[clivehawkins]

Hi,

I teach that we use present continuous when there is a fixed appointment, something is booked etc.

For example,

1.I'm going to play squash with Alex next week.
2.I'm playing squash with Alex on Friday at 15.00

For me (1.) this means that you have the intention to do it, although nothing has been confirmed.
(2.) on the other hand means that you've booked the court and this appointment is confirmed.

I give my students a diary and a list of future actions. They have to decide which of the actions they could realistically put in the diary. Those would then be the present continuous.
eg
meet Michael \ 17.00 \ Tuesday
relax
clean bathroom
take son to dentist \ tomorrow morning
pay phone bill
play in tennis final \ this evening \ 18.30

Relax, clean bathroom and pay phone bill are not really things you'd write in your diary as an appointment or arrangement. It would be strange to say "Tomorrow I'm relaxing in the afternoon" Instead it's just an intention. "Tomorrow I'm going to relax"

Meet Michael. When? At 17.00 on Tuesday. This is a confirmed appointment that you can write in the diary. Therefore "On Tuesday at 17.00 I'm meeting Michael" The same for the dentist's appointment and the tennis final.

Hope this helps.