Present Continuous Future

Most of the time, we use the present continuous to talk about actions that are happening at the time of speaking. However, it is also extremely common to use it to talk about the future. Not everything in the future, though!

We use the present continuous to explain things that are pre-planned.

Because we also use this tense to speak in the present, it is necessary to add a time reference when speaking in the future.

For example:

I’m taking the train (right now)
I’m taking the train next week (in the future)

We can also use them in the same sentence to refer to different times!

For example:

Kelly is attending a course right now and later she’s going to the cinema, so she won’t be free all day.

As you may know, we can also use ‘going to + infinitive’ instead of the present continuous to speak in the future tense.

For example:

Next week I’m visiting my parents
Next week I’m going to visit my parents

They mean the same thing!

The structure of the present continuous is relatively simple; we take the verb ‘to be’ (am/are/is) + verb + -ing.

To form the negative, we just add the word ‘not’ before the verb.

For example:

I’m going to the restaurant tonight/I’m not going to the restaurant tonight

As always in English, the question form is a little bit trickier. The verb ‘to be’ goes at the start of the sentence…

For example:

Are you joining us at the gym tonight?
Is she coming to the party on Saturday?

As mentioned, the present continuous future is only used for planned events, or something you’re about to start doing (I’m going to bed, I’m going for a shower), so it would be impossible to use it with things you can’t predict.

For example:

It’s raining next month
My arm is hurting tomorrow

Unless you can control the weather or you plan on walking into a wall, of course!

So now you’ve learnt about the present continuous future, why not take our quiz and see how much you remember..?