Simple future or present continuous tense exercise

In English, we use several different tense forms to indicate future. Common among them are:

  1. Simple future
  2. Present continuous
  3. Be going to
  4. Present simple

These structures are not usually interchangeable, although in a few cases they are all possible.

The simple future is used to announce decisions that we make at the moment of speaking.

  • ‘I am hungry.’ ‘I will give you something to eat.’

The simple future is also used in type 1 conditional sentences to talk about real and possible situations.

  • If you do that again, I will hit you.
  • She will come if you call her.

The present continuous is used to talk about future events if the arrangement already exists.

  • I am visiting my grandparents next week.
  • They are leaving by the evening flight.

Be going to is used to talk about our future plans. It is also used to predict future based on present evidence.

  • He is going to have an accident one of these days. (You can predict this in view of how carelessly he drives now,)
  • My sister is going to have a baby in March. (There is present evidence.)
  • I am going to file a complaint.

The simple present is used to talk about time tabled future events.

  • The train leaves at 6.30.

Simple Future or Present Continuous Tense Worksheet

Fill in the blanks using a verb form that indicates future.

1 I …………………..your dad tomorrow. (see / am seeing / will see)

2 Maria …………………… have another baby in June. (is having / is going to have / will have / has)

3 The flight ……………….. at half past eight tomorrow morning. (arrives / is arriving / is going to arrive / will arrive)

4 I think our team …………………… (will win / wins / is winning / is going to win)

5 I ………………… your neck if you do that again. (break / will break / am breaking / am going to break)

6 I ……………….. you tonight. (will see / see / am going to see)

7 I ……………….. that car if you lower the price. (buy / will buy / am buying / am going to buy)

8 By next Christmas we …………………… here for thirty years. (are / will be / will have been / are going to be)

9 This time tomorrow, I ………………. with my kids. (am playing / play / will be playing / am going to play)

10 The Prime Minister ……………….. Moscow in June. (visit / visits / is visiting / is going to visit)

11. She ……………………. here in a couple of minutes. (is / will be / is going to be)

12. If it rains, we ……………………. the picnic. (cancel / will cancel / are cancelling)

13. I …………………… at 3 o’clock sharp. (will arrive / am arriving / am going to arrive)

14. What …………………….. tomorrow? (are you doing / do you do / will you do)

15. I ……………………. the doctor tomorrow. (see / am seeing / will see)

16. Look at the sky. It ……………………. to rain. (goes / is going / will go)

17. We have to do something before things ……………………… out of control. (get / are getting / are going to)

18. I ………………………. until I hear from her. (will not leave / am not leaving / am not going to leave)

19. I will call you if I ……………………… help. (need / am needing / will need / am going to need)

20. You …………………………. that dress to the party. (will not wear / are not wearing / are not going to wear)

Answers

1 I am seeing your dad tomorrow.

2 Maria is going to have another baby in June. (There is external evidence.)

3 The flight arrives at half past eight tomorrow morning.

4 I think our team will win.

5 I will break your neck if you do that again. (In First conditional sentences, we use a simple present in the if-clause and will + bare infinitive in the main clause.)

6 I will see you tonight. (Use the simple future to announce decisions that you make at the moment of speaking.)

7 I will buy that car if you lower the price.

8 By next Christmas we will have been here for thirty years.

9 This time tomorrow, I will be playing with my kids. (Use the future continuous tense to talk about actions or situations that will be going on at a particular point of time in future.)

10 The Prime Minister visits / is visiting Moscow in June.

11. She will be here in a couple of minutes.

12. If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.

13. I will arrive at 3 o’clock sharp.

14. What are you doing tomorrow? (The question is about future arrangements that are already in place.)

15. I am seeing the doctor tomorrow. (The simple future (will see) is also possible here; however, if the arrangement already exists we prefer the present continuous tense.)

16. Look at the sky. It is going to rain. (Be going to is used to predict future when there is external evidence.)

17. We have to do something before things get out of control.

18. I will not leave until I hear from her.

19. I will call you if I need help. (When both clauses refer to future, use a simple present in the subordinate clause.)

20. You are not wearing / are not going to wear that dress to the party. (The present continuous and be going to can be used to insist that people do or do not do things.)

Grammar Worksheets

Manjusha

Hi, I am Manjusha. This is my blog where I give English grammar lessons and worksheets. You may also want to check out my other blogs IELTS Practice and NCERT Guides

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