Unit 2.1

Future Continuous


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Introduction

The future is the tense used to talk about future events.

The future continuous tense is used to talk about actions that will be in progress in the future.

Form

The future continuous (or progressive) has three forms: affirmative, negative and interrogative.

Affirmative

Its full structure, in the affirmative form, is:
Subject + will + be + verb + -ing + …

Affirmative short forms are made up of: I’ll – you’ll – he’ll…
Subject + ‘ + ll + be + verb + -ing

SUBJECT FUTURE SIMPLE AUXILIARY VERB
 PRESENT PARTICIPLE
I/You/He/She/It/We/You/They will/’ll be working

Negative

Its full structure, in the negative form, is:
Subject + will + not + be + [verb + -ing] + …

Negative short forms are: I won’t – you won’t – he won’t…
Subject + won’t + be + verb + -ing

SUBJECT FUTURE SIMPLE + NOT
 AUXILIARY VERB PRESENT PARTICIPLE
I/You/He/She/It/We/You/They will not/won’t be working

Interrogative

Its structure, in the interrogative form is:
Will + subject + be + verb + -ing + …?

FUTURE SIMPLE SUBJECT AUXILIARY VERB PRESENT PARTICIPLE QUESTION MARK
Will I/You/He/She/It/We/You/They be working …?

Example

  1. Unfinished actions or events that will be taking place in the future:
    • You will be living in a new house next month.
    • Next Monday the company will not be offering services to more clients.
    • Will they be growing tomatoes next year?
  2. Referring to a longer background action which is interrupted by a shorter one:
    • I will be waiting for you at the station when you arrive. 
    • You will be sleeping when we come back home. 
    • Will she be working when the party starts?
  3. Future simultaneous events:
    • I will be cooking while you will be driving back home from work.
    • She will not be studying while he will be showering.
    • Will she be shopping groceries while he will be waiting for her in the parking lot?
  4. Assuming what will be happening in the future:
    • You will be missing this family once you stop working as a babysitter.
    • I think they will not be looking for work from next month.
    • Will I be having the interview this week?

Use

We use future continuous to:

  1. talk about an unfinished action or event that will be taking place in the future;
  2. talk about a longer background action interrupted by a shorter one;
  3. talk about future simultaneous events;
  4. assume what will be happening in the future.

Summary

The future continuous tense is used when we are talking about unfinished actions that will take place in the future, a longer background action interrupted by a shorter one, future simultaneous events, and when we are assuming what is happening in the future.

We can use it in its different forms:

  • affirmative: we start with the subject followed by will be and a verb that ends with -ing;
  • negative: we start with the subject followed by will not and be and a verb that ends with -ing;
  • interrogative: we start with will followed by the subject and be and a verb that ends with -ing (the sentence ends with a question mark).

For example:
— “I will be working on an important project next month.” = We use the future continuous because we assume that this event will take place in the Future. Therefore, we use the future continuous tense.
♦ “I will work on an important project next week.” = We use the future simple because we express a future intention.

Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.

Related

The future continuous tense is used when we are talking about unfinished actions that will take place in the future, a longer background action interrupted by a shorter one, future simultaneous events, and when we are assuming what is happening in the future.

For better understanding:

  • in A1 level, you can introduce predictions, beliefs or intentions about the future with Future simple;
  • in A2 level, you can refer to fixed plans with Present continuous for future and express commands, predictions and things that are about to happen but it is not arranged yet with Be going to.

Exercises

External link to Future Continuous exercises (137).



More exercises

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