THE FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

ALSO CALLED THE FUTURE PROGRESSIVE

Seonaid holding a book

The future continuous tense isn't taught very much in English classes but, in fact, English speakers use it a lot. You will sound much more natural if you master this tense.

Click here to download this explanation as a pdf.
Click here to learn about how to USE this tense.

Here's how to make it:

The positive (will + be + verb-ing):

At 10 am tomorrow,

  • I will be sleeping
  • you will be working
  • she will be studying
  • it will be raining
  • he will be cooking
  • we will be eating breakfast
  • they will be travelling

In the same way as with the future simple, usually we use the short form ('ll be verb-ing) when we are speaking.

Sometimes students don't use the short form, because they are not sure how to pronounce it. Here are some examples to help.

  • I'll be sleeping.
  • You'll be working.
  • She'll be studying.
  • It'll be raining.
  • He'll be cooking.
  • We'll be eating breakfast.
  • They'll be travelling.

Here's an exercise about making the future continuous positive.

Here's the negative:

When John gets home,

  • I will not be working (I won't be ..)
  • you will not be reading (you won't be ..)
  • he will not be cooking (he won't be ..)
  • she will not be studying (she won't be ..)
  • it will not be snowing (it won't be ..)
  • we will not be watching TV (we won't be ..)
  • they will not be sleeping (they won't be ..)

As with the positive, we usually use the short form (won't + be + verb-ing) when speaking.

Here's an exercise to practise the negative.

Next, the question.

'Yes / no' questions:

When she arrives at the party,

  • will I be cooking?
  • will you be dancing?
  • will she be singing?
  • will he be eating?
  • will we be drinking?
  • will it be snowing?
  • will they be talking?

'Wh' questions:

Next weekend,

  • what will I be doing?
  • where will you be working?
  • how will she be travelling?
  • what will he be eating?
  • why will we be studying?
  • why will it be snowing?
  • what will they be wearing?

Here's an exercise about 'yes / no' and 'wh' questions.


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