What are you doing this weekend
What are you doing this weekend
English Grammar: How to Use the Present Continuous to Talk about the Future
March 26, 2010 by Melanie
Talking about future plans is challenging in English because we use different verb forms and tenses. In this post you’ll learn how to talk about your plans for the weekend. You’ll learn when to use the present continuous, be going to, and will. You’ll also learn why ‘gonna’ is NOT a proper or acceptable written word!
How do you answer these questions?
What are your plans for the weekend?
What are you doing this weekend?
STOP!
Before you answer the above questions, you need to ask yourself some questions:
1) Do you have definite plans? Have you already made arrangements to do something?
Use the present continuous! This tense is used when you know exactly what you are doing on the weekend (notice that the present continuous is used in the question, “What are you doing this weekend?”):
I‘m working this weekend.
I‘m going shopping with my friends.
I‘m taking my cat to the vet for his annual checkup!
I‘m going to the U2 concert!
(*note that this is NOT the ‘be going to‘ future! This is simply the verb ‘go’ used in the present continuous!)
In the above examples, it is not necessary to use future time words (this weekend, on Sunday, tonight, tomorrow) because we already know from the question that you are talking about the future. If it is not clear from the context of the conversation that you are talking about the future, then you need to use future time words.
2) Have you decided to do something or do you intend to do something, but you don’t have definite plans yet?
I‘m going to clean my entire house this weekend!
I‘m going to finish my book report and then meet my friends for dinner!
We are going to look for a new car!
You’ll notice that I have NOT used the horrible, horrible word ‘gonna‘ in the above examples. This is because ‘gonna’ is NOT a proper English word! It is the sound that native speakers make when they say ‘going to’ (in the be going to future and before another verb) but it is NOTa proper written word. In fact, when you write this word, it makes you look unprofessional and uneducated.
I don’t know why people learning English like to use this word so much – they use it more than native speakers do! It’s a very bad habit that you need to get out of. (When native speakers write this word, it is usually when they are imitating what someone said.)
3) Are you still thinking about what you want to do this weekend?
I don’t know what I’m doing this weekend. I think I’ll call Anne and see what she’s doing.
I think I’ll try to get a ticket for the U2 concert on Sunday.
*Will is also used in the 1st conditional (the future possible/real conditional):
If the weather is nice this weekend, I‘ll take my family to the park.
If I finish my homework by Saturday night, I‘ll go to Amber’s party.
*Shall is not used in North American English.
Now you can answer the question “What are you plans for the weekend?” or “What are you doing this weekend?“
So what are you doing this weekend?
Another Friday and the end of another working week; I hope you had a good one and you’re looking forward to the weekend. I was just wondering what your plans are? I’d love to hear how you’ll be spending the weekend in your part of the world.
The weather’s very good here in Malta so I’ll be spending some time outside. For a start, I’ll take my daughter, Ariana, to the park. She’s only three and doesn’t appreciate the importance of the weekend and waking up late – there will be no lie in for me! 🙁
Playing with the Ariana will be followed by the obligatory mountain of laundry that needs to be done along with the other household chores. When they’re out of the way I’ll go and see my grandmother; she lives on her own and always enjoys some company.
Who wants to cook on the weekend? Not me! Actually, I don’t mind cooking so much, it’s the washing up that I hate. So anyway, I’ll probably eat out somewhere or get some take away food (I try to eat healthily during the week, that goes out of the window on the weekend).
On Sunday I’m going to a christening. My cousin adopted a baby girl from Ethiopia recently and they’re having her christened this weekend. Before that, I’ll be settling down in front of the TV to watch my favourite football team, Everton, play Manchester United in the FA Cup semi final. I’m sure it’ll be a nail-biting occasion for me, but fingers-crossed they’ll win.
So that’s pretty much how I’ll be spending my weekend…how about you?
By Chris
Key words
Учебник Spotlight 8. Student’s Book. Страница 127
8c. Grammar in Use — Грамматика на практике
5. What are you doing this weekend? Use the ideas to discuss with your partner. — Что вы делаете на этих выходных? Используйте предложенные идеи, чтобы обсудить с вашим партнером.
6. Use the ideas to make sentences. How would you spend this weekend if …- Используйте идеи, чтобы составить предложения. Как бы вы провели выходные, если бы…
7. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense. What type of conditional is each sentence? — Поставьте глаголы в скобках в правильное время. Какой тип условного предложения использован в каждом предложении?
8. Describe the pictures. Use the third conditional to suggest what could have been done to stop these things from happening. — Опишите картинки. Используйте третий тип условных предложений, чтобы предположить, что могло бы произойти.
9. Write a sentence for each situation. Use conditionals type 2 or 3. — Напишите предложение для каждой ситуации. Используйте условные предложения второго или третьего типа.
10. Complete the sentences with your own ideas. — Закончите предложения по вашему собственному усмотрению.
11. Start a chain story and continue it. — Начните и продолжите историю
‘What are you doing’ versus ‘What are you going to do’
tigerduck
Senior Member
I think there’s hardly any difference between ‘What are you doing this weekend?’ and ‘What are you going to do this weekend?’. I think both structures are quite common, aren’t they?
I assume the speaker who asks ‘What are you doing this weekend?’ thinks that the person he/she is talking to has already made some arrangements. The speaker who asks ‘What are you going to do this weekend?’ on the other hand, just asks about somebody plans for the weekend.
However, the speaker who asks the question doesn’t know whether the person he/she asks has made some arrangements already or not. Therefore, regardless whether the question is with going to + infinitive (What are you going to do this weekend?) or with the present continuous (What are you doing this weekend?) the answer can be with going to + infinitive or with the present continuous, depending on whether the person who gets asked has already arranged things or not.
I’d like to know whether you agree with the above.
DonnyB
Member Emeritus
You’re making roughly the right distinction here, yes: «What are you doing?» can imply more of a definite intention of doing it. Although people frequently use them interchangeably, and it can be just a matter of personal preference which you use.
The answer certainly doesn’t have to use the same tense as the question, and both the points made above apply equally well. Or the tense may be completely different, as in: «Oh, I haven’t made any plans yet: we’ll have to wait and see».
rhitagawr
Senior Member
I think the question with going to can also mean that the speakers expects the other person to make a decision.
1) Policeman: I think you stole the money.
John: So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to arrest me? This can sound (almost) like a challenge.
2) Patricia: I’ve been to my parents’ house every weekend for the past month but they’ve always been out.
Celia: So what are you going to do this weekend? Are you going to try again?
3) What are you doing this weekend? If you’ve got nothing on perhaps we could go to the theatre. This is more neutral in tone. You’d say are doing if you just want to arrange an evening out with a friend.
tigerduck
Senior Member
Giorgio Spizzi
Senior Member
«I think the question with going to can also mean that the speakers expects the other person to make a decision.«
That’s an extremely good point, rhita.
london calling
Senior Member
Parla
Member Emeritus
I think there’s hardly any difference between ‘What are you doing this weekend?’ and ‘What are you going to do this weekend?’. I think both structures are quite common, aren’t they?
I assume the speaker who asks ‘What are you doing this weekend?’ thinks that the person he/she is talking to has already made some arrangements. The speaker who asks ‘What are you going to do this weekend?’ on the other hand, just asks about somebody plans for the weekend.
rhitagawr
Senior Member
I don’t think they are, although I agree they’re very similar in meaning. Perhaps it’s a BE/AE thing.
Detective Constable: I think Smith’s the murderer.
Detective Sergeant: So what are you going to do about it? What do you intend to do about it?
Detective Constable: I think Smith’s the murderer.
Detective Sergeant: So what are you doing about it? What are you doing now?
DonnyB
Member Emeritus
Detective Constable: I think Smith’s the murderer.
Detective Sergeant: So what are you going to do about it? What do you intend to do about it?
Detective Constable: I think Smith’s the murderer.
Detective Sergeant: So what are you doing about it? What are you doing now?
redgiant
Senior Member
I wonder if anyone agrees with me on this. I think «so what are you going to do» is more likely to be used as a rhetorical question to challenge or dismiss one’s views:
Officer A: I think President Smith is doing 110km in a 50km zone.
Officer B: So what are you going to do? Arrest him?
So what are you doing would be used to provoke one into action:
Officer A: I think President Smith is doing 110km in a 50km zone.
Officer B: So what are we doing here sitting on our ass? Pull him over! (Although I prefer «So what are we waiting for»)
Parla
Member Emeritus
Rhitagawr, in my opinion you’ve set up a completely different situation in post #8.
The constable has a suspicion as to the identity of the murderer, and has expressed this opinion to the sergeant. Yes, you’re right: the sergeant’s «what are you doing [now]» is a different question from «what are you going to do [going forward]».
But Tigerduck’s question isn’t like that. Neither version concerns the present. And in AE, at least, «What are you doing [future time specified]?» is completely equivalent to «What are you going to do [future time specified]?» The time could be «next weekend» or «Christmas Day» or «on your summer vacation» or «Tuesday»; it doesn’t matter.
Perhaps it is an AE/BE thing.
rhitagawr
Senior Member
Yes. Apologies for straying from the point a bit. I was simply trying to point out that What are you doing? and What are you going to do? aren’t always the same. I agree with tigerduck that What are you going to do this weekend? can be answered with going to or the present continuous. However, I’d say What are you doing this weekend? If you’ve got nothing on perhaps we could go for a drink and not What are you going to do. If you’ve.
It seems to me that What are you going to do this weekend? and What are you doing this weekend? both assume that the other person has made some plans.
The normal conversation, at least in BE, is What are you doing for Christmas? I’m going to my brother’s and not What are you going to do for Christmas. although I wouldn’t say the latter was wrong.
I’d suggest that going to is more likely in a situation where a problem has to be tackled or a decision made as in (2) in post 3. I agree there’s normally not a lot of difference between the two.
What are you doing this weekend
What are you doing this weekend?
What are you doing over the weekend?
What are you doing this weekend?
What are you doing during the weekend?
Any of these are acceptable.
What are you doing on the weekend?
@Brunoliver “on the weekend” is not correct
“At the weekend” is not correct
You can say
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“What are you doing over the weekend.”
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