Talking about future plans

future plans

I will visit my friend tomorrow.

I’m visiting my friend tomorrow.

One of these sentences is more natural – do you know which one?

Talking about future plans

I’m visiting my friend tomorrow is the more common sentence when talking about future plans or arrangements. This is the present continuous tense. Even though it’s a present tense, we often use it to talk about our arrangements for the future. An arrangement is something we have planned and we’ve put on our calendar so to speak.

Examples

  • I‘m shopping with my sister this weekend.
  • We‘re traveling to Italy next week, we’ve booked our flight.
  • Tomorrow I‘m working and not doing much else.

Will

Use will when you are talking about future plans that are uncertain. Some key words to use with will for future plans are maybe, might, perhaps, probably, I think, and so on.

Examples

  • I think I‘ll visit my friend tomorrow; I’m not sure yet.
  • Perhaps I‘ll watch a movie this evening.
  • I‘ll send you a postcard if I have time.

Going to + infinitive

You can also use going to + infinitive when talking about future plans and intentions.

Examples

  • I’ve decided that I‘m going to join a gym this year.
  • I‘m going to enjoy my free time this weekend and not make any plans.
  • We‘re going to go to Italy next week.