5.3: Predictions with Evidence

ESOL Intermediate Grammar · LibreTexts

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    Predictions with Evidence: Be going to or Will?

    As you have already seen, both ‘Will” and “Be going to” can be used to make predictions. However, there is an exception. We use “Be going to” to make predictions when something in the present gives you an idea of what is going to happen or not going to happen in the future. We do not use "Will." We can call this “prediction with evidence.”

    Exercise 3.2

    Look at this picture. Can you predict what is going to happen?

    waiting to board.jpg

    From your experience of travel, you probably figured out that this young man is going to board a plane to take a flight somewhere. How did you know this ? There is a lot of evidence in this photo:

    • The plane taking off tells you he is at the airport.
    • You will recognize the seating arrangement typical of an airport boarding gate area.
    • The young man is resting his legs on a suitcase.

    Is there any other evidence of what is going to happen? Discuss this with a partner and share your observations with the class.

    Exercise 3.3

    Work with a pair or group. You will choose or be assigned one or more pictures to examine. Answer the questions about predictions. Use the correct form of "Be Going to."

    going camping.jpg

    1. Where are the people in the car going?

    2. What are they going to do?

    3. What is the evidence for your decision? (Give at least three answers.)

     

    siutcase and contents.jpg     

     1. Look at the contents of the suitcase. Where do you think the owner of the suitcase is going?

     2. What is the person going to do?

     3. What is the evidence for your decision? (Give at least three answers.)

     

    0-.jpg

     1. What is the man giving to the woman?

     2. What is going to happen next?

     3. What is the evidence for your decision? (Give at least three answers.)

     

     

    moving day.jpg

    1. What are these people doing?

    2. What is going to happen next?

    3. What is the evidence for your decision? (Give at least three answers.)

     

     

    0-Basketball hoop.jpg

     

    1. What is this man doing?

    2. What is going to happen next?

    3. What is the evidence for your decision? (Give at least three answers.)

     

    biker in air.jpg

    1. What is this man doing?

    2. What is going to happen next?

    3. What is the evidence for your decision? (Give at least three answers.)

     

     

     

    Page by Allyson Marceau /Photos by Freepik https://www.freepik.com/

    This page titled 5.3: Predictions with Evidence was last modified on Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:00:40 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Allyson Marceau.