Does Present Progressive have to "-ing"

[ChristineX]

Does Present Progressive tense (Present Continuous) have to follow the rule am/is/are following by -ing form?

The sentence which confuses me is:-

We're off to the cinema later.

I am pretty sure that this is a present tense - but it doesn't seem to fit Present Simple, Present Continuous or Present Perfect.

I think it is Present Continous but it doesn't have -ing.

Your help would be appreciated.

Regards
Christine

[BobK]

Originally Posted by ChristineX

Does Present Progressive tense (Present Continuous) have to follow the rule am/is/are following by -ing form? Yes

The sentence which confuses me is:-

We're off to the cinema later.

I am pretty sure that this is a present tense - but it doesn't seem to fit Present Simple, Present Continuous or Present Perfect.

I think it is Present Continous but it doesn't have -ing. No

Your help would be appreciated.

Regards
Christine

The verb be off (in this case) is present simple in form and future in function.

I said 'in this case' because if you passed someone on the road to the shops and said 'I'm off to the shops' the futurity isn't so clear (although I'd argue that 'the shops' - getting to them, that is - are in the future). In your example, the later underlines this futurity.

And if you say 'This cheese is off', it's just off.

b