7. The Future Continuous Tense

Learning Outcomes

After completing Chapter 6, students will know how to:

  • use the functions of the Future Continuous Tense.
  • form the Future Continuous Tense in affirmative statements, negative statements and questions.
  • apply the Future Continuous Tense in various situations.
  • use the correct spelling rules for continuous verbs.

Functions of the Future Continuous Tense

The Future Continuous Tense is used for:

  1. actions that are happening at a specific time in the future
  2. continuous temporary actions that will be ongoing in the future
  3. polite questions
  4. predicting, projecting or imagining actions.
  5. actions that have started now and will continue into the future

Let us discuss these points in detail.

Actions that are happening in progress at a specific time in the future:

This is a timeline. There is a black line horizontal across the page with an arrow pointing to the right with the word future underneath. On the opposite side, there is an arrow pointing left with the word past underneath. In the centre of the time line is an arrow pointing down indicating with the word now written above it. There is a blue X on the black line between the now arrow and the future arrow.
“The Future Continuous Tense Timeline” by Virginia McHardy, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  • I will be sleeping at midnight.
  • The Level 4 students will be writing their test at 1pm tomorrow.
  • He won’t be studying at 10pm because the Georgian College library closes at 9:30.

Continuous temporary actions that will be ongoing during a certain time in the future:

  • I will be studying at a university in Australia this time next year.
  • Joanne will be drinking margaritas on a beach next week on vacation.

Asking polite questions:

Some examples are:

  • Will Leny be joining us for dinner?
  • Will you be having the steak or the fish?
  • Will Celina be leaving in the morning?
  • Will they be making dinner for everyone?

Projecting/Imagining/Predicting actions in the future:

  • I will be living in Florida in 10 years.
  • Gord will be working in a top company when he’s 40.

Actions happening now that will continue to happen into the future (We use the word ‘still’ with this function):

  • He will still be living with his parents when he’s 50.
  • Olivia will still be working at the same job when she’s ready for retirement.

 

Forms of the Future Continuous Tense

Let us now explore how the Future Continuous Tense is formed:

Affirmative Sentences: Subject + will be + verb + ing
Subject + will be+ + verb + ing
I will be going.
Marcus will be teaching.
They will be playing.
Negative Sentences: Subject + will not be + verb +ing
Subject + will not +be + verb +ing
I will not be listening.
He will not be dancing.
They will not be editing.

* will not = won’t

Yes/No Questions: Will + subject + be + verb + ing?
Will+ subject + be + verb + ing?
Will Mariam be working?
Will they be sleeping?
Wh-Questions: Wh- + will + subject + be + verb + ing?
Wh + will + subject +be + verb + ing?
Why will Laila be studying?
Where will she be living?
There is a chart for spelling rules. There are two columns. The First Column is titled rule. The second column is named example. Under the rule column the first row says for most verbs just add I N G. In the first row under the example column play Arrow playing help Arrow helping think Arrow thinking. In the second row under rule, it says for verbs that end in silent E, drop the E and add I N G. In the second row under example make Arrow making hope Arrow hoping cycle Arrow cycling. Under the third row for rule, it states for verbs that end in the pattern CVC (consonant vowel consonant), double the last consonant and add I N G. Example hit Arrow hitting run arrow running get Arrow getting. In the last row under rule it says exceptions. Example visit arrow visiting panic arrow panicking tie arrow tying
“Spelling Rules for Continuous Verbs” by Virginia McHardy, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Future Continuous Form and Function Review

Watch the video to review the form and function of Future Continuous.

Future Continuous Form & Functions Review (Text Version)

Watch the video 5 Ways to Use The Future Continuous Tense in English (11 minutes)
Pause at 1:40: If you want to learn more about ‘Want’ vs ‘Won’t’ in Canadian/American pronunciation, take a look at the video WANT vs. WON’T Pronunciation – American English.
Pause at 6:06: Remember that predicting is also guessing, or imagining about the future.
Pause at 8:23: I will be in the middle of sleeping at 4:00am.
Pause at 8:25: She’ll be living in Paris one day.
Pause at 8:29: Will you be dining with us this evening?
Pause at 8:35: Next week, I’ll be tanning in the sunshine on vacation.

Activity Source: “Future Continuous Form & Functions Review” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Video Source: English with Greg. 5 ways to use the future continuous tense in English [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/TV8uXTdXH1w

Future Continuous Functions Practice

Future Continuous Functions Practice (Text Version)

Read each sentence with the future continuous. Guess which function of the future continuous is used. There are 5 functions to choose from:

  1. a continuous action happening at a specific time in the future
  2. continuous temporary actions that will be ongoing during a time in the future
  3. asking polite questions
  4. predicting, imagining, or projecting into the future
  5. an action that has started now and will continue in the future
  1. I’ll be lying on a beach and reading a good book next week when I travel to the Bahamas.
  2. Will you be joining me for dinner this evening?
  3. At this exact time tomorrow, I’ll be on a plane going to the Bahamas!
  4. She’ll be jumping with excitement when you give her that gorgeous ring!
  5. They will still be washing that car well into the night! That car was so dirty.
  6. She will still be wearing her Halloween costume at Christmas! She loves it and won’t take it off!
  7. We will be landing in Toronto at 3:00pm.
  8. Will you be purchasing the white or silver Mercedes?
  9. I will be sailing around the world next year.
  10. Dad will be driving you to school tomorrow morning.
  11. I won’t be working with the team at 2:00pm.  I will be free after 1:30pm.

Check your answers[1]

Activity source: “Future Continuous Functions Practice Dialog Cards” by Sari Martin, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0.

Future Continuous Form Practice – Affirmative

Future Continuous Form Practice – Affirmative (Text Version)

In each of the sentences given below, there is an error and it is bolded/marked between two *.  You have to write the correct form of future continuous.

Example: We went to the beach next Sunday.

will be going

  1. At midnight we *are sleep*.
  2. Next Saturday by this time, I *was enjoy myself* at the beach.
  3. Next week, we *tour* the famous movies studios in Los Angeles.
  4. Josiane *will shop* with you all day tomorrow.

Check your answers [2]

Activity source: “Future Continuous” by Annapurna Madhuri, edited by Sari Martin and oeratgc, from “Future Simple and Future Continuous” In Effective English for Teachers by Annapurna Madhuri,  licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0. / Converted to text and minor edits.

Future Continuous Form Practice – Negative

Future Continuous – Negative Form Practice (Text Version)

Rewrite the following sentences in negative form. Write the whole sentence, and use the contraction.

Example: Sakshi will be coming to Ottawa.,

Negative form: Sakshi won’t be coming to Ottawa.

  1. Qiping and Roman will be working in a steel plant.
  2. Juslin will be waiting for me.
  3. Virginia will be writing an essay in the exam tomorrow.
  4. The school team will be playing against the state champions.
  5. Tomorrow, Felipe will be using the internet to browse videos.

Check your answers[3]

Activity source: “Future Continuous” by Annapurna Madhuri, edited by Sari Martin, from “Future Simple and Future Continuous” In Effective English for Teachers by Annapurna Madhuri,  licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0. / Converted to text, removal of questions, and minor edits.

Future Continuous Form Practice – Interrogative

Future Continuous – Interrogative (Text Version)

Rewrite the following sentences in interrogative form.

Example: Florentine will be coming to Miami.

Interrogative form: Will Florentine be coming to Miami?

  1. Ravi and Kiran will be working in a steel plant.
  2. Edward will be listening to the music by this time tomorrow.
  3. Sora will be writing an essay in the exam tomorrow.
  4. The school team will be playing against the state champions.

Check your answers[4]

Activity source: “Future Continuous”  by Annapurna Madhuri, edited by Sari Martin, from “Future Simple and Future Continuous” In Effective English for Teachers by Annapurna Madhuri, licensed under CC BY-NC SA 4.0. / Converted to text, removal of questions, minor edits.

Verb Tenses in Music

For a fun activity, search the web and find the following songs:

  • Every Breath You Take by The Police
  • Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding

Can you hear the Future Continuous Tense in the lyrics?

 

I added up my summer vacation budget...I'll be going to the movies!
The Future Continuous Tense Joke by Virginia McHardy, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, “The Future Continuous Tense” by Sari Martin & Virginia McHardy is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

    1. continuous temporary actions that will be ongoing during a time in the future
    2. asking polite questions
    3. a continuous action happening at a specific time in the future
    4. predicting, imagining, or projecting into the future
    5. an action that has started now and will continue in the future
    6. an action that has started now and will continue in the future
    7. a continuous action happening at a specific time in the future
    8. asking polite questions
    9. continuous temporary actions that will be ongoing during a time in the future
    10. continuous temporary actions that will be ongoing during a time in the future
    11. a continuous action happening at a specific time in the future
    ↵
    1. At midnight, we will be sleeping.
    2. Next Saturday by this time, I will be enjoying myself at the beach.
    3. Next week, we will be touring the famous movies studios in Los Angeles.
    4. Josiane will be shopping with you all day tomorrow.
    ↵
    1. Qiping and Roman won't be working in a steel plant.
    2. Juslin won't be waiting for me.
    3. Virginia won't be writing an essay in the exam tomorrow.
    4. The school team won't be playing against the state champions.
    5. Tomorrow, Felipe won't be using the internet to browse videos.
    ↵
    1. Will Ravi and Kiran be working in a steel plant?
    2. Will Edward be listening to the music by this time tomorrow?
    3. Will Sora be writing an essay in the exam tomorrow?
    4. Will the school team be playing against the state champions?
    ↵

License

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Verb Tenses for English for Academic Purposes Copyright © 2019 by Sari Martin and Virginia McHardy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/Effective English for Teachers

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