Lesson 3: Present Continuous (Review & Future Arrangements)

Welcome! In English, we don't just use the Present Continuous (verb + -ing) to talk about what is happening right now. We also use it to talk about fixed plans and future arrangements.

If you bought a bus ticket to Siem Reap or made a schedule to meet a tour group, this is the tense to use to tell your friends about your upcoming plans!

warning Common Mistake

If you already have a plan or a ticket for the future, it sounds much more natural in English to use the Present Continuous instead of 'will'. Say "I am flying tomorrow" instead of "I will fly tomorrow."

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Planning Vocabulary

Verb + ing

Meeting

Arranging to see someone at a specific time in the future.

Example: We are meeting the tour group at the hotel lobby tomorrow at 8 AM.

Verb + ing

Leaving

Going away from a place based on a set schedule.

Example: The night bus is leaving at 10:00 PM.

Verb + ing

Flying

Traveling by airplane (implying a ticket is already booked).

Example: She is flying to Bangkok next week for a holiday.

Verb + ing

Staying

Living in a place for a short time as a visitor.

Example: I am staying at a nice hotel this weekend.

Verb + ing

Taking

Using a form of transport for a planned journey.

Example: They are taking the boat tomorrow morning.

Verb + ing

Visiting

Going to see a place as part of a fixed itinerary.

Example: We are visiting the temples early on Sunday.

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Knowledge Check

calendar_month Making Weekend Plans

You bought a bus ticket for Saturday. How do you express this fixed future plan?

(Hint: Use the Present Continuous structure for future arrangements.)

search The Schedule

Which sentence talks about a fixed future arrangement?

(Hint: Look for the sentence describing a planned upcoming event.)

psychology Grammar Rule

What do we need to make the Present Continuous tense?

(Hint: Think of the "be" verb plus the main action suffix.)

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Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

Let's review the key concepts covered in the interactive module above to ensure you are ready to talk about future arrangements.

The Structure

To talk about fixed future plans, use:

Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing + future time phrase

Example: "We are meeting the team tomorrow."

Why use Present Continuous for the future?

We use this tense when an arrangement has already been made—such as booking a ticket, making a reservation, or writing something in your calendar. It implies that the event is definite and planned.