Unit

19 I Present tenses (I am doing / 1do) for the future

Present continuous (I am doing) with a future meaning

This is Ben's diary for next week.

He is playing tennis on Monday afternoon.

He is going to the dentist on Tuesday morning.
He is having dinner with Kate on Friday.

In all these examples, Ben has already decided and

arranged to do these things.

I'm doing something (tomorrow) = I have already decided and arranged to do it:
a: What are you doing on Saturday evening? (not What do you do)
b : I'm going to the theatre, (not I go)
a: What time is Katherine arriving tomorrow?

b : Half past ten. I'm meeting her at the station,

i'm not working tomorrow, so we can go out somewhere.
Steve isn't playing football next Saturday. He's hurt his leg.

'i'm going to (do)' is also possible in these sentences:

What are you going to do on Saturday evening?

But the present continuous is more natural when we talk about arrangements. See Unit 20B.

Do not use w ill to talk about what you have arranged to do:
What are you doing this evening? (not What will you do)
Alex is getting married next month. (not will get)

You can also use the present continuous for an action just before you begin to do it. This
happens especially with verbs of movement (go/come/leave etc.):
I'm tired. I'm going to bed now. Goodnight, (not I go to bed now)
‘Jess, are you ready yet?' 'Yes, I'm coming.' (not I come)

Present simple (I do) with a future meaning

W e use the present simple when we talk about timetables, programmes etc. (for public
transport, cinemas etc.):
My train leaves at 11.30, so I need to be at the station by 11.15.
W hat time does the film start this evening?
It's Wednesday tomorrow. / Tomorrow is Wednesday.

You can use the present simple to talk about people if their plans are fixed like a timetable:
I start my new job on Monday.
W hat time do you finish work tomorrow?

But the continuous is more usual for personal arrangements:

W hat time are you meeting Ann tomorrow? (not do you meet)

Compare:

Present continuous Present simple

What time are you arriving? What time does the train arrive?
i'm going to the cinema this evening. The film starts at 8.15 (this evening).

i'm going to Units 20, 23 W ill *■>Units 21-22 Present simple after when/if etc. Unit 25
 Unit
Exercises 19
A friend of yours is planning to go on holiday soon. You ask her about her plans.
Use the words in brackets to make your questions,

_ _ S s __________________________ /Z_
1 (where/go?) Where are you going? Scotland.
2 (how long / go for?) ........ Ten days.
3 (when / leave?) Next Friday.
4 (go / alone?) No, with a friend.
5 (travel / by car?) ... No, by train.
6 (where / stay?) ........... ... In a hotel.

Tom wants you to visit him, but you are very busy. Look at your diary for the next few days and
explain to him why you can't come.
tom : Can you come on Monday evening?
yo u : Sorry, but I'mploying volleyball (i)
tom : W h a t about Tuesday evening then?
yo u : No, not Tuesday.I ................................................... (2)
to m : And Wednesday evening?
yo u : .................................................................................................................................... (3}
to m : Well, are you free on Thursday?
you: I'm afraid not. (4 )

Have you arranged to do anything at these times? Write sentences about yourself.
1 (this evening) iV going out this evening, or fYn not doing anything this evening.
2 (tomorrow morning) I .............
3 (tomorrow evening)
4 (next Sunday) ................ .......... ......... ......... .........
5 (choose another day or time) ........ ........ .......... ...............................

Put the verb into the more suitable form, present continuous or present simple.
1 I’m going (I / go) to the cinema this evening.
2 Does the -film start (the film / start) at 3.30 or 4.30?
3 (we / have) a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?
4 The art exhibition (finish) on 3 May.
5 (I / not / go) out this evening.
(I / stay) at home.
6 1............................. (you / do) anything tomorrow morning?' ‘No, I'm free. Why?'
7 ..... (we / go) to a concert tonight........
(it / start) at 7.30.
8 (I / leave) now. I've come to say goodbye.
9 a : Have you seen Liz recently?
b : No, but.... (we / meet) for lunch next week.
10 You are on the train to London and you ask another passenger:
Excuse me. What time (this train / get) to London?
11 You are talking to Helen:
Helen, ................................. (I / go) to the supermarket. ............................... (you / come)
with me?
12 You and a friend are watching television. You say:
I'm bored with this programme. What time (it/end)?
13 (I / not / use) the car this evening, so you can have it.
14 Sue ........................ (come)to see us tomorrow. .....
(she / travel) by train and her train (arrive) at 10.15.

-> Additional exercises 10-13 (pages 308-10) 39

Unit
2 0 '- A (I'm) going to (do)
I am going to do something = ! have already decided to do it, I intend to do it:

□ ‘Are you going to eat anything?’ ‘No, I'm not hungry.'

a: I hear Sarah has won some money. What is she going to do with it?
b : She's going to buy a new car.
I'm just going to make a quick phone call. Can you wait for me?
CD This cheese smells horrible. I'm not going to eat it.

I am doing and I am going to do

We use I am doing (present continuous) when we say what we have arranged to do - for example,
arranged to meet somebody, arranged to go somewhere:
What time are you meeting Ann this evening?
I'm leaving tomorrow. I've got my plane ticket.

I am going to do something = I've decided to do it (but perhaps not arranged to do it):

‘Your shoes aredirty.' ‘Yes, Iknow. I'm going to clean them.' (= I've decided to clean
them, but Ihaven'tarranged to clean them)
I've decided not to stay here any longer. Tomorrow I'm going to look for somewhere
else to stay.

Often the difference is very small and either form is possible.

You can also say that ‘something is going to happen' in the future. For example:

The man isn't looking where he is going.

He is going to w alk into the wall.

When we say that ‘something is going to happen',

the situation now makes this clear. The man is walking
towards the wall now, so we can see that he is going to
walk into it.

going to

situation now future happening

Some more examples:

Look at those black clouds! It's going to rain, (the clouds are there now)
I feel terrible. I think I’m going to be sick. (I feel terrible now)
The economic situation is bad now and things are going to get worse.

I was going to do something = I intended to do it, but didn't do it:

We were going to travel by train, but then we decided to go by car instead.
Peter was going to do the exam, but he changed his mind.
L I was just going to cross the road when somebody shouted 'Stop!'

You can say that ‘something was going to happen' (but didn't happen):
I thought it was going to rain, but it didn't

H-U t am doing for the future Unit 19A I w ill and I'm going to ~¥ Unit 23
Exercises
ra W rite a question with going to for each situation.
1 Your friend has won some money. You ask:
(what / do with i t W'kiat are you going to <i.o with It?....
2 Your friend is going to a party tonight. You ask:
(what / wear?) ..
3 Your friend has just bought a new table. You ask:
(where / put it?) ............................................... ....................................
4 Your friend has decided to have a party. You ask:
(who / invite?) ..........

Read the situations and complete the dialogues. Use going to.
1 You have decided to clean your room this morning.
f r i e n d : Are you going out this morning?

you; No, going, to clean my room.

2 You bought a sweater, but it doesn't fit you very well. You have decided to take it back
to the shop.
f r ie n d : That sweater is too big for you.
yo u: I know.
3 You have been offered a job, but you have decidednot to accept it.
f r i e n d : I hear you've been offered a job.

yo u : That's right, but

4 You have to phone Sarah. It's morning now, and you have decided to phone her tonight.
f r i e n d : Have you phoned Sarah yet?

yo u: No, ....................................................... ......................................... .................

5 You are in a restaurant. The food is awful and you'vedecided to complain.
f r i e n d : This food is awful, isn't it?

yo u : Yes, it's disgusting.

J 2 | W hat is going to happen in these situations? Use the words in brackets.

1 There are a lot of black clouds in the sky.
(rain) It’s gotng to rain. ......
2 It is 8.30. Tom is leaving his house. He has to be at work at 8.45, but the journey takes 30
minutes.
(late) He
3 There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. A lot of water is coming in through the hole.
(sink) The boat ..................................................................................................................
4 Lucy and Chris are driving. There is very Little petrol left in the tank. The nearest petrol station is
a long way away.
(run out) They ............ ..............................

2 9 Complete the sentences with w as/w ere going to + the following verbs:

buy give up phone play say t ravel

1 We were going to travel by train, but then we decided to go by car instead.

2 I somenewclothes yesterday, but I was very busy and
didn't have time to go to the shops.
3 Oliver and I tennis Last week, but he had to cancel
because he'd hurt his knee.
4 I ............................................................. Jane, but I decided to email her instead.
5 a : When I last saw Tim, he his job.
b : That's right, but in the end he decided to stay where he was.

6 I'm sorry I interrupted you. What you ?

41