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PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Future Time

The Present Continuous tense (am/is/are + -ing verb) can also talk about the future, especially when the plan is already decided.

We often use it with a future time word (like tonight, tomorrow, next week, on Friday, in the morning).

✅ Examples:

• I’m meeting my friend tomorrow.

• She’s leaving for Paris next week.

• We’re flying to London on Friday.

So when you want to show a fixed plan or arrangement, you can use the Present Continuous instead of will.

❌ Common Mistakes vs. ✅ Correct Usage

❌ I go to the dentist tomorrow.
✅ I am going to the dentist tomorrow.

 Use am/is/are + -ing for fixed future plans, not the simple present (go).

❌ She leave for Paris next Monday.
✅ She is leaving for Paris next Monday.

The verb must have -ing (leaving), and you need is before it.

❌ They are go to the park on Saturday.
✅ They are going to the park on Saturday.

Don’t forget the -ing after “are.” It’s always am/is/are + verb-ing.

❌ We having a meeting next week.
✅ We are having a meeting next week.

You must keep the be verb (are) before the -ing verb.

❌ He plays football tomorrow.
✅ He is playing football tomorrow.

Plays is simple present — but here we’re talking about a planned future activity, so we use Present Continuous.

Exercises

Complete the sentences with the correct Present Continuous form of the verb in parentheses.

1. They __________ (come) to dinner tomorrow evening. (They are coming to dinner tomorrow evening.)

2. My cousin __________ (leave) for Dubai next Monday.

3. We __________ (meet) our teacher at 10 o’clock on Friday.

4. Sarah __________ (fly) to Canada next weekend.

5. I __________ (see) the dentist tomorrow morning.

6. The students __________ (have) a test next Tuesday.

7. Our neighbors __________ (move) to a new house next month.

8. What time __________ you __________ (start) work tomorrow?

9. He __________ (play) football with his friends on Saturday.

10. The bus __________ (arrive) at 9:30 tomorrow morning.