Use PRESENT continuous to talk about FUTURE plans 🤯

in everyday English it's very common to use the present continuous tense to talk about the future in the case of activities that are planned arranged or scheduled we're going to see a lot of examples today and in the middle of the video I'll ask you to create your own if you'd like to download the PDF of this lesson to save and review later click on the link under this video enter your email address and I'll send it right to you okay let's look at positive sentences negative sentences and questions showing how we use the present continuous for future plans or arrangements so some positive sentences I'm having dinner with friends tonight she's meeting David at the train station tomorrow he's taking an exam on Friday we're celebrating my birthday this weekend my parents are coming to visit in two weeks again these are confirmed plans they're not things we want to do or we think we might do they've already been planned or scheduled so they're definitely going to happen now let's look at some negative examples for lack of plans I'm not attending the conference next month he isn't coming or he's not coming to the party on Saturday she isn't taking or she's not taking any math classes next semester we aren't seeing or we are not seeing our family this summer they aren't traveling or they're not traveling anywhere during spring break again this is talking about things that are confirmed that we're not doing in the future and finally some questions using the present continuous to ask about future Arrangements what are you doing Friday evening is Mary arriving at 7:00 or 8:00 is he driving or taking the train tomorrow where are they having the wedding what time is your your flight leaving on Sunday go ahead and put it into practice right now pause the video and answer these questions using the present continuous what are you doing this weekend what are you doing on your next vacation or holiday remember it's got to be something you've already planned and confirmed now you might be wondering when you see or hear a sentence in the present continuous how do you know if the person is talking about things presently in progress or confirmed plans for the future watch for the signal words so compare these sentences I'm having dinner with friends tonight that's a future plan I can't talk right now I'm having dinner with friends that's a present situation a current situation she's taking an English class next semester that's a future plan she's taking an English class this semester that's a current situation situation they're traveling to Europe on Saturday future plan they're currently traveling in Europe that's a present situation we're studying the present continuous later this week that's a future plan we're studying the present continuous now that's a current situation so signal words that indicate future plans include tonight tomorrow this weekend next week next month next year in the summer in the fall in the winter in the spring in January or next February on Monday or next Wednesday later today later this week or later this month or year all future signal words and signal words that indicate current activities include currently at the moment now or right now or this week this month this semester or this year or if there's no signal word if someone says I'm working on my essay without any sort of future signal word then it means they are currently doing it sometimes whether or not the situation is in the future becomes clear from the context take a look at the examples in this conversation my daughter's getting married in June that's the future indicated by in June oh how wonderful where are they having the wedding now there's no signal word but we know it's in the future because of the context we're responding to that future statement that the other person said they're not sure they're still thinking about it that's a current situation indicated by the word still tomorrow they're checking out that's the future indicated by tomorrow tomorrow they're checking out a fancy hotel that might be a possibility sounds great hey I've got a run I'm picking up my son from soccer practice and 20 minutes that's in the future indicated by in 20 minutes oh is he playing on the high school team that's a current situation by context yes and he's hoping to get an athletic scholarship to college that's also current he's currently hoping Again by the context of the conversation good for him well I'm volunteering at the school fundraiser tonight that's future plans indicated by tonight so I might see you there later now you know how to use the present continuous tense for future plans or arrangements and I hope you put it into practice remember to download the PDF of this lesson before you go and if you want to continue learning English grammar with me you can get my English grammar ebooks for $1 yes that's right two ebooks teaching you basic and intermediate English grammar for just $1 you'll be able to download the text and audio instantly it's a fantastic way to get started with espresso English lessons and the link to that is under this video as [Music] well