Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

GONNA

364

Gonna

(pronounced /

ənə/) is an informal alternative to going to in most

informal spoken contexts (see the example in 363 above). It is the normal way in

which going to is pronounced at normal speeds; going to is therefore often

represented in writing as gonna:

It’s not 

gonna take two minutes. Then we’ll have finished.

What are you 

gonna do with them?

Û

539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Future time | 631

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INDEPENDENT ’LL

365

There are contexts involving decisions and arrangements where ’ll is normally the

only choice. In such cases ’ll is best not seen as a contraction of either will or

shall

; it may be seen as an independent form. 

As an independent form, ’ll is often used to indicate an instantaneous personal

decision:

There’s a garage. We

’ll just stop and get some petrol.

(There’s a garage. We shall/will just stop and get some petrol.)

[speaker A has just poured herself some water]

A: Anyone else want some?

B: I’ll have a drop, yes. Thanks.

Independent ’ll is also used for indicating informal decisions or arrangements

where will or shall would sound too direct or imposing:

Okay. That’s it then. We

’ll meet next week, I suppose.

[Asda is the name of a supermarket chain]

Then we

’ll get a bus to Bridgford, the boys’ll get off near Asda and we’ll all

walk to the school.