Expressing future: present and going to

• Introduction
• Present simple and continuous tense
• Present tense and
  be going to for future
• Modal verbs
  can, may, must
• Past simple and
  continuous tense
• Present perfect simple
  and continuous tense
• Past perfect simple and continuous tense
• Future simple and
  continuous tense
• Future perfect simple
  and continuous tense
• ESL printable worksheets
• Irregular verbs

Exercises

Test 1

exercise 1 | exercise 2 | exercise 3

Test 2

exercise 1 | exercise 2 | exercise 3

Test 3

exercise 1

There are several grammatical structures in the English language to describe future activities. Three of them are the present simple tense, present continuous tense and be going to + verb.

Present tenses for future

With the future time expressions (next Friday, at Christmas) both the present simple and present continuous are used for definite plans and arrangements in the near future. The time must be mentioned, otherwise the sentence would have a present meaning.

I am watching TV. (present - I am doing it just now.)

I am watching TV tonight. (future - I will do it tonight, it is my plan.)

The present continuous  is more personal and informal.

I am leaving on Sunday. (I have decided to leave on Sunday, it is my plan.)

I leave on Sunday. (Someone else has decided it, it is someone's plan for me.)

The simple form is typically used in official statements and timetables.

The new shopping centre opens on 1 March.

The bus arrives at 6.55.

The present continuous is the most usual way of expressing one's personal plans.

We are going on holiday to Italy in summer.

Be going to

1. Be going to is used for intentions. We use it for decisions that we made before the moment of speaking.

I am going to clean the car and you can pack the suitcase.

We are going to reconstruct our house.

2. Be going to is also used to express your opinion that something is certain to happen. There is evidence for your prediction.

Our team is going to win. (It is 4:0 and two minutes left. I am sure we will win the match.)

The planes are going to land. (They are coming closer and closer to the airport.)

Sometimes we can use either the present continuous or be going to with a little difference in meaning.

I am travelling to France in May. (my personal plan)

I am going to travel to France in May. (my personal intention)

This page deals with the present tenses and be going to for future activities. If you want to learn the use of the present tenses for activities happening at the moment go to present tense.

See also other English tenses , modal verbs , irregular and regular verbs online or if you prefer a printable version, you can go to esl printables, English worksheets where you will find the use and form of all the tenses and some exercises.

International English resources

top

To link to this page from your website, copy and paste the following code to your web page.

For more click on the arrows: