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13A Grammar

Talk about your plans for next week

Unit 13

I CAN use the present continuous for future arrangements
I CAN talk about fixed plans

Grammar

11 cards

We can use the present continuous to talk about the future. We use it for fixed plans — when we already decided the time, the place and the people. For example: I am meeting Sara at 7 pm. I know the time, the place and who I am meeting, so it is a fixed plan.

Look at the table. The form is the same as the present continuous you already know, but the time is in the future. The words tomorrow, next week, on Friday, at 7 pm tell us the plan is not today.

Subject	Be	Verb-ing	Time
I	am	meeting	my friend tomorrow.
She	is	travelling	to Paris next week.
We	are	having	dinner on Saturday.
They	are not	leaving	at eight.

Questions have the same form, but am / is / are comes before the subject:

Are you coming to the party? — Yes, I am.
Is he working tomorrow? — No, he isn't.

We use the present continuous (not will) when the plan is fixed: we know the day, the time and the people. We use will for decisions we make at the moment of speaking: It's cold. I will close the window.

Generating translation…

I am meeting my friend at the café tomorrow.

Read the example. The time word is tomorrow.

We are travelling to London next week.

Read the example. The time word is next week.

Required

Look at the two sentences above. What comes after am / are / is?

the verb in -ing form
the verb in base form
the noun

Required

We use the present continuous for a fixed plan in the future.

Required

She ___ (have) lunch with Anna on Friday.

Required

They ___ (not / travel) this weekend.

Required

Which question is correct?

Are you go to the party?
Do you going to the party?
Are you going to the party?

Required

Put the words in the correct order to make a question.

Are
you
meeting
Tom
tomorrow
?

Required

Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence.

We
are
staying
at
a
hotel
next
week

Drag the correct word into each sentence.

Listening

6 cards

Listen to a phone call between two friends, Emma and Tom. They are talking about their plans for next week. Emma is at home and Tom is at work. They are deciding when to meet.

Before you listen, think: What can two friends plan to do together at the weekend? In the dialogue you will hear words like meeting, having, going, coming and time expressions like on Friday, at seven, next week.

Generating translation…

Listen to Emma and Tom. They are talking about next week.

E
Emma Hi Tom! How are you?
T
Tom Hi Emma! I'm fine, thanks. Listen, do you have any plans for next week?
E
Emma Yes, I am meeting my parents on Friday afternoon. But I am free on Saturday.
T
Tom Great! I am having a small dinner at my flat on Saturday evening. Are you coming?
E
Emma Of course! What time?
T
Tom At about seven o'clock. My sister is coming too.
E
Emma Wonderful. I am bringing some cake. I am leaving work at five on Saturday.
T
Tom Perfect. See you on Saturday, Emma!
E
Emma See you, Tom! Have a good week.

Required

What is the dialogue mainly about?

Plans for next week
Plans for last year
Plans for today

Required

When is Tom having dinner?

Friday afternoon
Saturday evening
Sunday morning

Required

Tom's sister is coming to the dinner.

Required

Emma is leaving work at ___ on Saturday.

Pronunciation

7 cards

In this lesson we use a lot of -ing forms: meeting, visiting, travelling, having, staying, going, coming, leaving. It is important to say the ending correctly.

The -ing sound is /ɪŋ/. Here is how to make it:

First, your tongue is at the front of your mouth, low and relaxed. Say a quick /ɪ/ (the short 'i' in bit).
Then lift the back of your tongue up to the soft part at the back of your mouth. Let the air come out through your nose — that is the /ŋ/ sound. It is a nasal sound, like the end of the word sing.
Your mouth stays almost closed. The sound is in the middle and the back of your mouth.
Do not say meet-in or go-in. There is no extra vowel. The g is silent.

Listen to these words and notice the /ɪŋ/ at the end:

meeting /ˈmiːtɪŋ/
travelling /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/
having /ˈhævɪŋ/
staying /ˈsteɪɪŋ/
leaving /ˈliːvɪŋ/
coming /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

Generating translation…

To say -ing: start with a short /ɪ/, then lift the back of your tongue and let the air come out of your nose. Do not add an extra vowel. The g is silent.

Required

Listen. Which word do you hear?

leaving
leven

Required

Listen. Which word do you hear?

meeting
meetin

Required

Read the sentence. Pay attention to the -ing ending in meeting.

I am meeting my friend tomorrow.

Required

Read the sentence. Say the -ing in travelling clearly.

We are travelling to London next week.

Required

Read the sentence. Say having with a clear /ɪŋ/ at the end.

She is having a party on Saturday.

Reading

7 cards

In this part you read a short message from a friend. The strategy is skimming: read the message quickly to find the general idea. Do not stop at every word. Look at the time words first: on Monday, on Wednesday, on Friday, next weekend. They will help you understand the plan.

Before you read, look at these key words:

busy — having a lot to do
free — having no plans, able to do something
dentist — a doctor for your teeth
birthday — the day you were born, celebrated every year

Generating translation…

Hi Sam!

How are you? I am writing to tell you about my week. I am very busy next week, but I am free at the weekend.

On Monday I am starting a new English course. I am travelling to the school by bus. On Wednesday I am visiting my grandparents in the afternoon. I am having tea with them at four o'clock.

On Friday I am going to the dentist at ten in the morning. In the evening I am meeting some friends at a restaurant. We are having pizza together.

Next weekend I am staying at home. I am having a small party on Sunday for my birthday. Are you coming? Please tell me soon!

Love, Alex

Generating translation…

Required

What is the message about?

Alex's plans for next week
Alex's work at school
Alex's family tree

Required

Alex is starting a new English course on Monday.

Required

Alex is meeting his grandparents on Wednesday afternoon.

Required

What is Alex doing on Friday morning?

Going to the dentist
Having pizza with friends
Visiting grandparents

Required

Alex is having a birthday party on ___.

Speaking

7 cards

Now it is your turn to speak. Use these phrases to talk about your plans for next week. Each phrase uses the present continuous for a fixed plan.

I am meeting… — to say who you are seeing.
I am going to… — to say where you are going.
I am having… — to say what activity you are doing.
I am leaving at… — to say what time you are going.
Are you coming to…? — to ask a friend to join you.
What are you doing on…? — to ask about a friend's plan.
Sounds great! — a friendly answer to an invitation.

Listen to the model dialogue, then practise the sentences. After that, you will have your own short conversation with the AI.

Generating translation…

Listen to a short example. Sara and Ben are making plans.

S
Sara Hi Ben! What are you doing this weekend?
B
Ben I am meeting my cousin on Saturday. We are going to the cinema.
S
Sara That sounds great! I am having a party on Sunday. Are you coming?
B
Ben Of course! What time?
S
Sara At about six. I am leaving work at four.
B
Ben Perfect. See you on Sunday!

I am meeting my cousin on Saturday. We are going to the cinema.

Notice the model phrases: I am meeting and We are going to.

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Use the -ing sound clearly.

I am meeting my friend tomorrow afternoon.

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Say having with a clear /ɪŋ/.

I am having dinner with my family on Friday.

Required

Read the question aloud. Use friendly intonation.

Are you coming to my party on Saturday?

Required

You are talking to your friend Lily. Use the present continuous to tell her about three things you are doing next week. Ask her about her plans. Invite her to one of your plans.

Vocabulary

6 cards

In this lesson we look at verbs you use when you talk about plans for next week. These verbs are common in everyday English. We use them in the present continuous to show a fixed plan, for example: I am meeting my friend on Saturday.

Look at the table. Each word is a verb in the -ing form. The form is the same one you use when you say I am doing something. Read the example sentence for each word carefully.

Word	Type	Meaning	Example
meet	verb	to see someone	I am meeting my sister on Tuesday.
visit	verb	to go to see a place or person	We are visiting Paris next month.
travel	verb	to go to another place	They are travelling to London.
have	verb	to do or attend something	She is having dinner with Tom.
stay	verb	to live in a place for a time	He is staying at a hotel.
go	verb	to move to a place	I am going to the cinema.
come	verb	to move to where you are	Are you coming to the party?
leave	verb	to go away from a place	We are leaving at eight.

You will see these words again in the grammar, listening and reading parts of the lesson.

Generating translation…

Learn these eight verbs. They are very common when you talk about plans for next week.

come kʌm
to move or travel to a place where the speaker is, or to arrive at a place
go ɡəʊ
To move or travel from one place to another.
have hæv
used with the past participle of other verbs to form the present perfect and past perfect :
leave liːv
to go away from a place or person; to depart from somewhere
meet miːt
to see and talk to someone for the first time : to come together with someone intentionally : to come together
stay steɪ
To remain in a place; to not leave or move away from somewhere. Also means to live somewhere temporarily, such
travel ˈtrævəl
To go from one place to another, especially over a long distance or to different countries.
visit ˈvɪzɪt
To go to see someone or a place for a period of time, often for pleasure or as a tourist.