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Going to + present tenses exercises Compare these forms expressing future.
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English tenses PDF Printable grammar rules with examples.
English grammar PDF All PDF grammar rules on this website.
With time expressions referring to the future (tomorrow, next week) we can use the present simple and present continuous to express future.
Present continuous for future (arrangements)
It is used for our future arrangements and personal plans.
I am leaving for Madrid on Saturday morning.
(I have arranged my trip to Madrid.)
Sarah is going on holiday to Greece in July.
(She has already booked her holiday.)
We are coming back from New York on 12 April.
(We have made a flight reservation.)
Present simple for future (timetables)
It is typically used in official schedules and timetables.
The new exhibiton in the gallery starts next month.
The train departs at 8.25.
It can also describe future arrangements which are scheduled by someone else.
I arrive on Monday and Betty arrives on Tuesday.
(Our arrivals are planned by our boss.)
You have an appointment at the dentist's tomorrow afternoon.
(Someone else arranged this appointment for me.)
Sometimes we can use the present simple or the present continuous with a little difference in meaning.
I am flying to India in February.
(My personal arrangement.)
I fly to India in February.
(Someone else has arranged this trip for me.)
The present continuous is more informal than the present simple. It is the most usual way of expressing our personal plans.