Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[tcb]

I am trying to work out which future tense the following sentence uses:

"I am going swimming later"

Is it the "going to" form as in "I am going to go swimming"

Or does it use the present continuous form with the verb "go" + ing. In this case would the verb "swimming" be a gerund?

Thanks in advance

[+Immune+]

Hi!

It's a present continuous tense but you were right suspecting that the sentence refers to the activity which will be done in the near future.
_________________
"Understand that hapiness is not based on possesions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect"

Well, um.. "Never open the refrigerator when you're bored"

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Yeah, many times we use the present progressive/continuous in place of "going to."

"We're eating at Taco Bell tonight."="We're going to eat..."

"I'm meeting him tomorrow morning."="I'm going to meet..."

"We're studying in the library later."="We're going to study..."

[LucentShade]

It's also the same as the "pure" future tense:

"I am going swimming later" = "I will go swimming later."