Exercise 1
Choose the correct present continuous form to complete each sentence about a future plan or arrangement.
Example: She ______ (meet / is meeting / meets) her friend tomorrow afternoon.
Answer: She is meeting her friend tomorrow afternoon.
Present Continuous for the Future
We usually think of the present continuous as something happening right now. For example: "I am eating lunch." But in English, we also use the present continuous for the future. This means we can use it to talk about plans and arrangements we have already made for a future time.
Think of it like this: you have already organised something. It is fixed and definite. You know when it is happening and who is involved.
Look at these simple examples:
- "I am meeting Sara tomorrow." (I already arranged this with Sara.)
- "We are flying to Rome on Friday." (The tickets are booked.)
- "He is starting his new job next Monday." (It is already organised.)
In this lesson, you will learn exactly how and when to use the present continuous for the future, with clear rules, tables, and examples.
A Simple Story to Start
Meet Tom. Today is Wednesday. Tom has a very busy week ahead. He already has plans. Nothing is a dream or a wish — everything is arranged and confirmed.
Tom says:
- "I am having dinner with my parents on Thursday."
- "My friend is visiting me on Saturday."
- "We are going to the cinema on Sunday afternoon."
Tom is not doing these things right now. He is talking about the future. But he uses the present continuous because these are fixed arrangements — they are already planned and agreed.
When Do We Use the Present Continuous for the Future?
Use the present continuous for the future when:
- The event is a fixed arrangement (already planned and organised).
- You know the time (tomorrow, on Friday, next week, at 3 o'clock, etc.).
- You know the people involved.
- The plan was made before this moment — not just now.
We do not use it for general future predictions or facts. (We use will or going to for those.)
Rule Breakdown
How to Form the Present Continuous for the Future
The grammar structure is the same as the normal present continuous. You just add a future time expression to show it is about the future.
Structure:
Subject + am / is / are + verb-ing + future time expression
Examples of future time expressions:
- tomorrow
- tonight
- on Monday / on Friday
- next week / next month / next year
- at 5 o'clock this evening
- this weekend
- in the morning
Positive (Affirmative) Sentences
Subject + am / is / are + verb-ing
| Subject | am / is / are | Verb + -ing | Future Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | am | working | tomorrow |
| You | are | meeting | him tonight |
| He / She / It | is | flying | on Saturday |
| We | are | having | a party next Friday |
| They | are | visiting | us next week |
More full sentence examples:
- I am seeing the doctor at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
- She is picking up the children at 3 o'clock this afternoon.
- We are having a BBQ in the garden on Sunday.
- They are arriving at the airport at midnight.
Negative Sentences
Subject + am not / is not / are not + verb-ing
We add not after am, is, or are to make a negative sentence.
| Subject | Negative form | Contraction | Verb + -ing | Future Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | am not | I'm not | going | tomorrow |
| You | are not | aren't | working | on Sunday |
| He / She / It | is not | isn't | coming | tonight |
| We | are not | aren't | staying | next week |
| They | are not | aren't | travelling | on Friday |
Full sentence examples:
- I'm not going to the party on Saturday.
- He isn't working next Monday.
- We aren't meeting them until next Tuesday.
Question Sentences
To make a question, we move am, is, or are to the beginning of the sentence.
Am / Is / Are + subject + verb-ing?
| Question Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Am I ...? | Am I working on Saturday? |
| Are you ...? | Are you coming to the wedding? |
| Is he / she ...? | Is she flying to London tomorrow? |
| Are we ...? | Are we meeting at the café tonight? |
| Are they ...? | Are they arriving on Friday evening? |
You can also use question words (what, where, when, who) at the beginning:
- What are you doing this weekend?
- Where is he staying next week?
- When are they arriving?
- Who are you meeting tonight?
Spelling Rules for Verb + -ing
Remember these spelling rules when you add -ing to a verb:
| Rule | Base Verb | + -ing form |
|---|---|---|
| Most verbs: just add -ing | work, visit, eat, play | working, visiting, eating, playing |
| Verb ends in -e: remove -e, add -ing | come, have, make, arrive | coming, having, making, arriving |
| Short verb ending in consonant + vowel + consonant: double the final consonant | sit, run, swim, get | sitting, running, swimming, getting |
Contractions
In spoken and informal written English, we usually use contractions. A contraction is when we join two words together and use an apostrophe (').
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I am | I'm | I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow. |
| You are | You're | You're having lunch with Anna on Friday. |
| He is | He's | He's flying to Paris on Sunday. |
| She is | She's | She's meeting us at 6 o'clock. |
| We are | We're | We're having a party next Saturday. |
| They are | They're | They're arriving tonight. |
| is not | isn't | She isn't coming on Monday. |
| are not | aren't | They aren't working this weekend. |
Note: We do not usually say "I amn't". The negative for I am is always I'm not.
Important Differences and Special Cases
Present Continuous for the Future vs. Going to
Both present continuous for the future and going to talk about future plans. At A2 level, the difference is small, but here is a simple guide:
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A fixed arrangement (with another person, a ticket, a booking) | Present continuous | I'm meeting Jake at 7 tonight. (We agreed this.) |
| A personal intention or plan (in your head, not fully arranged) | going to | I'm going to study English more this year. (Your goal, not a booked appointment.) |
In everyday conversation, native speakers often use both forms for arrangements, and it is usually acceptable. The most important thing at A2 level is to recognise and use the present continuous for the future for fixed, arranged plans.
Present Continuous for Now vs. Present Continuous for the Future
How do we know if someone is talking about now or the future? The time expression tells us!
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| She is working. | She is working right now. (No time expression = present action.) |
| She is working tomorrow. | She has a plan to work tomorrow. (Future time expression = future arrangement.) |
| They are travelling. | They are travelling right now. |
| They are travelling next week. | They have booked travel for next week. |
The time expression is the key! Always look for words like tomorrow, tonight, next week, on Saturday, or at 8 o'clock to know it is a future plan.
Common Mistakes
Here are the most common mistakes students make with the present continuous for the future. Study them carefully!
❌ I meeting my friend tomorrow.
✅ I am meeting my friend tomorrow.
❌ She is meet him on Friday.
✅ She is meeting him on Friday.
❌ We are not go to the party on Saturday.
✅ We are not going to the party on Saturday.
❌ Is they arriving tonight?
✅ Are they arriving tonight?
❌ He is haveing dinner with us tomorrow.
✅ He is having dinner with us tomorrow. (Remove the -e before adding -ing.)
❌ I amn't working next Monday.
✅ I'm not working next Monday.
❌ They are visiting us tomorrow, but they don't have a plan.
✅ Use the present continuous only when the arrangement is already fixed. If there is no plan yet, use going to or will.
Real-Life Examples
Here is a short conversation using the present continuous for the future. Notice the time expressions in bold.
Anna: What are you doing this weekend?
Ben: I'm visiting my grandparents on Saturday. And on Sunday, I'm watching the football match with some friends.
Anna: Nice! Is your sister coming too?
Ben: No, she isn't. She's working on Saturday, and on Sunday she's meeting her boyfriend for lunch.
Anna: Sounds like a busy weekend! I'm not doing much. I'm just meeting Clara for a coffee on Sunday morning.
Ben: That sounds lovely!
Can you see how every arrangement has a future time expression? That is what tells us these are future plans, not things happening right now.
Present Continuous for the Future: Quick Summary
Here are the key points to remember:
- We use the present continuous for the future to talk about fixed arrangements — plans that are already made and confirmed.
- The structure is: Subject + am / is / are + verb-ing + future time expression.
- The future time expression (tomorrow, on Friday, next week, etc.) tells us the sentence is about the future, not the present.
- For negatives, add not: am not / isn't / aren't + verb-ing.
- For questions, put am / is / are before the subject: Are you coming tonight?
- Remember spelling rules: remove -e before adding -ing (have → having). Double the final consonant in short verbs (sit → sitting).
- The negative of I am is always I'm not — never I amn't.
Now practise the present continuous for the future in the exercises below.
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