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)?

All Tenses Table Present, Past, Future Tenses In PDF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.4shared.com/office/GPSP-ii6/All_Tenses_Table_Present_Past_.html

Present Tenses, Present continuous tense

A list of all English tenses, including:

- the structure of each tense
- explanations of usage
- examples of common errors and how to avoid making them.

Present tenses

• Structure of present simple
• Structure of present continuous

How to form the present simple tense in English.

Structure of present simple
positive	negative	question
I work in a bank. You work in a bank. We work in a bank. They work in a bank.	I don't (do not) work. You don't (do not) work. We don't (do not) work. They don't (do not) work.	Do I work in a bank? Do you work in a bank? Do we work in a bank? Do they work in a bank?
He works in a bank. She works in a bank. The bank opens at 9 o'clock.	He doesn't (does not) work. She doesn't (does not) work. It doesn't (does not) open at 9 o'clock.	Does he work? Does she work? Does it open at 9 o'clock?

Present simple - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
I working in London.	I work in London.	The gerund ing form is not used in the present simple.
He work in London.	He works in London.	The third person he, she, it adds the letter s.
He work in London?	Does he work in London?	Questions - third person: does + subject + infinitive. All other persons: do + subject + infinitive.
Work he in London?	Does he work in London?
He not work in London.	He doesn't work in London.	Negatives - third person: subject + doesn't + infinitive. All other persons: subject + don't + infinitive.

The present continuous tense is sometimes called the present progressive.

Here is how to form the present continuous tense in English.

Structure of present continuous
positive	negative	question
I'm (I am) reading a book.   You're (you are) reading.  We're (we are) reading.  They're (they are) reading.	I'm (I am) not reading. You're (you are) not reading. We're (we are) not reading. They're (they are) not reading.	Am I reading? Are you reading? Are we reading? Are they reading?
He's (he is) reading a book. She's (she is) reading a book. It's (it is) raining.	He's not / he isn't (he is not) reading. She's not / she isn't (she is not) reading. It's not / it isn't (it is not) raining.	Is he reading? Is she reading? Is it raining?

Present continuous - common mistakes
Common mistakes	Correct version	Why?
They still waiting for you.	They are still waiting for you.	to form a continuous tense we use be + -ing.
They are still waiting for you?	Are they still waiting for you?	In questions the subject (they) and the auxiliary verb (be) change places.
Do they still waiting for you?	Are they still waiting for you?
Where they are waiting for you?	Where are they waiting for you?
She doesn't watching TV.	She isn't watching TV.	To form the negative we put not after the verb be (am not, is not = isn't, are not = aren't).
I'm believing you.	I believe you.	Some verbs are not used in continuous tenses - these are called stative verbs (e.g. believe, come from, cost, depend, exist, feel, hate, like).

Present continuous and present simple

(I am doing and I do)

A. Study the explanations and compare the examples:

      Present continuous (I am doing)

                      Use the continuous for something that is happening at or around the time of      
       speaking.

  The action is not finished.

  I am doing (now)

  * The water is boiling. Can you turn it off?

  * Listen to those people. What language are they speaking?

  * Let's go out. It isn't raining now.

  * 'Don't disturb me. I'm busy.' 'Why? What are you doing?'

  * I'm going to bed now. Goodnight!

  * Maria is in Britain at the moment. She's learning English.

Use the continuous for a temporary situation:

  * I'm living with some friends until I find a flat.

  * 'You're working hard today.' 'Yes, I've got a lot to do.'
  See Unit I for more information.

Present simple (I do)

  Use the simple for things in general or things that happen repeatedly.
  I do

  * Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.

  * Excuse me, do you speak English?

  * It doesn't rain very much in summer.

  * What do you usually do at weekends?

  * What do you do? (= What's your job?)

  * I always go to bed before midnight.

  * Most people learn to swim when they are children.

Use the simple for a permanent situation:

  * My parents live in London. They have lived there all their lives.

  * John isn't lazy. He works very hard most of the time.

  See Unit 2 for more information.

B. I always do and I'm always doing

  Usually we say 'I always do something' (= I do it every time):

  * I always go to work by car. (not 'I'm always going')

  You can also say 'I'm always doing something', but this has a different meaning. For example:

  I've lost my key again. I'm always losing things.

  'I'm always losing things' does not mean that I lose things every time. It means that I lose things too often, more often than normal.

  'You're always ~ing' means that you do something very often, more often than the speaker thinks is normal or reasonable.

  * You're always watching television. You should do something more active.

  * John is never satisfied. He's always complaining.

    EXERCISES

3.1 Are the underlined verbs right or wrong? Correct the verbs that are wrong.

1. Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.  RIGHT

2. The water boils. Can you turn it off?  WRONG: is boilling

3. Look! That man tries to open the door of your car.  --- wrong, is trying

4. Can you hear those people? What do they talk about?  --- wrong, are they talking

5. The moon goes round the earth.  ---right

6.  I must go now. It gets late.  --- wrong, is getting

7.  I usually go to work by car.  --- right

8. 'Hurry up! It's time to leave.' 'OK, I come.'  --- wrong, am coming

9. I hear you've got a new job. How do you get on?  --- wrong, are you getting on

3.2 Put the verb in the correct form, present continuous or present simple.

1. Let's go out. It isn't raining (not/rain) now.

2. Julia is very good at languages. She speaks (speak) four languages very well. 

3. Hurry up! Everybody --- (wait) for you. – is waiting 

4. '--- (you/listen) to the radio?' 'No, you can turn it off.' – Are you listening 

5. '--- (you/listen) to the radio every day?' 'No, just occasionally.' – Do you listen

6. The River Nile --- (flow) into the Mediterranean. - flows

7. Look at the river. It --- (flow) very fast today - much faster than usual. – is flowing

8. We usually --- (grow) vegetables in our garden but this year we --- (not/grow) any. 
     –grow, are not growing

 9. 'How is your English?' 'Not bad. It --- (improve) slowly.' Is improving

10. Ron is in London at the moment. He --- (stay) at the Park Hotel. He --- (always/stay)
         there when he's in London. – is staying, always stays
 
11. Can we stop walking soon? I --- (start) to feel tired. – am starting

12. 'Can you drive?' 'I --- (learn). My father --- (teach) me.' – am learning, is teaching

13. Normally I --- (finish) work at 5.00, but this week I --- (work) until 6.00 to earn a bit
        more money. – finish, am working

14. My parents --- (live) in Bristol. They were born there and have never lived
        anywhere else. Where --- (your parents/live)? Live, do your parents live


15. Sonia --- (look) for a place to live. She --- (stay) with her sister until she finds  some 

    where.

    - is looking , is staying

16. 'What --- (your father/do)?' 'He's an architect but he --- (not/work) at the moment.'

    - does your father do, is not working

17. (at a party) Usually I --- (enjoy) parties but I --- (not/enjoy) this one very much.

    - enjoy, am not enjoying

18. The train is never late. It --- (always/leave) on time.

     Always leaves

19. Jim is very untidy. He --- (always/leave) his things all over the place.

     - is always leaving

  3.3 Finish B's sentences. Use always ~ing (see Section B).

  1.  A: I'm afraid I've lost my key again.
       B: Not again! You're always losing your key.

  2.  A: The car has broken down again.

    B: That car is useless! It ---

             Is always breaking down

  3. A: Look! You've made the same mistake again.

   B: Oh no, not again! I ---

             Am always making the same mistake

  4. A: Oh, I've left the lights on again.
      B: Typical! You --- 

               are always leaving the lights on