Present tenses for the future

It is very common in English to use the present tenses (simple present and present continuous) to indicate the future.

What are you doing on Sunday morning? I am going to the gym.

1. If you have already arranged to do something, use the present continuous.
What are you doing on Sunday morning?
I am going to the gym.
What time are you meeting the director?
I am meeting him at 9.45 a.m.
Ganguli is not working tomorrow. It's her day off.
Godwin isn't playing cricket on Monday. He has met with an accident.

2. Instead of asking 'what are you doing...' you can ask

'What are you going to do...'
What are you going to write for this week?
What are you going to give them tomorrow?

3. If you have arranged to do something in the future it is more natural to use the present continuous than the simple future.

They are getting married next week.
We are practising cricket during the weekend.
I am meeting Lasanda on Friday.
Are you going out this evening?

4. If you have decided to do something, use the present continuous.

She is going to see 'Aba' on Sunday.
We are going to buy a new house.
I am not going to listen to him.
She is not going to accept your gift.
What time are you meeting the student leaders?

5. Simple present is more natural than simple future when you talk about timetables and programmes.

Ruhunu Kumari leaves Fort at 4.15 p.m. and reaches Matara at 8 p.m.

What time does the bus leave?

I resume duties on Monday.

What time do you finish work at the bank?

Does the programme begin at 6.30 or 7.30?

Semage's art exhibition opens tomorrow at the Lionel Wendt.

Does this train go to Polonnaruwa?

I am bored with this lecture. When does it finish?

It is Monday tomorrow.

I get up at 5 a.m. everyday.

She goes to office by car.

She starts work at 8.30 a.m.

6. Simple present tense is used with 'every day, often, usually, never, rarely, seldom,' and 'frequently.'

Manel usually rings me at 9 p.m.
We read newspapers every day.
They often meet at the Hudson Park.
Lenora rarely smiles.

What time does the bus leave?

7. Simple present tense is used with 'after, before, when,' and 'until.'

Can you wait until the principal comes?
Lock the door before you leave.
Shall we go when the rain ceases?
Wait until the teacher comes.

8. Simple present tense is used to express eternal truths.

The Earth rotates round the Sun.
Moisture causes iron to corrode.

Word game

Find a short word from Column 'B' to match the long word in Column 'A'. Short words add elegance to your writing. Check your answers with the solution.

A - Long word B - Short word
1. Manufacture before
2. Necessary go
3. Necessities get
4. Nevertheless buy
5. Notification result/branches
6. Objectives repeat
7. Operate firstly/mainly
8. Operation got
9. Organisation propose/advise
10. Originated payment/cheque
11. Parameters fix
12. Practical needed
13. Prevarication bin
14. Previously evasion
15. Primarily notice/advice
16. Proceed started/began
17. Procure goals/aims
18. Purchase limits
19. Ramification working
20. Received needs
21. Receptacle work
22. Reiterate firm/company
23. Recommend but/still
24. Rectify simple/good
25. Remittance make

Solution:

1. make, 2. needed, 3. needs, 4. but/still, 5. notice/advice, 6. goals/aims, 7. work, 8. working, 9. firm/company, 10. started/began, 11. limits, 12. simple/good, 13. evasion, 14. before, 15. firstly/mainly, 16. go, 17. get, 18. buy, 19. result/branches, 20. got, 21. bin, 22. repeat, 23. propose/advise, 24. fix, 25. payment/cheque

Abbreviations

N

NASA 	-  	National Aeronautics and              
	  	Space Administration 
NATO 	- 	North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 
NAZI  	-  	Nationalsozialist (German) National Socialist 
NB 	-  	Nota Bene (Latin) note carefully 
NDT 	-  	National Diploma in Technology
NGO 	-     	Non-Governmental Organisation 
NIC 	-      	National Identity Card 
Nov. 	-     	November 
NSB 	-     	National Savings Bank 
NY 	-       New York 
NZ 	-       New Zealand