Explanation
Exercises

🗓️ Present Continuous (future) vs 🚦 Be Going To

How to talk about future plans: present continuous for fixed arrangements; be going to for intentions. Plus: decisions with will & predictions.
arrangements (time & place) intentions & plans travel & meetings time expressions: tomorrow / next week / at 7
🧱Forms

Present continuous (future arrangement)

FORM am / is / are + V-ing
  • Affirmative: I’m meeting Sally at 7.
  • Negative: We aren’t flying on Friday.
  • Question: Are you seeing the dentist today?

Be going to (intention/plan)

FORM am / is / are + going to + base verb
  • Affirmative: I’m going to study tonight.
  • Negative: She isn’t going to come.
  • Question: Are they going to move?
📌Present continuous for future arrangements
WHEN TO USE Use the present continuous to talk about future plans with arrangements — a time and place are decided, often with other people.
  • I’m meeting Sally at 7. ⏰
  • I’m flying to New York tomorrow morning. ✈️ (I have the ticket.)
  • We’re getting married next July. 💍
  • I’m leaving very early tomorrow. I’m taking the 7.30 train.
  • I’m playing golf with Jack next Saturday. / I’m seeing the dentist after class.
Typical verbs
  • Travel: fly, leave, arrive, return
  • Meeting people: meet, see, have lunch/dinner with
  • Social events: go to, attend, celebrate
TIME WORDS Add a future time expression to make the future meaning clear:
  • tomorrow, next week/month/year, on Saturday
  • at 7, this evening, in July
🧠
Stative verbs (know, believe, like, understand, own, etc.) are not normally used in continuous forms for this meaning. Prefer: I think I’ll… / I’m going to…
⚖️Present continuous vs Be going to

Arrangement (fixed)

  • I’m leaving at 8 tomorrow. ✅ (time set; plan with others)

Intention (personal plan)

  • I’m going to leave very early tomorrow. ✅ (my intention; arrangements may be missing)
  • I’m going to study for the exams tomorrow. (intention)
  • I’m meeting my tutor at 10. (arrangement)
  • “Your car is dirty.” — “I know. I’m going to wash it tomorrow.” (intention, no booking needed)
WILL — decisions Use will for instant decisions at the moment of speaking.
  • “We don’t have sugar.” — “Don’t worry, I’ll buy some.”
  • Phone is ringing — I’ll answer it.
Predictions Use be going to or will (NOT present continuous) for predictions.
  • I think he’ll win the election. (opinion/belief)
  • Look at those clouds — it’s going to rain. (present evidence)
  • The doctor said I’m going to have a girl.
ℹ️
Sometimes both are possible: The conference starts in 10 minutes. — We’re going to be late (evidence) / We’ll be late (belief).
✅Quick checks
Time & place booked? → present continuous Personal intention/plan? → be going to Decision right now? → will Prediction (evidence vs belief)? → going to / will
🚫Common mistakes
  • ❌ I’m knowing the results tomorrow. → ✅ I’ll know / I’m going to find out tomorrow.
  • ❌ It’s raining soon. → ✅ It’s going to rain (prediction), or It’s raining at 6 only if it’s a scheduled forecast in a timetable context.
  • ❌ am going to not → ✅ am not going to
  • ❌ Using present continuous for predictions: It’s raining tomorrow (✓ only if part of a fixed schedule you control; otherwise use will / going to).
🧭Related future expressions
  • Present simple for timetables: The train leaves at 7:45.
  • Present continuous for fixed plans with people: We’re meeting at the cafe at 6.
  • Be going to for plans without arrangements: I’m going to start a course next month.
Recap: Present continuous = a definite arrangement. Be going to = a personal intention (arrangements optional). Use will for instant decisions, and will/going to for predictions. 🟦🟥
Exercises:
1
2
3

Present continuous for future arrangements

Choose the most appropriate future forms to complete the dialogues below. Choose the PRESENT CONTINUOUS where possible.

D1Dialogue 1

A:Can you take me to the mall this afternoon? B:Sure. I you after lunch. I also a client at 3. A:Where do you need to go? B:To the bank. I some documents. B:No problem — I at 2:15 outside your house.

D2Dialogue 2

A:What time tomorrow? B:Very early. It at 6:05. A:Do you have the ticket? B:Not yet, because I it online when I get home.

D3Dialogue 3

A:I Julia for dinner this evening. Would you like to come? B:I'd love to, but I my brother at the station at seven. A:No worries. What are you two doing after? B:We to a concert near the river.

Present continuous for future arrangements

Choose the most appropriate future forms for the sentences below. Choose the PRESENT CONTINUOUS where possible.
1
We ____ dinner with the clients at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
A.
B.
C.
2
I ____ the dentist at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
A.
B.
C.
3
Are you free tonight? — Sorry, I ____ my cousins at the airport.
A.
B.
C.
4
Sarah ____ to London on Monday; her tickets are booked.
A.
B.
C.
5
What time ____ the plumber ____ tomorrow?
A.
B.
C.
6
We ____ a product demo for the team at 9 on Tuesday.
A.
B.
C.
7
Look at those clouds — it ____ this evening.
A.
B.
C.
8
Don’t worry, I ____ you after the meeting.
A.
B.
C.
9
We ____ our neighbours for dinner on Saturday; I’ve booked the restaurant.
A.
B.
C.
10
The CEO ____ a Q&A with staff next Thursday.
A.
B.
C.

Present continuous for future arrangements

Fill in the gaps with the most appropriate future forms: present continuous, will or be going to . Use the verbs in brackets and Choose the PRESENT CONTINUOUS where possible.
Choose the most natural future form. Prefer present continuous for fixed arrangements (calendar-like plans), use be going to for intentions / plans or evidence, and will for instant decisions, offers, promises or opinions. Subject in the box is optional; contractions and gonna are accepted.

Dialogue 1

1
BEN: What (do) after class?
2
GEORGE: I (meet) Sam at the library at five.
3
GEORGE: Then we (work) on our presentation.
4
BEN: Nice. I (have) coffee with Mira at six,
5
… and we (play) tennis at eight.
6
GEORGE: Sounds fun. OK, I (come).

Dialogue 2

7
TOM: (eat) that last hotdog?
8
LISA: But you (have) dinner with your father in an hour.
9
TOM: Yes, but we (eat) at that new restaurant, and they serve tiny portions.
10
LISA: OK, I (heat) the hotdog for you.