Definition

"About to" is a simple way to talk about the future. You can use it to describe what you are doing right before something happens. For example, imagine you are sitting in a movie theater. The lights are dim and the trailers are playing. You might say "I'm about to see a movie."

Remember, "about to" always describes something that is happening very soon. It is not used to describe future plans. For example, you would not say "I'm about to go to the store" if you plan to go later today. You would say "I'm going to the store."

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Examples

Here are some other examples of how to use "about to":

• I'm about to study for my test.
• The timer is about to go off.
• We're about to have a baby!
• I'm about to write a novel.
• Can I call you back? I'm about to go out.
• Look at that monkey! It's about to jump.
• Hurry! The shop's about to close.
• The sky or clouds are dark. I think it's about to rain.
• Turn off your phone. The concert is about to start.
• We're about to have lunch. Would you like to join us?
• I am about to go to bed. 
• The sun was about to rise.

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Conclusion

As you can see, "about to" can be used in a variety of situations. Just remember that it always describes something that is happening very soon. Have you ever used about to before? If so, how did you use it?

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