FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
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NOTES
The
future continuous tense, sometimes also referred to as the future progressive
tense, is a verb tense that indicates that something will occur in the future
and continue for an expected length of time.
It is formed using the
construction will + be + the present participle (the root verb + -ing).
The future progressive tense is often used in English as a way
to talk about something happening at a given point in the future.
The Future continuous tense is often used in English as a way
to talk about something happening at a given point in the future.
How do we make the Future Continuous tense?
The structure of the Future Continuous tense is:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| invariable | invariable | present participle | ||||
| will | be | base + ing |
For negative sentences in the Future Continuous tense, we insert not between will and be. For question sentences, we exchange the subject and will.
Look at these example sentences with the Future Continuous tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| + | I | will | be | working | at 10am. | |
| + | You | will | be | lying | on a beach tomorrow. | |
| – | She | will | not | be | using | the car. |
| – | We | will | not | be | having | dinner at home. |
| ? | Will | you | be | playing | football? | |
| ? | Will | they | be | watching | TV? |
Contraction with Future Continuous
When we use the Future Continuous tense in speaking, we often contract the subject and WILL:
| I will | I’ll |
| you will | you’ll |
| he will she will it will |
he’ll she’ll it’ll |
| we will | we’ll |
| they will | they’ll |
In negative sentences, we may contract with won’t, like this:
| I will not | I won’t |
| you will not | you won’t |
| he will not she will not it will not |
he won’t she won’t it won’t |
| we will not | we won’t |
| they will not | they won’t |
How do we use the Future Continuous tense?
The Future Continuous tense expresses action at a particular moment in the future. The action will have started before that moment but it will not have finished at that moment. For example, tomorrow I will start work at 2pm and stop work at 6pm:
| At 4pm tomorrow, I will be working. | ||||||
| past | present | future | ||||
|
||||||
| At 4pm, I will be in the middle of working. | ||||||
When we use the Future Continuous tense, our listener usually knows or understands what time we are talking about. Look at these examples:
- I will be playing tennis at 10am tomorrow.
- They won’t be watching TV at 9pm tonight.
- What will you be doing at 10pm tonight?
- What will you be doing when I arrive?
- She will not be sleeping when you telephone her.
- We‘ll be having dinner when the film starts.
- Take your umbrella. It will be raining when you return.
More Examples on Future Continuous Tense
- I will be writing articles on different topics.
- Robert will be reading various kinds of books.
- They will be playing football in that field.
- April will be having coffee in this coffee shop.
- Bob will be going to the library.
- We will be shopping in that market this Monday.
- We will be watching a movie in this Cineplex on next Friday.
- You will be shopping at that market tomorrow.
- I will be singing different kinds of songs, especially modern.
- I will be attending a program of my varsity on Friday.
- Jeff will be traveling around the world in March.
- They will be playing hockey in that field on Thursday.
- The poet will be writing a romantic poem for the program.
- The lyricist will be writing a realistic song for the film.
- Will you be going to the concert of realistic songs?
- I will not be attending the program because of my busy schedule.
- Robin will be joining us at the meeting.
- I will be helping him to do the task.
- We will be going to enjoy the musical drama.
- I will be arranging all the necessary materials for the program.
VIDEOS
Watch the following Videos:
VIDEO 1
VIDEO 2
VIDEO 3
QUIZ – Future Continuous Tense
You can do this grammar quiz. It tests what you learned on the Future Continuous page.
1. I ________ during rush hour.
will have drive
will be drive
2. He will not be _____ the bus today.
taken
taking
3. They ________ the cottage that weekend.
‘ll be using
‘re be using
4. Nigel _____ be coming to the picnic.
won’t not
willn’t
5. Where ________ sleeping?
will you
will you be
6. We’ll be ________ the news at 10pm.
watching
to watch
7. I’ll try my best to spot you. What ________ wearing?
will
will you be
8. Don’t forget your snowpants. It ________ by the time you get to school.
is snowing
will be snowing
9. At noon tomorrow, I ________ on a beach somewhere.
relax
will being relax
10. Sorry, I can’t. I ________ my daughter to work at that time.
‘ll take
won’t be take
