɪm ˈɡəʊɪŋ tə ˈvɪzɪt/.

Concept-checking questions

  • I'm going to visit my aunt on Saturday. Is Saturday in the past or the future? (Future.) · Did I decide before now? (Yes, it's my plan.) · Is it a plan or a guess? (A plan.)

Anticipated problems and solutions

ProblemSolution
Missing be (I going to swim).Three-box board model: I'm + going to + swim.
Adding -s or -ing to the base verb (going to plays).Highlight: base verb only.
Present simple for plans (Tomorrow I visit).Contrast routine vs plan on a calendar.
Pronouncing going to very carefully and slowly.Model natural speed; allow gonna in speech.

Board plan

Left: time wordsCentre: grammarRight: pronunciation
tonight · tomorrow · this weekend · next week · next month · next year · on Saturday · in the holidays
I'm going to visit my aunt. · She isn't going to work. · Are you going to swim? Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. · am / is / are + going to + base verb
going to /ˈɡəʊɪŋ tə/ → /ˈɡənə/

CEFR A1 · 60 minutes · Teenagers and adults

Procedure: Be Going To for Plans, step by step

Warm-up5 minutes · T → Ss, whole class

Aim: To engage students and introduce plans.

Draw a calendar for this weekend on the board with three pictures: a bus, a cake, a football.

Say: "This weekend is busy! Guess my plans!" Students guess freely. Confirm with the target language: "Yes! I'm going to visit my sister. I'm going to make a cake."

Ask: "Are you busy this weekend?" Take a few yes/no answers.

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Aim: To present the language in context. To clarify meaning, form and pronunciation.

Part A: Context (8 minutes)

Give out Handout 1. Say: "Read Hasini's diary. Match the days and the plans." (3 minutes.)

ICQs: "Do you match or write?" (Match.)

Pairs compare. Check as a class.

Students answer the true/false questions. Check: "Is Hasini going to go to the beach on Monday?" Model: "No, she isn't. She's going to visit her grandmother."

Part B: Language clarification (12 minutes)

Meaning. Board Hasini is going to visit her grandmother on Monday. Ask the CCQs. Draw a timeline with NOW and an arrow to Monday.

Form. Elicit the three parts: am / is / are + going to + base verb. Write the form table on the board with all persons.

Negative and questions. Elicit from the diary: She isn't going to work. Are you going to come? Elicit short answers.

Time words. Students find time words in the diary; build the list on the left of the board.

Pronunciation. Model full and natural speed. Drill chorally and individually: I'm going to swim. Are you going to come? Yes, I am.

Controlled practice10 minutes · Individual, then pairs

Aim: To practise the form accurately.

Students complete Handout 2, Exercises A and B (6 minutes).

Pairs check. Nominate students to read answers.

Picture drill: point to the weekend pictures on the board and a student's name; students make sentences: "Dinesh is going to play football."

Freer practice18 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Aim: To use the language in a personalised, communicative task.

Give out Handout 3. Students write their real or imagined plans for next week in the planner, leaving one afternoon free (4 minutes).

Model with a strong student: "Are you going to do anything on Monday afternoon?" "Yes, I'm going to play cricket." "What about Tuesday?"

Pairs (6 minutes): students ask each other to find a free afternoon to meet. When they find one, they decide what they are going to do together.

Report (4 minutes): pairs tell the class: "We're going to meet on Thursday. We're going to go to the cinema."

Writing (4 minutes): students write 6 sentences about their plans at the bottom of Handout 3.

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Aim: To give feedback and consolidate.

Board four sentences from your notes (two with errors). Students correct them.

Quick round: each student says one plan for tonight.

Set homework.

Homework Write 6 sentences about your plans for the next school holidays.

PPP (presentation, practice, production). Stage times add up to 60 minutes.

Differentiation

Support
Provide picture prompts in the planner. Give the question frame: Are you going to ___ on ___?
Stretch
Stronger students add reasons with because: I'm going to study because I have an exam. They ask What are you going to do ...? / Where are you going to go?

Adapting the lesson

ForWhat to change
A large class (40 or more)Keep the pairwork in "Freer practice" in fixed pairs rather than a mingle, and take feedback from four or five pairs instead of the whole room. Run "Pairs" once, with two pairs reporting, rather than hearing every pair. Monitor one half of the room during "Controlled practice" and the other half during "Freer practice".
A class with no photocopierPut the exercises from Handout 2: Practice on the board for learners to copy into their notebooks, and read any text aloud twice instead of printing it. The board plan above is this lesson's minimum - with that on the board, it runs on no paper at all.
An online classSend Handouts 1 to 3 in the chat before the lesson and put the board plan on a shared slide. Use breakout rooms for "Pairs" and visit each room once. Have learners type the controlled answers in the chat, so you see every answer at once instead of nominating.
A different age groupWith young learners, cut the writing at the end and give that time to the speaking task; keep the drilling short, and let them draw or mime where the plan allows it. With adults, keep the writing and ask for a short spoken summary in place of anything drawn or mimed.

Checking learning

Students form going to sentences with the correct be in 5 of 6 written sentences. Students ask and answer Are you going to ...? correctly in the meeting task.

Teacher's reflection

Did students use the correct form of be? Did the meeting task work? Did every pair find a time?

Handout 1: Hasini's Holiday Diary

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Read Hasini's diary for next week. Match the day and the plan.

Monday: I'm going to visit my grandmother in Matara. We're going to cook string hoppers together.

Tuesday: My friends and I are going to go to the beach. We aren't going to swim because the sea is rough, but we're going to play volleyball.

Wednesday: I'm not going to do anything! I'm going to stay in bed and read.

Thursday: My brother is going to take me to the zoo.

Friday: I'm going to start a new hobby: I'm going to learn the guitar!

Answers: 1 ___ 2 ___ 3 ___ 4 ___ 5 ___

True (T) or False (F)?

  • Hasini is going to swim on Tuesday. ______
  • Her brother is going to take her to the zoo. ______
  • She is going to learn the piano. ______
DayPlan
1. Mondaya. stay in bed and read
2. Tuesdayb. learn the guitar
3. Wednesdayc. visit her grandmother
4. Thursdayd. go to the zoo
5. Fridaye. go to the beach

Handout 2: Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

A. Complete with the correct form of be going to.

B. Make questions and answer them about you.

  • I ______________________ (watch) a film tonight.
  • She ______________________ (not / go) to school tomorrow.
  • ______ they ______________________ (visit) their grandparents?
  • We ______________________ (have) a party next Saturday.
  • He ______________________ (buy) a new bike.
  • My parents ______________________ (not / work) this weekend.
  • ______ you ______________________ (study) tonight? Yes, I ______.
  • It ______________________ (be) a busy week.
  • you / play / sport / this weekend? → ______________________________
  • you / visit / family / next week? → ______________________________
  • your friends / go / to the beach / tomorrow? → ______________________________

Handout 3: My Week Planner

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Write your plans. Leave ONE afternoon free.

Find a free afternoon with your partner.

We're going to meet on ______________________. We're going to ______________________________.

Write 6 sentences about your plans.

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

..........................................................................................

DayMorningAfternoon
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

Answer Key

Handout 1

Handout 2, Exercise A

Handout 2, Exercise B (questions)

Common errors to watch for

  • 1 c · 2 e · 3 a · 4 d · 5 b
  • F · 2. T · 3. F
  • am going to watch · 2. isn't going to go · 3. Are ... going to visit · 4. are going to have · 5. is going to buy · 6. aren't going to work · 7. Are ... going to study; am · 8. is going to be
  • Are you going to play sport this weekend? · 2. Are you going to visit your family next week? · 3. Are your friends going to go to the beach tomorrow?
ErrorCorrection
I going to swim.I'm going to swim.
She is going to plays tennis.She is going to play tennis.
Are you go to study?Are you going to study?
Tomorrow I visit my aunt. (plan)Tomorrow I'm going to visit my aunt.

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About this lesson plan

Written by RCF English to the RCF English international standard: levelled by the CEFR, original throughout, and suitable for classrooms in any country. Last reviewed 22 September 2026.

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