Future Continuous
The Future Continuous tense is used to describe an action or event that will be in progress at a specific point in the future.
It is formed by using the auxiliary verb will along with verb to be bare infinitive (be) a main verb in present participle (verb-ing).
The basic verb form of the Future Continuous: will + be + present participle (verb-ing)
When to use the Future Continuous
Future Continuous is similar to Future Simple, but we use it to express a future action that will be ongoing.
To show more than one action in the future
We use the future continuous to talk about a future action that has been ongoing when something else happens or at a future time.
This will be one of two clauses, and the other (shorter action) will be in Present Simple tense.
I will be working when you arrive.
When you wake up, I will be cooking breakfast.
You‘ll be sleeping in bed when Santa comes.
To show certainty about the future
We use the future continuous to talk about a future action that we are pretty certain will happen. This will be used with a time reference.
I will be getting a promotion next week.
At midnight tomorrow, we will be celebrating the new year.
She‘ll be eating dinner at 6 o’clock.
To make comparisons with now and the future
We can use Future Continuous tense to compare what is now and how things might be in the future. This will usually be part of a 2 clause sentence, and the other clause can be many different tenses.
I am broke now, but this time next year I will be driving an Aston Martin.
We may be losing most games, but when we sign the new player we’ll be winning every game.
I get exhausted just walking today, but in 12 months I will be running marathons.
To talk about habits and routines in the future
We can use the this tense when we talk about routines and habits in the future.
I will be playing football as usual on Saturday.
We‘ll be spending our summer holidays in the South of France again.
She‘ll be running round the mountain when she comes.
Questions
We form questions in the Future Continuous tense by switching the auxiliary verb will and subject order. And for information questions, we put the info word before will.
Examples:
Will she be coming with you?
Will you be driving your own car?
Where will you studying next year?
How will he be arriving tonight?
When we want to ask someone politely
Use Future Continuous tense sometimes when you want to sound more polite than Present Continuous tense questions for the future.
Will you be working tomorrow?
It sounds more polite than Are you working tomorrow?
Will you be bringing your friend James tomorrow?
It sounds more polite than: Are you bringing your friends James tonight?
Will I be sleeping in this room?
It sounds more polite than: Am I sleeping in this room tonight?
Negative
To make a Future Continuous tense into a negative sentence or question, add not after the auxiliary verb will.
will + not + be + verb-ing
We can contract will and not: won’t
I won’t be ordering the usual tonight.
You will not be working this weekend.
She won’t be meeting him later.
Won’t we be studying English next year?
Will you not be running the marathon this year?
Won’t they be living with you anymore?
Watch our Presentation
Don’t want to read? Check out our Future Continuous Presentation for a full explanation. If you’re a teacher, you can play it in class, but you may want to pause it and discuss as you go along.
