Day 9 Word stress AND Present continuous and ‘be going to’ for talking about the future

1.Word stress

Words with stress on the third syllable from the end:

bi-O-gra-phy

ge-O-gra-phy

pho-TO-gra-phy

Words with stress on the penultimate syllable (4-syllable words):

al-pha-BET-ic

bi-o-GRAPH-ic

ge-o-GRAPH-ic

pho-to-GRAPH-ic

Words with stress on the penultimate syllable (3-syllable words):

ar-TIST-ic

dra-MA-tic

2.Grammar Reference

Present continuous and ‘be going to’ for talking about the future

Meaning and use
We can use the present continuous to talk about the future when we have already arranged to do something. It’s definite, not just an idea. Perhaps we have put the arrangement in our diaries.

‘Are you free at 2 o’clock on Tuesday?’ ‘No, I’m meeting a client.’

We can use be going to to talk about something that we have decided to do in the future, but not arranged yet. It’s possible that the plan might change.

When I finish at college, I’m going to spend a year travelling.

The uses of the present continuous and ‘be going to’ with future meaning are very similar and it is often possible to use either of them, with little or no change in meaning.

We also use be going to for something that we expect to happen because we can see from the present situation that it is very likely. We can’t use the present continuous in this way.

It’s so cold. I’m sure it’s going to snow soon.

Oh no! That car’s going to hit the tree.

Form
Present continuous
Subject + am/is/are + -ing form

Be going to
Subject + am/is/are + going to + infinitive

For both tenses, we usually use contractions, or short forms (I’m, he’s, we’re, etc.) when we are speaking.

Positive

I’m spending the day on the beach tomorrow with Zach.

We’re going to look for a nice restaurant with a view of the sea.

Negative

We’re not visiting the museum on Saturday.

They’re not going to visit the Taj Mahal.

Question

What are you doing at the weekend? (= what have you arranged?)

What are you going to do at the weekend? (= what is your plan?)

Are they going to get married in the summer?

Take note: time expressions
For both the present continuous for arrangements and ‘be going to’ for plans, we often use time expressions like at half-past ten, next Thursday, at the weekend, soon.

Are you coming home soon?

I’m going to send out all the invitations next week.

Take note: arrangements and timetables
Use the present continuous and NOT the present simple for things that you have arranged to do. Use the present simple for future events on timetables and programmes.

We’re going by train tomorrow morning.

The train leaves at 7.45.

Spoken English
We often pronounce going to as ‘gonna’, especially in informal conversation.

3.Vocabulary

to propose
to ask someone to marry you

to get married
the event that happens on the day of your wedding

to be married
your situation after the wedding; having a wife or husband

to get engaged
to make an agreement with someone that you will get married to each other

to be engaged
your situation after you have made an agreement with someone that you will get married to each other

venue
a place where something happens, usually an event

catering
making or serving food, often for an event

ceremony
official set of acts as part of a social or religious event

invitation
formal request to go to an event

wetsuit
special clothing worn in the water by divers and surfers

photographer
someone who takes photographs for their job

bride
the woman who is getting married

groom
the man who is getting married

bridesmaids
the women or girls who help the woman getting married

groomsmen
the men or boys who help the man getting married

fare
a type of food

bridal
the adjective related to ‘bride’

pretty much
almost

ongoing
continuing

country bumpkins
people who live in the country, and are sometimes considered to be slow or stupid

yurt
a kind of tent, traditionally used by some Central Asian people

up for (something)
keen (to do something)

rustic
typical of a simple and rough, countryside style

"Let’s meet around 12ish"
Say this if you are not sure of the exact time

"Just to let you know"
Say this if you want to tell someone something, but don’t want to sound like you think you arevery important

"If you could do X, that would be great"
This is a polite way of saying: “Please do X.”

"This is a message for Rolandas"
You say this at the start of a phone message

"Thanks for that"
This is an informal way of thanking someone for doing something

to settle down
to start living with someone in one place and make your home there

to judge
to make an opinion about something or something

to keep something in mind
to remember some particular information (while making a decision about something else)

expectations
things that you want or expect to happen

on behalf of someone
for someone, representing someone

an arranged marriage
when parents or others choose who you marry

couple
(here) two people who are in a romantic relationship

honeymoon
a holiday, which a couple takes immediately after they get married

supplier
a person or an organisation that sells something or provides something

florist
a person or a shop that sells flowers

quote
(here) a statement of the price of some goods or services, so the customer can decide whether to buy them or not

justified
if there is a good reason for something, we can say that it is ‘justified’

emotional
having strong feelings

impact
effect

on a budget
with a limited amount of money available to spend

negotiate
have a discussion about something, and try to reach an agreement

essential
necessary

under the weather
unwell; feeling ill

(to have) the wind in our sails
making good progress

batten down the hatches
prepare for a difficult situation

ride the storm
to stay safe and not be damaged or harmed during a difficult time

plain sailing
making smooth and easy progress

all at sea
very confused and disorganised

to know the ropes
to know how to do things properly

shipshape
clean, tidy, in good order

three sheets to the wind
(informal) very drunk