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English grammar

Present Continuous for Future Arrangements

Updated 27 Oct 2026 4 min read LingoLadder Editorial Team
Cover: Present continuous for the future — I'm meeting Sam on Friday, we're flying at six
Short answer

Use am / is / are + the -ing verb for future arrangements you have already fixed: 'I'm meeting Sam on Friday'. A future time word shows you mean later, not now.

On this page11 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01The rule
  2. 02Forms
  3. 03How to say it
  4. 04Example sentences
  5. 05Common mistakes
  6. 06A short conversation
  7. 07Usage notes
  8. 08Compared with…
  9. 09Practice
  10. 10Quiz
  11. 11Recap cheat-sheet

Level: A2. You already know the present continuous for what is happening now. The same form — am / is / are + the -ing verb — also talks about the future when the plan is already fixed. A future time word is what tells the listener you mean later, not now.

The rule

An arrangement is a plan you have already made and, usually, agreed with someone else: a time is set, a place is booked, the diary says so. English often expresses these with the present continuous: the verb be (am / is / are) plus the main verb with -ing.

The form is identical to the present continuous for actions happening now. Nothing changes in the grammar. The difference is in the time reference: a word like tomorrow, on Friday, next week, tonight or at six tells the listener you are talking about the future.

  • I am meeting Sam on Friday. (we arranged it)
  • We are flying to Rome at six tomorrow. (the flight is booked)

Make negatives and questions exactly as in the present continuous: add not to be for the negative (isn’t, aren’t), and move be to the front for questions (Are you working tomorrow?). Never use do or does.

Forms

Subject be + verb-ing Example (future)
I am meeting I am (I’m) meeting Sam on Friday.
he / she / it is leaving She is (She’s) leaving tomorrow.
you / we / they are flying We are (We’re) flying at six.

Negatives and questions:

Type Example
Negative I’m not working on Saturday. / They aren’t coming tonight.
Yes/no question Are you leaving tomorrow?
Wh- question What time are we meeting?

How to say it

  • The short forms I’m, she’s, we’re, they’re are normal in speech — use them for arrangements too: “I’m seeing them later.”
  • -ing ends in a soft “ng” sound (as in sing); do not add a hard “g” at the end.
  • aren’t sounds like “arnt”; isn’t like “iz-nt”.

Example sentences

  1. I'm meeting Sam on Friday.
    A fixed arrangement with another person.
  2. We're having dinner with my parents tonight.
    An arrangement for tonight.
  3. She's leaving on Sunday.
    A fixed travel plan. She's = She is.
  4. They're getting married in June.
    A planned event with a date.
  5. What time are you arriving tomorrow?
    A question about an arrangement.
  6. I'm seeing the doctor at four.
    An appointment already booked.
  7. We're flying to Tokyo next week.
    Tickets are booked; a future arrangement.
  8. He's starting his new job on Monday.
    A fixed start date.
  9. Are they coming to the party?
    Asking about an arrangement.
  10. I'm not working this weekend.
    Negative arrangement. I'm not = I am not.
  11. We're staying at a hotel near the beach.
    A booked plan for the trip.
  12. She isn't joining us for lunch.
    A negative arrangement with isn't.
  13. The train is leaving at 9:15.
    A timetabled event in the near future.
  14. I'm picking you up at eight.
    An agreed arrangement with a time.
  15. They're moving house next month.
    A planned event with a time word.
  16. Who are you meeting later?
    A wh- question about an arrangement.
  17. We're taking the kids to the zoo on Saturday.
    A family plan with a day.
  18. I'm giving a presentation tomorrow morning.
    A scheduled work event.
  19. Are you doing anything on Friday night?
    Asking about someone's plans.
  20. We're not going out tonight; we're staying in.
    Two arrangements, negative and affirmative.

Common mistakes

  • ❌ I meet Sam tomorrow. (arranged) → ✅ I’m meeting Sam tomorrow. For a fixed arrangement, use be + -ing, not the present simple.
  • ❌ I will meet Sam tomorrow. (already arranged) → ✅ I’m meeting Sam tomorrow. Will is for decisions made now; a diary plan takes the present continuous.
  • ❌ I’m meet Sam on Friday. → ✅ I’m meeting Sam on Friday. Keep the -ing ending on the main verb.
  • ❌ She meeting us later. → ✅ She is meeting us later. You must keep be (is).
  • ❌ Do you coming tonight? → ✅ Are you coming tonight? Make questions with be, never with do.
  • ❌ I’m knowing the result tomorrow. → ✅ I’ll know the result tomorrow. Stative verbs (know, like, want) are not used in the continuous, even for the future.

A short conversation

A: Are you doing anything on Saturday? B: Yes — I’m meeting some friends in town. We’re seeing a film at seven. A: Nice. I’m visiting my grandparents, so I can’t join you. B: No problem. We’re going again next week if you’re free.

Usage notes

  • Future time word needed. Because the form also means “now”, always add a future marker so there is no confusion: tomorrow, tonight, next week, on Monday, at six, in June.
  • People and places. This form is especially natural when another person or a booked place is involved — an appointment, a meeting, a trip, a date.
  • Timetables use the present simple. For official schedules you can also use the present simple: “The train leaves at 9:15.” The present continuous (“is leaving”) is fine too for the same near-future event.
  • Contractions. Use I’m, she’s, we’re, they’re and isn’t, aren’t in speech and informal writing.

Compared with…

  • Present continuous (now) uses the identical form but points at this moment: “I’m meeting Sam” (right now, we are together) vs “I’m meeting Sam on Friday” (an arrangement). The time word decides. See Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing).
  • Going to is for intentions and plans too, and often overlaps: “I’m going to meet Sam” and “I’m meeting Sam” can both describe a plan. Going to stresses the intention; the present continuous stresses that it is arranged and fixed, usually with a time. See Going to: Plans and Predictions.
  • Will is for decisions made at the moment of speaking, offers and predictions — not for diary arrangements: “I’ll call you later” (deciding now) vs “I’m calling the office at ten” (arranged). See Will: Predictions, Decisions and Offers.

Recap card for the English present-continuous-future lesson showing am, is, are plus the -ing verb for arrangements

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Present continuous for future practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 You arranged this yesterday. Choose the natural form: 'I ___ Sam on Friday.'
Show answer

am meeting — A fixed arrangement takes am/is/are + -ing: I'm meeting.

Hint: fly → fl...

Show answer

flying — fly → flying; keep the -ing on the main verb.

3 Put the words in order to make a correct sentence.

Show answer

I'm meeting Sam tomorrow — Subject + be + -ing verb + object + time word.

4 Match the sentence to the right future form.

  • an arranged dinner tonight
  • an offer right now
  • an on-the-spot decision
  • a booked flight
Show answer
  • an arranged dinner tonight → We're having dinner tonight.
  • an offer right now → I'll carry that.
  • an on-the-spot decision → I'll get the phone.
  • a booked flight → We're flying at six.

Arrangements use the present continuous; instant decisions and offers use will.

5 Which sentence is correct?
Show answer

She is meeting us later. — Keep be: she is meeting.

Hint: subject is 'you'

Show answer

Are — Questions move be to the front; 'you' takes are.

Quiz

Check yourself

Present continuous for future quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/12 0 answered
  1. 1You already arranged it. Complete: 'I ___ the dentist on Monday.'
    Show answer

    am seeing — A booked appointment takes the present continuous: am seeing.

  2. 2Which word makes 'I'm meeting Sam' clearly future?
    Show answer

    on Friday — A future time word like 'on Friday' signals the future arrangement.

  3. 3Complete: 'We ___ to Tokyo next week.' (the flight is booked)
    Show answer

    are flying — A booked trip is an arrangement: are flying.

  4. 4Make the negative: 'I'm working this weekend.'
    Show answer

    I'm not working this weekend. — Add not to be: I'm not working.

  5. 5Which sentence is WRONG?
    Show answer

    He starting his job on Monday. — You must keep be: 'He is starting his job on Monday.'

  6. 6Make a question: 'They are coming to the party.'
    Show answer

    Are they coming to the party? — Move 'are' to the front; keep the -ing verb.

  7. 7Which uses the wrong future form for an arrangement?
    Show answer

    I'll see them on Friday (we arranged it last week). — A plan already made takes the present continuous, not will.

  8. 8Complete: 'What time ___ we meeting?'
    Show answer

    are — 'We' takes are in a present-continuous question.

  9. 9Choose the best sentence for a fixed plan with a friend.
    Show answer

    I'm meeting Ben tomorrow. — A fixed arrangement uses am/is/are + -ing.

  10. Show answer

    leaving — Drop the silent -e: leave → leaving.

  11. 11Which verb should NOT go in the continuous, even for the future?
    Show answer

    know — Know is stative; say 'I'll know', not 'I'm knowing'.

  12. 12Complete: 'We ___ out tonight; we're staying in.'
    Show answer

    aren't going — Negative arrangement: aren't + -ing.

Recap cheat-sheet

Feature Form / example Note
form am/is/are + -ing same as present continuous
use fixed future arrangement I’m meeting Sam on Friday.
time words tomorrow, on Friday, at six makes it clearly future
not for on-the-spot decisions use will instead

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Grammar path

125 topics 125 ready now
A1 30 topics · 30 ready
  1. 01 Verb 'To Be' in the Present (am, is, are)
  2. 02 Subject Pronouns: I, You, He, She, It, We, They
  3. 03 Present Simple: Affirmative and the -s Ending
  4. 04 Present Simple: Negatives and Questions (do/does)
  5. 05 Articles: a / an and When to Use Each
  6. 06 The Definite Article 'The': When to Use It
  7. 07 Zero Article: When to Use No Article
  8. 08 Plural Nouns: Regular and Irregular Forms
  9. 09 This, That, These, Those (Demonstratives)
  10. 10 Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her
  11. 11 Possessive 's and s' (Showing Belonging)
  12. 12 There Is / There Are (Saying What Exists)
  13. 13 Have Got: Talking About Possession
  14. 14 Can and Can't for Ability
  15. 15 Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing)
  16. 16 Imperatives: Giving Orders and Instructions
  17. 17 Adjectives: Position and Basic Use
  18. 18 Prepositions of Place: in, on, at
  19. 19 Prepositions of Time: in, on, at
  20. 20 Question Words: What, Where, When, Who, Why, How
  21. 21 How Much vs How Many
  22. 22 Countable and Uncountable Nouns
  23. 23 Some and Any: Which One to Use
  24. 24 Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, us, them
  25. 25 Adverbs of Frequency and Their Position
  26. 26 Like, Love, Hate + -ing (Expressing Preferences)
  27. 27 Would Like: Polite Wants and Offers
  28. 28 Making Requests: Can, Could, May I
  29. 29 Past Simple of 'To Be' (was / were)
  30. 30 Let's and Shall We: Making Suggestions
A2 25 topics · 25 ready
  1. 31 Past Simple: Regular Verbs and -ed Spelling
  2. 32 Past Simple: Irregular Verbs (go, see, have)
  3. 33 Past Simple: Negatives and Questions (did)
  4. 34 Comparative Adjectives (bigger, more expensive)
  5. 35 Superlative Adjectives (the biggest, the most)
  6. 36 Going To: Plans and Predictions
  7. 37 Will: Predictions, Decisions and Offers
  8. 38 Present Continuous for Future Arrangements You are here
  9. 39 Present Perfect for Experience (ever / never)
  10. 40 Present Perfect with just, already, yet
  11. 41 Present Perfect vs Past Simple
  12. 42 Have To and Don't Have To (Obligation)
  13. 43 Should and Shouldn't for Advice
  14. 44 Could: Past Ability and Polite Use
  15. 45 Much, Many, A Lot Of
  16. 46 A Few, A Little, Few, Little
  17. 47 Adverbs of Manner (quickly, well, hard)
  18. 48 Verb + -ing or Verb + to (Introduction)
  19. 49 Zero Conditional (Facts and Rules)
  20. 50 First Conditional (Real Future Possibility)
  21. 51 Prepositions of Movement (to, into, through)
  22. 52 Possessive Pronouns: mine, yours, hers
  23. 53 Past Continuous (was/were + -ing)
  24. 54 Too and Enough (Degree)
  25. 55 Order of Adjectives Before a Noun
B1 27 topics · 27 ready
  1. 56 Past Continuous vs Past Simple
  2. 57 Used To and Would for Past Habits
  3. 58 Present Perfect Continuous (have been -ing)
  4. 59 Present Perfect: Simple vs Continuous
  5. 60 Past Perfect (had + past participle)
  6. 61 Second Conditional (Unreal Present/Future)
  7. 62 Third Conditional (Unreal Past)
  8. 63 Reported Speech: Statements (Backshift)
  9. 64 Reported Questions
  10. 65 Reported Commands and Requests
  11. 66 Passive Voice: Present and Past Simple
  12. 67 Must and Mustn't (Strong Obligation)
  13. 68 May, Might, Could for Possibility
  14. 69 Defining Relative Clauses (who, which, that)
  15. 70 Non-Defining Relative Clauses (with commas)
  16. 71 Gerunds and Infinitives: Full Verb Patterns
  17. 72 Verbs Where -ing vs to Changes Meaning
  18. 73 Future Continuous (will be -ing)
  19. 74 So and Such (Emphasis)
  20. 75 As...As Comparisons (equality)
  21. 76 Question Tags (isn't it? do you?)
  22. 77 Phrasal Verbs: Separable and Inseparable
  23. 78 Linking Words: because, so, although, but
  24. 79 Infinitive of Purpose (to / in order to)
  25. 80 Indirect Questions (Can you tell me...)
  26. 81 Make, Let, Allow, Help (Causatives Intro)
  27. 82 Be Used To and Get Used To (+ -ing)
B2 25 topics · 25 ready
  1. 83 Narrative Tenses for Storytelling
  2. 84 Past Perfect Continuous (had been -ing)
  3. 85 Mixed Conditionals
  4. 86 Wish and If Only (Regrets and Wishes)
  5. 87 Wish/If Only + would (Complaints)
  6. 88 Passive Voice: All Tenses and Modals
  7. 89 Reporting Passive (It is said that / is said to)
  8. 90 Causative: Have/Get Something Done
  9. 91 Reduced Relative Clauses (Participles)
  10. 92 Modals of Deduction: Present and Past
  11. 93 Needn't Have vs Didn't Need To
  12. 94 Future Perfect (will have done)
  13. 95 Participle Clauses (-ing / -ed / having done)
  14. 96 Advanced Comparatives (far/much + er, the more)
  15. 97 Conditional Alternatives: unless, as long as, provided
  16. 98 Advanced Determiners: each, every, either, neither
  17. 99 Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree
  18. 100 Advanced Contrast: despite, in spite of, however
  19. 101 Advanced Linkers: therefore, moreover, consequently
  20. 102 Advanced Article Use (generalisations, names)
  21. 103 Verb + Preposition and Adjective + Preposition
  22. 104 Relative Clauses: whose, where, when, quantifier + whom
  23. 105 Subject-Verb Agreement: Tricky Cases
  24. 106 Emphatic Do (I do like it)
  25. 107 Would for Past Habits (Formal Narrative)
C1 18 topics · 18 ready
  1. 108 Inversion with Negative Adverbials
  2. 109 Inversion in Conditionals (Had I known)
  3. 110 Cleft Sentences (It was... / What I need is...)
  4. 111 Fronting and Emphasis (Word Order)
  5. 112 Subjunctive and Mandative (I suggest he be)
  6. 113 Ellipsis and Substitution (so, do, one)
  7. 114 Hedging and Cautious Language
  8. 115 Nominalisation (Academic Noun Style)
  9. 116 Advanced Discourse Markers (Spoken & Written)
  10. 117 Advanced Passive (passive + infinitive, get-passive)
  11. 118 Advanced Comparative Structures (no sooner...than)
  12. 119 Future in the Past (was going to / would)
  13. 120 Advanced Modals (may well, might as well, would rather)
  14. 121 Advanced Reported Speech (Reporting Verbs + Patterns)
  15. 122 Advanced and Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
  16. 123 Collocation and Colligation (Natural Combinations)
  17. 124 Advanced Concession (much as, whatever, however + adj)
  18. 125 Absolute and Non-Finite Clauses (Formal)