Why "I am visiting"?

[Carmen Lo]

Test No. incompl/elem-10 "Present Tense", question 6

Later tonight I ......... my uncle, who is ill in hospital.

(a) visit
(b) am visiting
(c) are visiting

Test No. incompl/elem-10 "Present Tense", answer 6

Later tonight I am visiting my uncle, who is ill in hospital.

Correct answer: (b) am visiting

Your answer was: incorrect
Later tonight I visit my uncle, who is ill in hospital.

Carmen Lo

[Torsten]

Hi Carmen,

Your sentence describes an action in the near future - something you are planning to do very soon.
In these instances we use the Present Continuous (Present Progressive) not the Present Simple.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Carmen]

I got it! Thank you!

[Kharisma]

Does it mean that we don't have to use "to be going to" cause we have "later tonight"??

[Conchita]

[Kharisma]

Mmm.. i still confused with that sentence...

Later tonight I am visiting my uncle, who is ill in hospital.

What does 'later tonight' mean?? I thought it's a simple future... then I am visiting is for present progressive... can we use 'I'll visit'?

[Alan]

Hi,

You might like to look at some material I've written for the site on this point, which may help: Grammar Lesson: Future Tense

Alan
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