Level: Low Intermediate and Up
Pair with the Songs:
“Like I’m Gonna Lose You” (Meghan Trainor, 2015)
“When I’m Gone” (Anna Kendrick, 2012)
Recommended Videos:
“Like I’m Gonna Lose You”: the official video (It is suitable for most classrooms. It does, however, show romantic kisses, so previewing is advised.); the audio-only video
“When I’m Gone”: the official video (This is the famous “cups” video. A reference to whiskey in the lyrics may make this song inappropriate for some classes; otherwise, both the song and video are classroom-friendly.)

In informal speech, gonna is often used instead of going to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students that gonna is not used in writing; it is the way going to is pronounced. It is also important to stress that gonna is substituted for going to in future-tense sentences only; they can’t say I’m gonna the park now. For these reasons, this apparently simple exercise may not be appropriate for lower levels.) The song “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” repeats the phrase I’m gonna 21 times; the song “When I’m Gone” repeats the phrase you’re gonna 20 times. The Moving Line activity below gives students multiple opportunities to practice this construction. First, ask several students, “What are you gonna do after class?” (or this evening, this weekend, tomorrow, etc.) to model the exercise and make sure students understand how gonna is used. Then follow the steps below. This low-prep activity facilitates a lot of interaction in a short amount of time and gets students up and out of their seats. It is highly recommended.

• 1. Divide the class into two groups of equal numbers. (If you have an odd number of students, participate in the activity yourself to make the groups even.) Students form two lines facing one another.

2. Students ask the student facing them, “What are you gonna do after class?” The student answers, “I’m gonna _______. What are you gonna do?” The student answers, “I’m gonna _______.” Then one line shifts position so that each student has a new partner. (The person at the end of the moving line moves to the beginning of the line.)

3. Students exchange the same information with their new partners. (Having students recite the same lines with each partner, like actors in a play, keeps the activity–literally–moving along. The activity doesn’t get boring because students hear new information from each partner.) Then they shift positions again.

4. The students in the moving line continue to interact with new partners and then move on. The activity concludes when the students in the moving line are back in their original positions.

Variation: The Moving Circle. Students form two concentric circles. The inside circle faces out, and the outside circle faces in. After each exchange, the outside circle shifts position; the inside circle remains stationary.