Present continuous and simple future [duplicate]

What is the difference between:

I am leaving at 6 o´clock

and

I will leave at 6 o´clock?

Do these serve any different function?

Solution 1:

The present progressive construction is used for talking about future plans and arrangements. The speaker who says ‘I am leaving at 6 o´clock’ has already formed some idea of the timing of his or her departure.

When a speaker uses the construction will + plain form of the verb, then the action described may very often be decided on at the time of speaking. That may well be the case in the example ‘I will leave at 6 o´clock’, but we can only really be sure by examining the context in which it is said.