Future Continuous Tense: Definition, Rules and Useful Examples • 7ESL

Contents

The reference covers the Future Continuous Tense, including the main sections of usage, time expressions, and a detailed tense chart. You will learn how to correctly use the Future Continuous Tense and the essential grammatical rules. This reference also explores various time expressions associated with the tense and provides a helpful chart for better understanding.

Definition of Future Continuous Tense

The Future Continuous Tense describes actions that will be happening at a specific moment in the future.

It uses the format:

Subject + will be + verb(-ing).

For example:

She will be studying at 8 PM.
They will be traveling next month.

This tense helps to highlight the duration of an action. It paints a picture of what’s expected to occur.

It’s often used to show planned events or predictions. Such as:

He will be meeting the clients next week.
We will be attending the concert.

Key words often used with Future Continuous include “at this time,” “next,” and “in the future.” These words help indicate future time frames.

The tense can also be used to show that an action won’t be interrupted. For instance:

I will be resting while you finish your homework.
They will be cooking when we arrive.

Structure of Future Continuous Tense

The Future Continuous Tense is used to describe actions that will be happening at a specific point in the future. It is formed with “will be” followed by the “-ing” form of the main verb.

Affirmative Form

To form the affirmative, use the subject + “will be” + verb ending in “-ing”.

Examples:

She will be studying at 8 PM.
They will be playing soccer tomorrow afternoon.

Structure:

Subject + will be + verb(-ing)

Negative Form

For the negative form, add “not” between “will” and “be”.

Examples:

He will not be working on the weekend.
We will not be traveling next month.

Structure:

Subject + will not be + verb(-ing)

Interrogative Form

To create questions, start with “will,” followed by the subject, then “be,” and the verb ending in “-ing”.

Examples:

Will you be attending the meeting?
Will she be visiting her grandparents?

Structure:

Will + subject + be + verb(-ing)

Usage of Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous tense is useful for expressing actions that will be ongoing at a future point. It helps to show events in progress, simultaneous actions, and polite inquiries about future plans.

Actions in Progress at a Future Time

The future continuous tense is commonly used to describe actions that will be happening at a particular moment in the future. For example, saying “She will be studying at 8 PM” shows that her studying will be ongoing at that specific time. These sentences often include time markers like “at 5 PM,” “tomorrow evening,” or “next week.”

Predicting Present or Future Events

This tense also helps in making predictions about current or future events based on existing plans or schedules. For example, “The train will be leaving at 6 PM” is a prediction based on the set schedule of the train. It can provide clarity by indicating a strong level of certainty.

Polite Inquiries About Future Plans

When asking about someone’s future plans, the future continuous tense sounds more polite and less direct. For instance, “Will you be attending the meeting tomorrow?” is a softer way to ask than using the simple future tense. This manner of inquiry is often appreciated in formal and social settings.

Future Simultaneous Actions

The future continuous tense can also show two actions happening at the same time in the future. For example, “They will be cooking dinner while we watch the movie” indicates that both actions will occur concurrently. This helps to illustrate a picture of future activities happening together.

Interrupted Future Actions

This tense shows actions that will be interrupted by another future event. For instance, “She will be reading when he arrives” shows that her reading will be in progress when he arrives. This can highlight the timing and sequence of future events clearly.

Time Expressions with The Future Progressive

In the future
Next week
Next time
Next year
At this moment next year
At this time tomorrow
At 5 p.m tomorrow…

Examples

At this time next year, she will be studying in college.
He will be working at the new company by this time tomorrow.
They will be traveling to Europe when they finish school.
She will be reading a book while he cooks dinner.

Future Continuous Tense Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks:

Example:

By this time tomorrow, she ___ (to work) on her project.

Answers:

I ___ (to read) my favorite book this weekend.
They ___ (to visit) the museum next month.
He ___ (to play) soccer at 6 PM.

2. Change the sentences to future continuous tense:

Example:

They write letters.

Answers:

She sings songs.
We do homework.
He watches TV.

3. Multiple choice:

Example:

Which sentence is in the future continuous tense?

A) She will write a book.
B) She will be writing a book.
C) She writes a book.

Correct answer: B)

Exercises:

What will he ___ (to do) at 5 PM?
A) be doing
B) doing
C) do
At 8 AM, we ___ (to cook) breakfast.
A) cook
B) will be cooking
C) will cook

4. Match the questions with the correct answers:

Example:

A) What will you be doing at 9 PM?
B) Will he be studying at 6 AM?

No, he won’t.
I will be watching a movie.

Correct answers:
A-2, B-1

Exercises:

A) Will she be eating dinner at 7 PM?
B) What will they be doing at noon?

They will be playing basketball.
Yes, she will.

5. Writing prompts:

Ask students to write a few sentences about what they will be doing next weekend using future continuous tense.

Example:

I will be visiting my grandparents and we will be going to the park.

Verb Tenses in English

Learn all (12) tenses in English with useful grammar rules, examples and ESL worksheets.

Verb Tenses Chart

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