Future continuous
he future continuous tense, also known as the future progressive tense, is used to describe actions or events that will be ongoing or in progress at a specific point in the future. This tense is formed using the auxiliary verb “will” plus the infinitive form of the main verb with “-ing” added to it. It emphasizes the duration of an action that will be happening at a particular time in the future.
Form:
Positive: Subject + will + be + verb (base form + -ing)
Negative: Subject + will not (won’t) + be + verb (base form + -ing)
Question: Will + subject + be + verb (base form + -ing)?
Usage:
Actions in Progress: The future continuous tense is used to indicate actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. It focuses on the ongoing nature of the action. For example:
- Tomorrow at 3 PM, she will be studying for her exam.
Future Plans and Arrangements: It can also be used to talk about planned activities or arrangements for the future. It implies that the action has already been decided and scheduled. For example:
- They will be attending a conference next month.
Polite Inquiries and Offers: The future continuous tense can be used to make polite inquiries or offers about someone’s future plans. For example:
- Will you be coming to the party tonight?
Interrupted Actions: In some cases, the future continuous can be used to describe actions that are expected to be interrupted by another action in the future. For example:
- I will be cooking dinner when you arrive.
Examples:
- She will be working on her project all day tomorrow.
- They won’t be playing football this weekend due to the rain.
- Will you be attending the workshop next week?
- I’ll be waiting for you at the airport when your flight lands.
Note: The future continuous tense is often used in combination with the simple future tense to provide a more complete picture of future actions.
For example:
- While I’m on holiday, I will be relaxing on the beach and reading books.
In summary, the future continuous tense is used to describe actions that will be ongoing at a specific future time, to talk about planned activities, and to make polite inquiries about future plans. It emphasizes the continuous nature of an action that will be happening in the future.