Future Tense Practice with "going to"

Mount Whitney, California

Complete the following sentences. If typing is too difficult, try just saying the answer, then looking at the correct answer in the drop down menu.

1. I take an English class.
next yearI'm going to take an English class next year.

2. She studies French.

tonightShe's going to study French tonight.

3. We have dinner together.
this eveningWe're going to have dinner together this evening.

4. Tom and Steve play soccer.
next weekendTom and Steve are going to play soccer next weekend.

5. Sally makes a delicious soup.
tomorrow nightSally is going to make a delicious soup tomorrow night.

6. I take out the garbage.
in a few minutesI'm going to take out the garbage in a few minutes.

7. The children swim in the lake.
this summerThe children are going to swim in the lake this summer.

8. They watch a movie on TV.
this Friday nightThey're going to watch a movie on TV this Friday night.

9. We meet the other students.
tomorrow afternoonWe're going to meet the other students tomorrow afternoon.

10. She visits her grandparents.
next monthShe's going to visit her grandparents next month.

11. They visit the new museum.
tomorrow morningThey're going to visit the new museum tomorrow morning.

12. He finishes his homework.
in a few minutesHe's going to finish his homework in a few minutes.

13. Marvin climbs Mount Whitney.
in a couple of monthsMarvin is going to climb Mount Whitney in a couple of months.

14. She walks home.

after schoolShe's going to walk home after school.

15. They purchase a used car.
this SaturdayThey're going to purchase a used car this Saturday.

16. They bring their friends to the picnic.
this SundayThey're going to bring their friends to the picnic this Sunday.

17. The plane leaves.
in a few minutesThe plane is going to leave in a few minutes.

18. Sylvia is in Europe.
for four weeksSylvia is going to be in Europe for four weeks.

19. The students do their homework.
on SundayThe students are going to do their homework on Sunday.

20. They go skiing.
this winterThey're going skiing this winter. or, They're going to go skiing this winter. (often "to go" is eliminated because it sounds redundant after "going")

21. We eat out.

tonightWe're going to eat out tonight.

22. They get up early.
tomorrow morningThey're going to get up early tomorrow morning.

23. Henry studies.

to be a doctorHenry is going to study to be a doctor.

24. She drives to California
in three monthsShe's going to drive to California in three months.

25. Gary wears his gray suit.
at the reception.Gary is going to wear his gray suit at the reception.

26. Mr. and Mrs. Chen paint their kitchen.
right awayMr. and Mrs. Chen are going to paint their kitchen right away.

27. I fill out my income tax form.
next monthI'm going to fill out my income tax form next month.

28. My sister attends a meeting.
this eveningMy sister is going to attend a meeting this evening.

Present Progressive (Continuous) Practice.

"The Serenader" Jean-Antoine Watteau, 1715

Use the Present Progressive Tense if you're talking about an action happening in the present, temporarily, or in the near future. The Present Progressive Tense is as follows:

Subject Pronoun + Verb "be" in Present Tense + Present Participle.

Example: "I am working now."
Or, in contracted form: "I'm working now."

The spelling of the Present Participle is as follows:

Add "ing" to the Base Form of the verb:
Base Form: "Walk"
Present Participle: "Walking"

If the Base Form ends in "e", drop the "e" before adding "ing".
Examples: "write" changes to "writing". "make" changes to "making."

If the Base Form has one vowel letter + one consonant letter,
double the final consonant letter.

Examples: "mop" changes to "mopping". "cut" changes to "cutting".

If the Base Form is two syllables, and the second syllable is stressed, and it has one vowel letter + one consonant letter, double the final consonant letter. However, if the second syllable is unstressed, don't double the final letter.

Examples: "admit" changes to "admitting". "refer" changes to "referring", "upset" changes to "upsetting". But notice there is no doubling of the final consonant in "opening", "traveling" "visiting".

Exercises: Change the following sentences to Present Progressive. Use the time words suggested. Use contractions when appropriate.

1. Tom goes to work late.

todayTom is going to work late today.

2. I have dinner at 7:00 pm.

tonightI'm having dinner at 7:00 pm tonight.

3. Steve traveled to India last month.

this weekSteve is traveling to India this week.

4. The class begins at 10:30 every morning.

10:45 am this morningThe class is beginning at 10:45 am this morning.


5. The students study very hard.

nowThe students are studying very hard now.

6. The bus comes on time every day.

late todayThe bus is coming late today.

7. Jake left for New York a few hours ago.

in a few minutesJake is leaving for New York in a few minutes.

8. We stay with relatives.

for the time beingWe're staying with relatives for the time being."for the time being" means "temporarily"

9. Our Aunt Marge visits us often.

this weekOur Aunt Marge is visiting us this week.

10. We watch our favorite TV show every Tuesday.

this TuesdayWe're watching our favorite TV show this Tuesday.

11. The Wilsons sold their house at a low price.

this monthThe Wilsons are selling their house at a very low price this month.

12. She tried to explain the grammar yesterday.

nowShe's trying to explain the grammar now.

13. The janitors finished cleaning the corridors.

right nowThe janitors are finishing the corridors right now.

13. The musicians always perform in San Francisco.

todayThe musicians are performing in San Francisco today.

14. The plane stops in Singapore.

for ten minutesThe plane is stopping in Singapore for ten minutes.

15. The banks opens at 10:00 am every morning.

in a few minutesThe bank is opening in a few minutes.

16. The fish swim up the river in the spring.

at this momentThe fish are swimming up the river at this moment.

17. I have trouble paying the rent.

this monthI'm having trouble paying the rent this month.

18. It usually rains a lot in the winter.

todayIt's raining a lot today.

19. They listen to their CD's regularly.

at home tonightThey're listening to their CD's at home tonight.

20. Our baseball team usually wins.

so farOur baseball team is winning so far."so far" means "up to now".

21. The waiters wipe off the tables.

nowThe waiters are wiping off the tables now.

22. The customers waited for the check.

Hurry, please. Hurry, please. The customers are waiting for the check.

23. They usually fly home for the holidays.

this weekendThey're flying home this weekend.

24. Diana plays basketball once a month.

this afternoonDiana is playing basketball this afternoon.

25. Tom runs the marathon every July.

nowTom is running in the marathon now.

26. We mop our floor regularly.

right nowWe're mopping our floor right now.

27. The telephone rings.

Listen!Listen! The telephone is ringing.

28. The leaves begin to fall from the trees.

Look!The leaves are beginning to fall from the trees.

29. He opens his front door.

Tom is home. ... nowTom is home. He's opening his front door now. notice the spelling: 'beginning' 'opening' why is one single 'n' and the other is double 'n'?

30. The baby sleeps.

Please be quiet!Please be quiet. The baby is sleeping.




Do you have any questions? I'm happy to answer them. Just use the
comment field below.

Simple Present Tense

"Violin" by Pablo Picasso

Present action: Use Present Progressive (Continuous) Tense.
Routine action: Use Simple Present Tense.

Change the following Present Progressive sentences to Simple Present sentences. Use the time word in the drop down menu.

1. I'm talking to my friend on the phone.

every afternoonI talk to my friend on the phone every afternoon.

2. He's planting flowers.

every springHe plants flowers every spring.

3. They're working at the office right now.

every dayThey work at the office every day.

4. Maria is going to a party.

every weekendMaria goes to a party every weekend.

5. Mrs. Johnson is helping Susan with her homework.

oftenMrs. Johnson often helps Susan with her homework.

6. He is speaking to them in English.

usuallyHe usually speaks to them in English.

7. The plane is leaving for Europe now.

every morning at 11 o'clockThe plane leaves for Europe every morning at 11 o'clock.

8. They're cleaning their shoes now.

before they enter the houseThey clean their shoes before they enter the house.

9. We're mailing the paychecks to the employees.

every other weekWe mail the paychecks to the employees every other week.

10. The family is discussing the news of the day.

oftenThe family often discusses the news of the day.

11. I'm writing a letter to my friend Victor.

once a monthI write a letter to my friend Victor once a month.

12. You're bringing your notebook to class.

alwaysYou always bring your notebook to class.

13. Steve is playing cards with his nephews.

sometimesSteve sometimes plays card with his nephews.

14. The manager is taking the day off.

rarelyThe manager rarely takes the day off.

15. I'm watching a commercial on television.

neverI never watch a commercial on television.

16. Jose is playing soccer now.

once a weekJose plays soccer once a week.

17. The students are taking an exam now.

twice a semesterThe students take an exam twice a semester.

18. Martha is visiting the dentist.

every six monthsMartha visits the dentist every six months.

20. The Giants are winning a game.

seldomThe Giants seldom win a game.

21. He's borrowing money from his parents.

once in a whileHe borrows money from his parents once in a while.

22. She is driving her husband to work.

every morningShe drives her husband to work every morning.

23. Jack is having dinner now.

usually ... at 6:30pmJack usually has dinner at 6:30 pm.

24. The plumbers are finishing their work.

before 6:00 pm every eveningThe plumbers finish their work before 6:00 pm every evening.

25. Wally is sitting next to Amber.

usuallyWally usually sits next to Amber.

26. It's raining now.

usually ... every MarchIt usually rains every March.

27. Sonia is singing beautifully today.

at every performanceSonia sings beautifully at every performance.

28. Our business is making a profit.

oftenOur business often makes a profit.

29. We are learning new words in the class.

alwaysWe always learn new words in the class.

30. Our dog is barking at the mail person.

every afternoonOur dog barks at the mail person every afternoon.

31. Sandra is playing the violin very well.

when she practicesSandra plays the violin very well when she practices.