0
Anonymous Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Present continuous used to talk about plans

Hello,

I'd like to ask you about the use of present continuous when we talk about plans. It seems to me that present continuous is used to talk about plans that involve arrangements with other people. Can we use the tense to talk about plans that are not connected with any arrangements like:

A: What are you doing tonight?

B: I'm sleeping tonight. / I'm going to bed. / I'm reading a book.

It seems to me that 'be going to' should be used here but I suppose that we could use present contiunous if there was some extra information like:

I’m sleeping here tonight. / I'm sleeping at a hotel tonight. / I'm sleeping in a tent tonight. / I'm going to bed early tonight.

or at least something like that:

I'm sleeping, as usual. (but that might sound ironic or impolite, mightn't it?)

What do you think? Am I right?

  

Top answer

B: I'm sleeping tonight. / I'm going to bed. It seems to me that 'be going to' should be used here In the first place, there is no 'should' about it—most future forms are available to most speakers in most situations with little real change in meaning or intention.

— Mister Micawber

  • B: I'm sleeping tonight.
  • / I'm going to bed.
  • It seems to me that 'be going to' should be used here In the first place, there is no 'should' about it—most future forms are available to most speakers in most situations with little real change in meaning or intention.
  • The distinctions are promulgated mostly by grammarians.
  • Present continuous requires no such context as you suggest; it merely reflects an intention or perceived fact in the very near future.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

2 Answers
0
anonymousA: What are you doing tonight?B: I'm sleeping tonight. / I'm going to bed. / I'm reading a book.It seems to me that 'be going to' should be used here

In the first place, there is no 'should' about it—most future forms are available to most speakers in most situations with little real change in meaning or intention. The distinctions are promulgated

0
0

I've been trying to find such examples without extra context and haven't found any. So would you accept a student's answer to the question in a test:

A: What are you doing tonight?

B: I'm sleeping.

0

Related Questions