Very often the textbook
grammar in the English language is not the language we commonly
use. We must remember that language evolves, and these changes
become acceptable in conversation.
We teach
the Present Continuous Tense as the verb "to be", plus the
gerund, and it's to say an action that we are doing at that
moment.
I‘m writing my blog.
The
Intentional Future is formed with "to be going to……(verb)" It's
used to say that we are planning (or we have the intention) of
doing something in the future.
I'm
going to write my blog.
In the
spoken language this intentional future can be "shortened" by
eliminating "going to" and using the verb (what we intend to do)
in the gerund form. It's important to remember when using this
structure, to specify a future.
Ex. I'm writing my blog this afternoon.
Here are
more examples to give your students.
I'm going to work in Rome next summer.
I'm working in Rome next summer.
I'm going to visit my friend this weekend.
I'm visiting my friend this weekend.
The
meaning of both these forms is the same. They are both
intentional future. It's just a shorter way of saying the very
same thing.
Another example is using the expression "I had better..." plus
verb.
"I had better leave now or I'll miss
my bus."
This
form too can be shortened by eliminating "had".
"I better leave now or I'll miss
my bus."
The teacher
can explain the above using various examples. The students too,
can try to write sentences in these "shortened" forms.
It
doesn't hurt the students to become accustomed to the spoken
language that is used by native speakers. It will be aid for
them in comprehension.
A Nice
Thought
"The average teacher explains complexity, the gifted teacher
reveals simplicity."