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Can we use simple present tense to communicate our future plans? Actually recently I read some strange sentences like,

a) The plane arrives at 18.00 tomorrow.

b) She has a yoga class tomorrow morning.

c) Next Thursday at 14.00 there is an English exam.

So with reference to my above examples. Can I use simple present tense to tell my next day plans? Or Shall I use will in sentence? Or both will be ok?

E.g

Que: What are your plans tomorrow?

Ans a): Tomorrow early morning first I go to Morning walk and then I have a meeting at 10.00 with XYZ.

Or Simply I use will in my sentence.

Ans b): Tomorrow early morning first I will go to Morning walk and then I have a meeting at 10.00 with XYZ.

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  • The title says "Using simple past" did you mean Using simple present ?
    – James K
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 5:57
  • Yes It is Simple Present. I have updated it now.
    – user4084
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 6:52

2 Answers 2

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Yes you can. Generally the simple present isn't used to express what is happening right now. Instead its purpose is stating general truth about things in the present. But it can also be used to describe scheduled events in the future.

Your example: "The plane arrives at 18:00 tomorrow." would fall into that category. It describes the planes arrival at a time in the future, therefore is considered a planned/scheduled event. This applies to the other examples you listed.

Edit:

I have to add that you cannot express actions in this manner, which you plan to do in the future, even if they are 'planned'. For example this -

Tomorrow morning I go for a walk.

-would be incorrect, yet:

Every morning I go for a walk.

wouldn't, since this is simply a description of the routine and could be considered a general truth.

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  • Thanks Lvyace, But what about my way of telling plan to some one. Is it correct also?
    – user4084
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 8:01
  • @user4084 as mentioned above, since all of them qualify as scheduled events - yes. Except for minor rephrasing to make them gramatically correct. Tomorrow in the early morning I'll first go for a morning walk and after that I have a meeting at 10.00 with XYZ.
    – Levyce
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 8:33
  • @user4084 updated the answer, hope it is clearer now. If you feel like it answered your question sufficiently, click the green check mark, in order to mark it as accepted.
    – Levyce
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 8:45
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To answer your question, I'd like to refer to Vocabulary and Grammar for FCE (by Luke Prodromou):

enter image description here

As you can see, the Present Simple tense can be used to express future. To be more exact, it is used to refer to firm plans and timetables.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, you can also use the Present Simple for future events if the events are certain because they are facts. For example, Her birthday falls on a Friday next year. Note that you can also use will to talk about such future events (see the screenshot I have shared and the sentence Christmas day will fall on Tuesday this year.).

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