"I'm meeting Sarah tomorrow." This isn't happening now, and it isn't a repeated habit. It's a plan the speaker has already decided and arranged with another person for a specific time in the future.

Each of these has already been decided — the speaker isn't guessing or hoping, they've made an arrangement.

These are typical future time words for this use:

Read each sentence and picture the plan already written on someone's calendar.

• My parents are arriving on Friday.
• We're seeing a movie on Saturday night.
• He's driving to the coast next weekend.
• I'm meeting an old friend for coffee next Tuesday.
• She's playing in a tennis tournament next month.

The Present Simple is for official, fixed schedules — "The train leaves at 4" describes a timetable, not a person's decision. A personal plan someone has arranged needs the Present Continuous instead.

Click "Personal Plan" or "Fixed Schedule" for each sentence.

• 1
  I'm meeting my sister at the airport tomorrow.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — a plan the speaker has personally arranged.
• 2
  We're throwing a party next Saturday.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — a specific day already decided with other people.
• 3
  The flight leaves at six in the morning.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — an official timetable, stated with the Present Simple.
• 4
  She's visiting her grandmother next week.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — a visit she has personally arranged.
• 5
  The museum closes at five on Sundays.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — a general, official schedule, not a personal plan.
• 6
  The train arrives at platform three.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — an official timetable fact.
• 7
  They're getting married in the fall.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — a personal event they have arranged.
• 8
  The movie starts at eight.

  Personal Plan Fixed Schedule

  ✓ Correct — a general showtime, not a personal arrangement.

Type the correct Present Continuous verb phrase (am/is/are + -ing).

• 1
  He the 9am train to the city tomorrow. (catch)
• 2
  We for vacation next Friday. (leave)
• 3
  I my parents this evening after dinner. (call)
• 4
  She her old college friend next week. (visit)
• 5
  They to the lake this weekend. (drive)
• 6
  He to Berlin next month to see his brother. (fly)
• 7
  We tennis with the Andersons on Sunday. (play)
• 8
  I an old friend for lunch tomorrow morning. (meet)

Click your answer for each sentence.

• 1
  I meet my cousin at the mall tomorrow.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "I am meeting my cousin at the mall tomorrow."
• 2
  She flies to Rome next Wednesday.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "She is flying to Rome next Wednesday."
• 3
  We are throwing a barbecue next Saturday.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a plan already arranged for a specific day.
• 4
  They visit their cousins this weekend.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "They are visiting their cousins this weekend."
• 5
  He is starting a new diet next Monday.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a plan he has already decided on.
• 6
  I am seeing the dentist tomorrow afternoon.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — an appointment already arranged.
• 7
  We drive to the mountains next week.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "We are driving to the mountains next week."
• 8
  She is catching an earlier flight next Friday.

  Correct Incorrect

  ✓ Correct — a personal travel change she has arranged.

Type the whole negative verb phrase — for example, "isn't starting," not just "isn't." The Present Continuous uses "be," so negatives are formed with isn't/aren't, not don't/doesn't.

• 1
  We a party this weekend after all. (throw)
• 2
  He his new job until next month. (start)
• 3
  I the dentist until next week. (see)
• 4
  My parents until Sunday. (arrive)
• 5
  We at the same hotel this time. (stay)
• 6
  She this Saturday. (work)
• 7
  They to Spain this summer after all. (travel)
• 8
  My cousin into the new apartment until next month. (move)

Type the whole opening question phrase — for example, "Is he catching," not just "Is." Follow the subject/verb hint given.

• 1
  the early train tomorrow? (he / catch)
• 2
  for the airport at noon? (you / leave)
• 3
  her sister this evening? (she / call)
• 4
  their grandparents next weekend? (they / visit)
• 5
  to the coast next month? (he / drive)
• 6
  home for the holidays next month? (you / fly)
• 7
  in the tournament next Saturday? (she / play)
• 8
  the Andersons for dinner this Friday? (we / meet)

Read each question carefully. Select the sentence that matches the description.

• The idea: "am/is/are" + verb-ing + a future time word describes a plan the speaker has already arranged with another person.
• Watch out: without a future time word, this sounds like Lesson 16's right-now use instead.
• Common mistake: using the Present Simple for a personal plan makes it sound like an official timetable — "I meet Sarah tomorrow" is wrong; "I am meeting Sarah tomorrow" is right.
• Typical time words: tomorrow, next week, this weekend, on [a day], at [a time].
• Quick test: has the speaker already arranged this with someone for a specific future time?
• You've now covered all seven Present Continuous uses. Next comes a complete review of this module.