Going to and Present Continuous

These two forms are used to talk about future plans. There are, however, some
differences between the two forms.

1. The present continuous for future plans:

The present continuous is used when we say what we have planned and arranged to
do at a specific time in the future. These are fixed plans with definite time and/or place.

Examples:

 I'm doing my homework this evening.

 I'm starting university in September.
 Sally is meeting John at seven o'clock this evening in a restaurant
downtown.

2. To be + going to + verb:

A. We use 'going to' to express the future when we intend to do something or have
decided to do something but did not arrange it. It is just an intention.

Example:

 A: The windows are dirty.

B: Yes I know. I'm going to clean them later.
= I've decided to clean them ,but I haven't arranged to clean them.

B. We also use 'going to' to make predictions.

 Watch out! you are going to break the glass.

 It's so cloudy! I think it's going to rain.
 Difference between present continuous and be going to
Both going to and present continuous are used to talk about future actions and events
that have some present reality. So, for example, if we say that something is
happening or going to happen, it is usually already decided or planned.
We are going to get new windows.
We are getting new windows.
As you can see, both sentences express nearly the same idea.
Both present continuous and be going to can be used to express the same idea. In
some cases there is a difference of meaning.
The present continuous tense is common with verbs of movement.
I am just popping out to the café.
Are you coming to the party?
The present continuous tense is mainly used to talk about personal arrangements and
fixed plans. Be going to can also be used to express the same idea; however, it puts an
extra emphasis on the idea of intention.
 I am going to get a new job. (= I intend to get a job.)
 I am getting a new job. (= It is already decided / arranged. Here the focus is on
the arrangement.)
 What are you doing this evening? (A question about arrangements)
 Are you going to do anything about that letter you received from the civic
authorities? (A question about the intentions of the listener)
 I am seeing Peter tomorrow. (Here the emphasis is on the arrangement that
already exists.)
 I am going to ask him to stop borrowing my car. (Here the emphasis is on the
intentions of the speaker.)
Events outside people’s control
We do not normally use the present continuous to talk about events that are outside
people’s control.
 It is going to snow before long. (NOT It is snowing before long.)
 Look at the sky. It is going to rain.
 Prices are going to fall.
The sentences ‘It is raining’ and ‘Prices are falling’ have altogether different meanings.
They are used to talk about actions or situations that are in progress at the
moment. Be going to is only used to talk about future events.
No obstante entre el "present continuous" y "going to..." hay algunas diferencias:
a) El "present continuous" se prefiere en aquellas acciones que han sido ya
programadas del tipo, reuniones, viajes, fiestas, etc, en las que hay que poner de
acuerdo a otras personas.
b) La expresión "going to..." se utiliza principalmente cuando se quiere resaltar
la voluntad del emisor. Éste está plenamente decidido a realizar esa acción por lo que
hay muchas probabilidades de que se lleve a cabo. Posiblemente el emisor haya
realizado ya alguna actuación encaminada a ejecutar la acción.
 This evening I am going to the see the match between Real Madrid and
Barcelona (ya he comprado las entradas).
c) También la expresión "going to" se utiliza para describir acciones que van a suceder
en un futuro inmediato ya que hay indicios que apuntan a ello: The sky is very dark; it
is going to rain.
d) Mientras que con el "present continuous" siempre hay que mencionar el
momento en el que se va a desarrollar la acción, con la expresión "going to..." cabe a
veces omitir toda referencia temporal (se entiende que va a tener lugar en un futuro
inmediato pero no se precisa cuando).