ABA Journal The digital English academy
The end of the year celebrations have passed, all of those with family, friends, lots of food, and therefore, extra pounds. You might look in the mirror and say, “Oh my God! What’s happened to me? It’s time to sign up to the gym!” Others say, “I want to learn English, this year I will do it,” or “This year I will travel to my favourite destination.” April then arrives and it seems that your energy and motivation have begun to diminish. Don’t give up! Yes, it’ll be possible if you have determination and discipline.
For the Romans, the god Janus (Does January sound familiar?) was associated with the month of January, a door closing on the past and opening on new projects. This month is the time to set your goals, your objectives for the new year. Start on the right foot by learning how to express them in English.
Tips for writing your New Year’s resolutions
Plan to do something that will be a challenge for you
Try to make your resolutions a real challenge. When something is very easy to obtain, it’s no longer a resolution. It’s more like another task to complete. In this case, we recommend using the future intentional (going to). This is formed using the auxiliary to be + going to + the infinitive of the main verb. As the name implies, it’s used to talk about a general intention to do something, without having planned anything yet:
I am going to visit China this year.
I am going to study very seriously next year.
Get your emotions involved
If your New Year’s resolutions only produce yawns, there’s something wrong. What makes you feel excited? You have to be realistic, of course, but don’t forget to add a little adventure and excitement when creating your goals. 
The future simple (will) is a good alternative to talk about what lies ahead. It’s formed using will/shall + the base form of the verb. As to your intentions, the future simple is used to indicate something that you’re thinking about doing in the immediate future but that hasn’t been planned yet. In short, it expresses a spontaneous and instantaneous decision:
When I find a job, I will travel all around the world.
I will call John as soon as possible.
Be specific
To tell the truth, sometimes we fail to achieve our resolutions simply because they aren’t clear and we never set a specific deadline for achieving them. You must be specific and define exactly what you want. What about trying to write your goal in the continuous? The present continuous is made up of two parts: the present of the verb to be and the present participle of the main verb. Among its many functions, it’s also used to talk about a project already planned in the future:
I am visiting Orlando with some friends in May.
We are refurbishing our home next month.
https://soundcloud.com/abaenglish/ep-80-how-to-use-going-to-aba-on-air
Dare to dream
Maybe you’re not sure what you want to do, or when, or where. But you can brainstorm, use your imagination, and set your mind free. Don’t forget that dreams are free. The verbs to plan and to think are used in the present continuous to express plans and intentions that we haven’t planned out or that we aren’t yet completely sure about.
I am planning to start a dance course.
I am thinking of adopting a dog.
Some unconventional resolutions
https://www.instagram.com/p/B61JniiK6MN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Do you still have no clear idea about which New Year’s resolutions you want to make? Here are a few ideas (some a bit out of the ordinary) for new things you can do over the next 12 months of the year. The only limit is your imagination. Besides, it doesn’t have to be all about you, you can also help make other people feel good.
- Make a new friend every month. And if you learn English? You could meet friends from other cultures.
- Lose weight by cooking exotic food.
- Learn something new. How about taking tango or origami classes?
- Help someone. You could join a foundation as a volunteer or even travel to another country to support a noble cause.
- Learn some magic tricks. Surprise your friends with a few good card tricks and watch their jaws drop. It can help you break the ice and maybe even win over the love of your life.
Do you have any unusual resolutions this year? Share them in the comments! Remember that for each resolution, you have to plan your strategy. That means you have to establish a plan of action that you’ll follow to achieve your goal. Of course, first of all, you should learn to speak English well. Make the most of the information in this blog and when you’re ready, you can participate in our interactive courses. For now, you can start by completing the following exercise.
Exercise: Fill in the blanks.
- This year I plan to…
- When I get some money, I will…
- I am … travel to London next month.
- I am visiting my grandmother next…
Great! Now you know how to make your New Year’s resolutions using various future verb tenses. We hope you achieve everything you set out to do. Great achievements are obtained by adding together small efforts. You can do it!
