The Future Continuous Tense: What Will You Be Doing?

The future can be an exciting place, full of possibilities! As English speakers, we often talk about what we will do in the future. But what if you want to talk about something that will be happening at a specific time in the future? That’s where the Future Continuous tense comes in handy!

What is the Future Continuous Tense?

The Future Continuous tense (sometimes called the Future Progressive tense) is used to describe an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. Think of it like a snapshot of an ongoing activity in the future.

How Do We Form the Future Continuous?

It’s actually quite straightforward! We use:

will + be + the present participle (-ing form of the verb)

Let’s look at a quick chart:

Positive Sentences:

• At 8 PM tonight, I will be watching my favorite show.
• This time next week, we will be lying on a beach in Hawaii. * They will be having dinner when you arrive.

Negative Sentences:

To make a negative sentence, we add “not” after “will”:

will + not + be + the present participle (-ing form of the verb)

You can also use the contraction “won’t”:

won’t + be + the present participle (-ing form of the verb)

• At 8 PM tonight, I will not be watching TV. I will be reading instead.
• He won’t be working late tomorrow.
• They will not be coming to the party.

Questions:

To ask a question, we invert the subject and “will”:

Will + subject + be + the present participle (-ing form of the verb)?

• Will you be working next Saturday?
• Will they be playing soccer this afternoon?
• What will you be doing at this time tomorrow?

When Do We Use the Future Continuous?

Here are the main situations where the Future Continuous tense is perfect:

1. To describe an action that will be in progress at a specific point in the future. This is the most common use. You pinpoint a time, and the action will be happening around that time.
   • Tomorrow at 10 AM, I will be attending a meeting. * Don’t call me between 7 and 8 PM; I will be eating dinner.
   • When you arrive, we will be decorating the house for the party.
2. To talk about planned or expected future events. Sometimes, the Future Continuous can refer to future events that are already planned or are part of a routine.
   • I will be meeting John later today. (This suggests a pre-arranged plan.)
   • The President will be speaking at the conference next month.
   • They will be flying to London on Friday.
3. To ask politely about someone’s plans. Using the Future Continuous for questions can sound more polite than the simple future.
   • Will you be using the car tonight? (Polite way to ask if you can borrow it)
   • Will you be going to the supermarket later? (Asking if they can pick something up)
4. To describe parallel actions in the future. You can use it to show two or more actions happening at the same time in the future.
   • While I will be studying, my sister will be watching TV.
   • He will be cooking dinner while she will be setting the table.

Common Time Expressions Used with the Future Continuous:

• at this time tomorrow/next week/etc.
• in an hour/two days/a month
• at [specific time] tomorrow/tonight
• when… (another event happens)
• while…

Future Continuous vs. Future Simple (Will + Verb)

This is a common point of confusion for English learners. Here’s how to tell them apart:

• Future Simple: Focuses on a completed action or a single event in the future.
  • I will finish my homework by 9 PM. (The action will be completed.)
• Future Continuous: Focuses on an ongoing action at a specific time in the future.
  • At 8:30 PM, I will be doing my homework. (The action will be in progress.)

Let’s look at another example:

• Future Simple: I will read the book tonight. (I will perform the action of reading the whole book.)
• Future Continuous: At 9 PM tonight, I will be reading the book. (At 9 PM, I will be in the middle of reading the book.)

Visualizing the Difference:

Imagine a timeline:

Future Simple: [———-Action Starts———-X (Action Ends)]

Future Continuous: [—–Action in Progress—–X (Specific Time)—–Action Still in Progress—–]

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice Time!

Try to complete these sentences using the Future Continuous tense:

1. This time next year, I ________________ (live) in a new city.
2. Don’t disturb him at 7 PM; he ________________ (eat) dinner.
3. ________________ (you / work) on Saturday morning?
4. While she ________________ (shop), he ________________ (wait) in the car.

(Answers: 1. will be living, 2. will be eating, 3. Will you be working, 4. will be shopping / will be waiting)

Here is a PDF worksheet for practicing future continuous sentences. The answers are on a separate page.

Tips for Intermediate Learners:

• Listen Actively: Pay attention to how native speakers use the Future Continuous in movies, TV shows, and conversations. You’ll start to notice patterns.
• Practice Speaking: Try to incorporate the Future Continuous into your daily conversations. The more you use it, the more natural it will feel.
• Keep a Journal: Write about your future plans and what you will be doing at different times.

Additional Helpful Links

• Using Will for future tense questions – Future Questions with Will – Yes/No & Wh-

External Links for Authoritative Sources:

For further study and additional examples, you can refer to these trusted English language resources:

• British Council LearnEnglish: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/future-continuous
• Cambridge Dictionary: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/future-continuous
• Grammarly Blog: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/future-continuous-tense/

By mastering the Future Continuous tense, you’ll be able to express your future plans and ongoing activities with greater precision and fluency. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be using it like a pro!

Related posts:

12 English Verb Tenses: The Ultimate Guide with Examples Simple Present vs Present Continuous: Easy English Guide Future Tense – Simple, Continuous and Perfect Present Tense – Simple, Continuous and Perfect