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

A. Present continuous J am doing) with a future meaning
 

    Study this example situation:

    This is Tom'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 Ann on Friday.

    In all these examples, Tom has already decided and arranged to do these things.

    Use the present continuous to say what you have already arranged to do. Do not use the present simple J do):

     * A: What are you doing on Saturday evening? (not 'what do you do')

       B: I'm going to the theater. (not 'I go')

 

    * A: What time is Cathy arriving tomorrow?

       B: At 10.30. I'm meeting her at the station.

   

   * I'm not working tomorrow, so we can go out somewhere.

   * Ian isn't playing football on 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 for arrangements. See also Unit 20B.

     Do not use will 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')

B. Present simple (I do) with a future meaning

    We use the present simple when we talk about timetables, programmes etc. (for example, for public transport, cinemas etc.):

    * The train leaves Plymouth at 11.30 and arrives in London at 14.45.

   * What time does the film begin?

   * It's Wednesday tomorrow.

     You can use the present simple for people if their plans are fixed like a timetable:

   * I start my new job on Monday.

   * What time do you finish work tomorrow?

     But the continuous is more usual for personal arrangements:

  

   * What time are you meeting Ann tomorrow? (not 'do you meet')

  Compare:

  

   * What time are you leaving tomorrow?

   

     but * What time does the train leave tomorrow?

   * I'm going to the cinema this evening.

     but * The film starts at 8.15 (this evening).

EXERCISES

19.1 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.

      1. (where/go?) Where are you going? Scotland.

      2. (how long/stay?) Ten days.

      3. (when/go?) Next Friday.

      4. (go/alone?) No, with a friend of mine.

      5. (travel/by car?) No, by train.

      6. (where/stay?) In a hotel.

   

19.2 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?

          You: Sorry but I'm playing volleyball. (1)

        TOM: What about Tuesday evening then?

          You: No, not Tuesday I --- (2)

   

        TOM: And Wednesday evening?

   

        YOU: --- (3)

       TOM: Well, are you free on Thursday?

        YOU: I'm afraid not. --- (4)

19.3 Have you arranged to do anything at these times? Write (true) sentences about yourself.

       1. (this evening) I'm going out this evening. or I'm not doing anything this evening. or I don't know what I'm doing this evening.

      2. (tomorrow morning) I ---

      3. (tomorrow evening)

      4. (next Sunday)

      5. (choose another day or time)

19.4 Put the verb into the more suitable form, present continuous or present simple.

     1. I'm going (go) to the theater this evening.

     2. Does the film begin (the film/begin) at 3.30 or 4.30?

  

     3. We --- (have) a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?

   

    4. The art exhibition --- (open) on 3 May and --- (finish) on 15 July.

    5. I --- (not/go) out this evening. I --- (stay) at home.

    6. '--- (you/do) anything tomorrow morning?' 'No, I'm free. Why?'

    7. We --- (go) to a concert tonight. It --- (begin) at 7.30.

   

    8. You are on the train to London and you ask another passenger:

        Excuse me. What time --- (this train/get) to London?

   

   9. You are talking to Ann:

       Ann, I --- (go) to town. --- (you/come) with me?

 10. Sue --- (come) to see us tomorrow. She --- (travel) by train and her train --- (arrive) at 10.15. I --- (meet) her at the station.

 11. I --- (not/use) the car this evening, so you can have it.

12. You and a friend are watching television. You say:

       I'm bored with this programmer. When --- (it/finish)?

Used to (do)

A. Study this example situation:

     Dennis stopped smoking two years ago. He doesn't smoke any more.

     But he used to smoke.

     He used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day.

    'He used to smoke' = he smoked regularly for some time in the past, but he doesn't smoke now. He was a smoker, but now he isn't

B. 'Something used to happen' = something happened regularly in the past but no longer happens:

      * I used to play tennis a lot but I don't play very often now.

      * Diane used to travel a lot. These days she doesn't go away so often.

      * 'Do you go to the cinema very often?' 'Not now, but I used to.' (= I used to go ...)

         We also use used to... for something that was true but is not true any more:

      * This building is now a furniture shop. It used to be a cinema.

      * I used to think he was unfriendly but now I realise he's a very nice person.

   

      * I've started drinking coffee recently. I never used to like it before.

      * Janet used to have very long hair when she was a child.

    

C. 'I used to do something' is past. There is no present form. You cannot say 'I use to do'. To talk about the present, use the present simple (I do).

     Compare:

     past: he used to smoke  we used to live  there used to be

     present: he smokes  we live  there is

     * We used to live in a small village but now we live in London.

     * There used to be four cinemas in the town. Now there is only one.

     

D. The normal question form is did (you) use to ...?:

   * Did you use to eat a lot of sweets when you were a child?

  

     The negative form is didn't use to ... (used not to ... is also possible)

   * I didn't use to like him. (or I used not to like him.)

E. Compare I used to do and I was doing :

    * I used to watch TV a lot. (= I watched TV regularly in the past, but I no longer do this)

    * I was watching TV when the phone rang. (= I was in the middle of watching TV)

  

F. Do not confuse I used to do and I am used to doing (see Unit 60). The structures and meanings are different:

   * I used to live alone. (= I lived alone in the past but I no longer live alone)

  

   * I am used to living alone. (= I live alone and I don't find it strange or new because I've been living alone for some time)

EXERCISES

  

18.1 Complete these sentences with use(d) to ... + a suitable verb.

       1. Dennis gave up smoking two years ago. He used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day.

   

       2. Liz --- a motorbike, but last year she sold it and bought a car.

   

       3. We came to live in Manchester a few years ago. We --- in Nottingham.

       4. I rarely cat ice cream now but I --- it when I was a child.

       5. Jim --- my best friend but we aren't friends any longer.

       6. It only takes me about 40 minutes to get to work since the new road was opened. It --- more than an hour.

       7. There --- a hotel opposite the station but it closed a long time ago

       8. When you lived in London, --- to the theatre very often?

  

18.2 Brian changed his lifestyle. He stopped doing some things and started doing other things:

       He stopped studying hard/going to bed early/running three miles e3very morning

   

       He started smoking/going out in the evening/spending a lot of money

      Write sentences about Brian with used to and didn't use to.

        1. He used to smoke.

        2. He didn't use to smoke.

        3. ---

        4. ---

        5. ---

   

        6. ---

   

18.3 Compare what Carol said five years ago and what she says today:

       FIVE YEARS A GO

      I travel a lot,

      I play the piano.

      I'm very lazy.

      I don't like cheese.

      I've got a dog.

     I'm a hotel receptionist.

     I've got lots of friends.

  

     I never read newspapers.

     I don't drink tea.

    I go to a lot of parties.

    TODAY

    I eat lots of cheese now.

    I work very hard these days.

 

    I don't know in people these days.

    I work in a bookshop now.

    I don't go away much these days.

    My dog died two years ago.

    I read a newspaper every day now.

    I haven't been to a party for ages.

    I haven't played piano for years.

    Tea's great! I like it now.

    Now write sentences about bow Carol has changed. Use used to/didn't use to/never used to in the first part of your sentence.

    1. She used to travel a lot but she doesn't go away much these days.

    2. She used --- but ---

    3. --- but ---

    4. --- but ---

    5. --- but ---

    6. --- but ---

    7. --- but ---

    8. --- but ---

    9. --- but ---

  10. --- but ---