I am going to play tennis tomorrow. vs I am playing tennis tomorrow.

[Hiam]

Hello everyone

I would like to know what is the difference between using "I am going to play tennis tomorrow" ( future plan)... and " I am playing tennis tomorrow" ?

the second one sounds like a future plan as well...
but I would like to know if there is a difference when using them!!

waiting for your help

Hiam

[Majid72]

please refer to the following link.

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/86654-continuous-tense-vs-going.html

[Hiam]

Thank you for your help:D

[Anna.ha]

Let me explain what I have understood regarding this matter.

be + verbing can be used with adverbs of time to express something will happen or someone will do something in the near future. 3 ways talking about this matter. I'll tell you what.
1- If you don't really have an idea of when exactly you will do something in the future, just use will be + doing + adverb of time. e.g I'll be thinking of getting married in September.
2- When you have that idea and it's a bit more certain, just use, be + doing + adverb of time. e.g I am getting married in September.
3- When you have a detailed plan of what you will certainly do, say, you have planned for wedding at the church, reception... and you have invited you friends to your wedding... and the wedding will happen on a specific day by all means, just use be + going to do something. e.g, I am going to get married in September.

Is this cleared up?

[Cerberus™]

Anna, I don't really understand your first example: "I will be thinking of getting married in September". It means I am not yet thinking about it, but I wil start thinking in September. The date of the marriage ceremony will be even further off, could be January.

Incidentally, the verb "to get" might have complicated things a bit in your examples, because it has a somewhat 'futurish' flavour itself as well.

I'd make a somewhat different classification:

a.) Plain Future
He will move to London in September: plain future.
He is going to move to London in September: plain future, almost the same as "will".

b.) Near Future
He is moving to London in September: usually near future - when it is future at all: in many contexts it is simply the continuous.

On the difference between "will" and "going to", you might read this:
http://www.myenglishteacher.net/willandbegoingtolesson.html

[Chaya]

Very easy - they are both correct. Don't confuse yourself too much or you'll never open your mouth to speak!!

[Anna.ha]

[Cerberus™]

[Chaya]

The way that sentence is written says that the thinking will take place in September. Thus, it should say "I'm thinking of getting married in September."

[Anna.ha]

No, I am so sorry Cerberous, all. I've made confusion here. The post should be changed as follow:

1- Tentative plans: Have you thought about the date for the wedding. Yes. I was thinking of getting married in September.

2- More definite Plans: We're going to/intending/planning to get married in September. 'Be going to' is more certain than the other two.

3- Finalised plans: We're getting married in September.

[Anna.ha]

Agree with you Cerberous, if I say 1 as in the begining, it should be understood that I wo'nt think about getting married until September!

[Hiam]

[Cerberus™]

Glad we got that cleared up!