You could be one of those people who want to change things in the New Year. Learn more English, go on a diet or quit smoking. Or are you trying to save money or work harder to get a promotion? Finally clean out your cupboards?

Well, you know what psychologists say about changing your life: don’t try to change everything at once. That won’t work. If you’re unhappy about something, try changing one thing at a time.

Make Sentences with About To

What we’ll learn now is make sentences with “about to.”

You know about, when it means about a certain subject.

You can also ask questions with “How about …?

The use of about to we’ll discuss here means that you’re going to do something very soon.

Here are some examples:

I’m about to finish my story. When I do, I’ll read it to you. = I’ve almost finished my story.

The Trents are about to go out. They have their coats on already.

Carly is about to jump from the bridge. We must save her, quickly!

About To + Infinitive

So after “about to” you use the infinitive of the verb. The infinitive means the basic form of the verb. Want to know more about this? Check this and this.

About To in the Past

You can also use about to with the past.

Here are some examples of that:

I was about to book tickets for the movie, when Suzy called me to say she was ill. = I had almost booked tickets.

Will told me he was about to call me, but then we met in the street. = Will was going to call me soon.

Ms Swanson was about to download some songs, but her children told her they would bring their music players on the long trip.

 

He’s about to jump! 

Here is an exercise with about to, about what several people will do in the near future:

Exercise

You can do the exercise online here.

Rewrite the following sentences using “about to.”

The first one has been done for you:

Bob is going to sign his first business deal.

Answer: Bob is about to sign his first business deal.

1 Leni and Benny are going to get married.

2 The Gibbses are planning to go on a ski holiday.

3 Jared wanted to turn on his PlayStation when his girlfriend called.

4 I was going to water my plants when it started to rain.

5 Detective Bob was going to arrest his suspect for murder, when the real killer was caught.

6 Jenna wants to go on a strict diet, but I don’t think it will work.

7 That young Chinese skater is going to take another few seconds off her race.

8 He just wanted to say he was sorry, but then he changed his mind.

9 We wanted to leave, but the barman already put the next round in front of us.

10 A comet is going to hit Earth!