#1  
Old 06-Feb-2005, 19:11
Pawel_26
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Default present continuous or future continuous

Hi,

I need your help . Please explain to me, in what situations (contexts) I should use the present continuous and the future continuous to tell about future activities. I'll give you two examples to make my question more clear and precise:

1. I'm working with Mary tomorrow.
2. I'll be working with Mary tomorrow.

1. I'm meeting with my friends from London next week.
2. I'll be meeting with my friends from London next week.

Thank you in advance for your help.
  #2  
Old 06-Feb-2005, 21:12
Alc112's Avatar
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pawel_26
Hi,

I need your help . Please explain to me, in what situations (contexts) I should use the present continuous and the future continuous to tell about future activities. I'll give you two examples to make my question more clear and precise:

1. I'm working with Mary tomorrow.
2. I'll be working with Mary tomorrow.

1. I'm meeting with my friends from London next week.
2. I'll be meeting with my friends from London next week.

Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi!!

Present continous: you use it for say actions that you do at the moment
future cotinous: You use it for say somthing that will happend and wont be cancelled

regards
  #3  
Old 07-Feb-2005, 00:52
Marylin's Avatar
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pawel_26
Hi,

I need your help . Please explain to me, in what situations (contexts) I should use the present continuous and the future continuous to tell about future activities. I'll give you two examples to make my question more clear and precise:

1. I'm working with Mary tomorrow.
2. I'll be working with Mary tomorrow.

1. I'm meeting with my friends from London next week.
2. I'll be meeting with my friends from London next week.

Thank you in advance for your help.
I think your use of both Future Continuous and Present Continuous sound fine to me.
Present Cont. tense is oftentimes used with a future meaning when we talk about future arrangements that have already been taken care of. It's similar to the use of "going to" phrase.
  #4  
Old 07-Feb-2005, 20:07
Pawel_26
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

Thanks a lot.

So, can it be said that we use the present continuous (while talking about the future) when we talk about arrangements on which we have some influence, and we use the future continuous to talk about future activities on which we have little influence, they happen without us taking care of them?
  #5  
Old 07-Feb-2005, 22:31
Marylin's Avatar
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pawel_26
Thanks a lot.

So, can it be said that we use the present continuous (while talking about the future) when we talk about arrangements on which we have some influence, and we use the future continuous to talk about future activities on which we have little influence, they happen without us taking care of them?
I was just commenting on the use of Present Continuous while expressing a future tense. That particular tense is quite frequently used interchgangably with Future Continuous Tense.

I am seeing my dentist tomorrow.

This suggests I have already made plans to see him but it's a future arrangement.

I will be seeing my dentist tomorrow.

Same thing. It does not preclude having an appointmnet made ahead of time.
I assume you are familiar with the use of Future Continuous Tense. If not, I am sure this forum has a lot of information on its use.

Fut. Cont. Tense...with no planning:
Take an umbrella. It will be raining tomorrow.

See, no arrangements made here. In fact, it's be impossible to influence the weather one way or another. You just think or possibly have heard on the news that it will rain later on.

At this time tomorow I will be slaving away at work.

Here you know exactly what will happen at this time tomorrow. There is an exact point of reference.

I will be seeing my dentist tomorrow = I am seeing my dentist tomorrow.

As far as I am concerned they both express the same thing. Both being progressive tenses, Present Continuous links you to the future with your appointment that you have already made.
  #6  
Old 07-Feb-2005, 23:29
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

The future continous indicates that an action will be do in the future no matter what.
  #7  
Old 08-Feb-2005, 19:06
Pawel_26
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

Thank you very much for your help.
  #8  
Old 08-Feb-2005, 22:30
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Default Re: present continuous or future continuous

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pawel_26
Thank you very much for your help.
You are welcome, Pawel.
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