Present Continuous (near/far future)

[Eman Hassan]

Hello

Do we use the present continuous to talk about the near future , the far future or both?

Example:

I'm meeting Ben at the airport tomorrow. (near)

We're travelling to Canada in 2018. (far)

Thank you

 

[tedmc]

The present continuous tense is used for the near future, as in your first sentence.
For the second sentence, I would say: We will travel to Canada in 2018.

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuous.html

 

[Eman Hassan]

Thank you.
I saw this page, but I just wanted to ascertain that.
I also like to read more opinions on this topic.

 

[jutfrank]

In reference to the future, the words near and far are highly relative. My advice is that you shouldn't think of the grammar in that way.

We use present continuous when the event has been arranged. If you say We're travelling to Canada in 2018, I would assume that you have already made (or begun to have made) arrangements for your trip.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd be far more likely to use "I'm travelling to Canada in 2018" or "I'll be travelling to Canada in 2018" than "I'll travel to Canada in 2018".

 

[Eman Hassan]

In reference to the future, the words near and far are highly relative. My advice is that you shouldn't think of the grammar in that way.

We use present continuous when the event has been arranged. If you say We're travelling to Canada in 2018, I would assume that you have already made (or begun to have made) arrangements for your trip.

So, for you it doesn't matter whether it's near or far as long as we've made the arrangements, am I right?

 

[jutfrank]

So, for you it doesn't matter whether it's near or far as long as we've made the arrangements, am I right?

Yes, and not just for me.

Of course, humans tend only to make arrangements within a certain timespan. This timespan rarely exceeds several years, so you could say that all arrangements are for the near future, depending on what you understand by near.

 

[Matthew Wai]

One year is not a long time compared to one's life, so 2018 is in the near future.

I would say: We will travel to Canada in 2018.

As a non-native like you, I would say the same as you.

 

[GoesStation]

For the second sentence, I would say: We will travel to Canada in 2018.

As a non-native like you, I would say the same as you.

The present continuous is much more likely.