Be about + infinitive | English grammar lesson

source: Crown Academy of English     2017年9月19日
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The verb be (form): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wvzg...
Uses and meaning of "be": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J8bk...
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English listening quiz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrjWW...

be about + infinitive
This structure describes something that we expect to happen very soon. It refers to the immediate future.
Example sentence: The film is about to start.

We can add the word "just" between the verb "be" and the word "about" as follows:
be just about + infinitive
The meaning is practically the same but here we are really emphasising that the action is going to happen very very soon. Maybe a few seconds or minutes later.
Example sentence: The bus is just about to leave.

We can also put the verb in the past tense:
Past form of be + about + infinitive
This describes an action from the past that was going to happen, but in fact didn't happen - Usually due to a sudden change.
Example sentence: I was about to call you.

# click this line for more grammar videos on "will," "be going to," and "be about to"