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 my English teacher at 6.
  • Negative: We aren’t studying on Friday.
  • Question: Are you joining the speaking class tomorrow?

Be going to (intention/plan)

FORM am / is / are + going to + base verb
  • Affirmative: I’m going to practise English tonight.
  • Negative: She isn’t going to skip the lesson.
  • Question: Are they going to learn new words today?
📌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 my study partner at 5. ⏰
  • I’m taking an English test next Monday. 📝
  • We’re having an online lesson tomorrow evening. 💻
  • I’m going to the library after work. I’m borrowing a graded reader.
  • I’m practising speaking with Anna on Saturday. / I’m seeing my tutor at 11.
Typical verbs
  • Learning plans: study, practise, revise, take a test
  • Meeting people: meet, see, have a lesson with
  • Classes/events: join, attend, have a class
TIME WORDS Add a future time expression to make the future meaning clear:
  • tomorrow, next week/month, on Saturday
  • at 6, 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 starting my English class at 7 tomorrow. ✅ (time set; arranged)

Intention (personal plan)

  • I’m going to start studying earlier tomorrow. ✅ (personal plan; no booking needed)
  • I’m going to review my vocabulary tomorrow. (intention)
  • I’m meeting my tutor at 10. (arrangement)
  • “This lesson is difficult.” — “I know. I’m going to watch the video again tonight.” (intention)
WILL — decisions Use will for instant decisions at the moment of speaking.
  • “I don’t understand this word.” — “Wait, I’ll explain it.”
  • The teacher is calling my name — I’ll answer now.
Predictions Use be going to or will (NOT present continuous) for predictions.
  • I think I’ll pass the test. (belief)
  • Look at my notebook — I’m going to forget my homework! (evidence: it’s still on the table)
  • Our teacher says we’re going to have a speaking exam soon.
ℹ️
Sometimes both are possible: The lesson 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 answer tomorrow. → ✅ I’ll know / I’m going to find out tomorrow.
  • ❌ It’s being easy tomorrow. → ✅ It’s going to be easy / It will be easy.
  • ❌ am going to not → ✅ am not going to
  • ❌ Prediction with present continuous: I’m passing the exam (✓ only if it’s a planned result in a story; normally use I’m going to pass / I’ll pass).
🧭Related future expressions
  • Present simple for timetables: The class starts at 6:30.
  • Present continuous for fixed plans with people: We’re meeting at the café at 6.
  • Be going to for plans without arrangements: I’m going to start a new 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 vs be going to

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 vs be going to

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 vs be going to

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.