Future forms
Lesson 2 of 4 · ~9 minutes

Lesson 2 · Future forms

I'm meeting Tom at six

Arrangements

The Present Continuous about the future talks about a personal arrangement: the time and place are already fixed, often with another person. It's more specific than a general plan with going to.

an arrangement with a fixed time

  • arrangementI’m meeting Tom at six — the time and place are agreed
  • more than a planWe’re going to travel this year (a plan) vs We’re flying to Rome on Friday (tickets bought, exact day)

Form

going to — a plan
Present Continuous — an arrangement

Example

We're going to travel this year.
We're flying to Rome on Friday.
Form
Example
going to — a plan
We're going to travel this year.
Present Continuous — an arrangement
We're flying to Rome on Friday.

I’m meeting Sarah for coffee tomorrow.

We’re having dinner with the Smiths on Saturday.

She’s starting her new job on Monday.

What are you doing this evening?

Where people usually slip

going to works for a general plan without a fixed arrangement: We’re going to travel this year — exactly when isn't known yet.

When the time and place are already agreed — tickets bought, a meeting set — the Present Continuous sounds more natural: We’re flying to Rome on Friday.

In short

  • Present Continuousthe time and place are already agreed
  • going toa general plan, nothing fixed yet
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