student asking question

It seems program will be played in the future which is "tonight", but why is he using a present progressive "are playing"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Are playing" may seem a bit confusing. It is the present progressive tense, but has been combined with future words like "tonight." This expression is specifically used for shows and events such as concerts and sports games. Regardless of whether the show has aired yet, "are playing" is used to indicate that in the near future, it will be played. It is grammatically acceptable and this pattern is very commonly used in speaking. Ex: The Lakers are playing a game tonight. Ex: My favorite show is playing tomorrow.

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