start/begin

[Unregistered]

I had a discussion with a teacher about using the verbs start/begin. I said you can use the present tense to talk about the future in this case. For example: Classes start tomorrow. She said I should only use the future tense. For example: Classes will start tomorrow. Can you tell me which is the proper use of these verbs? Thanks.

[Soup]

The Present Tense is also used to express a general truth or fact, which is the case here, classes start tomorrow. That the sentence itself also expresses future time has more to do with the coupling, verb+future time adverb, start tomorrow than it does with the verb itself; Cf. Present verb+present time adverb, classes start right now (present fact) with classes will start right now (future/inceptive "are about to start").