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Future Continuous Tense: What It is and How to Use It?

English

Future Continuous Tense: What It is and How to Use It?

Last updated date: 10th Sep 2024

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Future Continuous Tense: Overview, Definition, Formula, Applications, and Examples

Vedantu provides a clear explanation of the Future Continuous Tense, which is used to talk about actions that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future. This tense helps you describe what will be happening at a certain moment, using simple examples and straightforward explanations. Explore how to form and use this tense effectively to improve your grammar and communication skills. To learn more about different types of future tenses, refer to Future Tenses, a complete guide.

Table of Content

1. Future Continuous Tense: Overview, Definition, Formula, Applications, and Examples

2. What is Future Continuous Tense

3. Future Continuous Tense Definition

4. Future Continuous Tense Structure

5. Subject + Helping Verbs (will + be) + Verb Ending in -ing + the Rest of the Sentence

6. Key Points to Remember While Using Future Continuous Tense

7. What is the Future Continuous Tense Used For?

8. Future Continuous Tense Examples

8.1

Indicating an Action that Will Occur at a Specific Moment in the Future.

8.2

Describing an Action that will Occur Over a Span of Time Rather than Happening Instantly.

8.3

Differentiating the Present with the Future

8.4

Showing Multiple Actions Happening Simultaneously in the Future

8.5

Here are Few Future Continuous Tense Sentences

9. Here are Few Future Continuous Tense Exercises to Test Your Knowledge

9.1

1. Fill in the Blanks

9.2

2. Rewrite the Sentences

9.3

3. Choose the Correct Option

9.4

4. Write Sentences

10. Here you go—Check if Your Answers Match the Ones Below!

11. Takeaways from This Page

FAQs

Do You Know?

Future Continuous Tense describes actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
It often uses the structure "will be + verb + -ing" (e.g., "She will be studying").
It can show how long an action will be happening (e.g., "I will be working from 9 to 5").
It is useful for making future plans or predictions about ongoing activities.
It can describe parallel actions happening at the same time in the future (e.g., "While I will be cooking, he will be cleaning").
It is often used with time expressions like "at this time next week" or "tomorrow evening."

What is Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous tense shows an action or event that will be happening at a particular time in the future. It's also called the future progressive tense because it describes something that will be ongoing at that future time.

Check different dictionaries to get a better idea of this tense.

Future Continuous Tense Definition

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the future continuous tense is used to talk about actions or events that will be happening at a certain time in the future. The Collins Dictionary says it can also suggest that something will happen soon or at an unspecified time in the future.

Future Continuous Tense Structure

To understand the future continuous tense better, check out its formula and structure.

The Future Continuous Tense Formula is:

Subject + Helping Verbs (will + be) + Verb Ending in -ing + the Rest of the Sentence

Next, look at how this tense is used in positive, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative sentences with Future Continuous Tense Rules.

Sentence Type	Structure	Example
Positive	Subject + will be + verb(-ing) + rest of sentence	I will be reading a book.
		They will be playing soccer.
Negative	Subject + will not be + verb(-ing) + rest of sentence	I will not be attending the meeting.
		She will not be watching the movie.
Interrogative	Will + Subject + be + verb(-ing) + rest of sentence?	Will you be coming to the party?
		Will they be staying at the hotel?
Negative Interrogative	Will + Subject + not + be + verb(-ing) + rest of sentence?	Will you not be joining us for dinner?
		Will he not be finishing the report on time?

Key Points to Remember While Using Future Continuous Tense

The future continuous tense works like the present and past continuous tenses, using two helping verbs: ‘will’ and ‘be’. You then add ‘-ing’ to the main verb.
To make a sentence negative, place ‘not’ after ‘will’. For questions, start with ‘will’, followed by the subject, ‘be’, and the ‘-ing’ form of the main verb.
Keep in mind that this tense is only used with action verbs, not stative verbs. This is because action verbs describe things happening over a period of time.
Also, the future continuous tense describes actions that will have started before a certain time in the future but will still be ongoing at that time.

What is the Future Continuous Tense Used For?

The future continuous tense is typically used to:

Describe an action occurring at a particular moment in the future.
Show an action that will happen over a period of time, rather than instantly.
Compare actions happening now with those happening in the future.
Indicate multiple actions happening simultaneously in the future.

Future Continuous Tense Examples

Look at the following examples to gain a deeper understanding of how the future continuous tense is used in sentences.

Indicating an Action that Will Occur at a Specific Moment in the Future.

1. She will be attending the conference at 3 PM tomorrow.

2. They will be watching a movie at 7 PM tonight.

Describing an Action that will Occur Over a Span of Time Rather than Happening Instantly.

1. She will be studying for her exams throughout the week.

2. They will be building the new bridge over the next several months.

Differentiating the Present with the Future

1. Present: I am reading a book right now.

Future Continuous: I will be reading a book at this time tomorrow.

2. Present: She is working on her project today.

Future Continuous: She will be working on her project at this time next week.

Showing Multiple Actions Happening Simultaneously in the Future

1. I will be studying while my brother will be cooking dinner.

2. She will be travelling to Paris as her friends will be attending a conference.

Here are Few Future Continuous Tense Sentences

1. I will be watching TV when you arrive.

2. They will be travelling to New York next week.

3. She will be studying for her exams all evening.

4. We will be having dinner at 7 PM.

5. The team will be practising on the field tomorrow.

6. He will be working on his project all day.

7. I will be calling you as soon as I finish the meeting.

8. They will be celebrating their anniversary this weekend.

9. She will be painting the house next month.

10. We will be waiting for you at the airport.

11. He will be reading a book while you cook dinner.

12. They will be attending the conference in Chicago.

13. I will be walking to the store when it starts to rain.

14. She will be gardening while her children play outside.

15. We will be exploring the city during our holiday.

To know more about different tenses in Future Tense please refer to the Youtube video provided by Vedantu. And it is completely FREE.

Here are Few Future Continuous Tense Exercises to Test Your Knowledge

1. Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the future continuous tense.

1. By this time next week, I _______ (travel) to Paris.

2. At 8 PM, they _______ (have) a meeting.

3. Tomorrow, she _______ (study) for her final exams all day.

4. We _______ (wait) for you at the café when you arrive.

5. He _______ (work) on the project throughout the weekend.

2. Rewrite the Sentences

Rewrite the sentences from the present continuous tense into the future continuous tense.

1. I am reading a book.

2. They are preparing dinner.

3. She is watching a movie.

4. We are playing football.

5. He is writing an email.

3. Choose the Correct Option

Select the correct future continuous tense form for each sentence.

1. This time next week, I _______ (is/will be) on vacation.

2. At 10 AM tomorrow, she _______ (is/will be) working from home.

3. They _______ (will/will be) discussing the plans at the meeting.

4. We _______ (is/will be) traveling to the beach this summer.

5. By the end of the month, he _______ (is/will be) completing the course.

4. Write Sentences

Write five sentences using the future continuous tense based on the prompts provided.

1. (study / all evening)

2. (cook / dinner)

3. (play / in the park)

4. (write / a letter)

5. (sleep / at 10 PM)

Here you go—Check if Your Answers Match the Ones Below!

1. will be travelling

2. will be having

3. will be studying

4. will be waiting

5. will be working

1. I will be reading a book.

2. They will be preparing dinner.

3. She will be watching a movie.

4. We will be playing football.

5. He will be writing an email.

1. will be

2. will be

3. will be

4. will be

5. will be

1. I will be studying all evening.

2. She will be cooking dinner.

3. They will be playing in the park.

4. He will be writing a letter.

5. I will be sleeping at 10 PM.

Takeaways from This Page

Students can understand that the future continuous tense describes actions that will be happening at a specific time in the future.
Learn the structure of the tense, which includes using "will be" followed by the present participle (verb + ing).
Explore different situations where this tense is used, including actions occurring over a period of time in the future.
Understand how to use it to compare future actions, like "I will be studying while you will be sleeping."
Learn how to describe multiple actions happening at the same time in the future, such as "They will be playing football, and she will be watching."

FAQs on Future Continuous Tense: What It is and How to Use It?

1. What is Future Continuous Tense?

The Future Continuous Tense describes actions that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future. For example, "I will be eating dinner at 7 PM."

2. How do you form the Future Continuous Tense?

You form it by using "will be" followed by the present participle of the verb (verb + ing). For example, "They will be travelling next week."

3. Can you use the Future Continuous Tense with any verb?

You use it with action verbs, not stative verbs. For example, you can say "She will be running" but not "She will be knowing."

4. How do you make a negative sentence in the Future Continuous Tense?

Add "not" after "will be." For example, "He will not be working tomorrow."

5. How do you ask questions in the Future Continuous Tense?

Start with "Will" followed by the subject and "be" and then the present participle of the verb. For example, "Will you be attending the conference?"

6. Can the Future Continuous Tense be used to describe multiple actions?

Yes, it can describe multiple actions happening at the same time. For example, "While I will be cooking, she will be cleaning."

7. When should you use the Future Continuous Tense?

Use it to talk about actions that will be ongoing at a certain point in the future, or to show that an action will be in progress over a period of time. For example, "At 8 PM, I will be watching TV."

8. How is the Future Continuous Tense different from the Simple Future Tense?

The Simple Future Tense describes an action that will happen, while the Future Continuous Tense describes an action that will be ongoing at a future time.

9. Can the Future Continuous Tense be used for planned events?

Yes, it can be used to describe actions that are planned or expected to happen in the future. For example, "We will be having a party next month."

10. Are there any common mistakes to avoid with the Future Continuous Tense?

Avoid using it with stative verbs, and ensure you correctly use "will be" and the verb in the -ing form. For example, avoid saying "I will be know" instead of "I will be knowing."

11. Can you use the Future Continuous Tense with time expressions?

Yes, you can use it with time expressions like "at 5 PM," "next week," or "tomorrow." For example, "He will be studying at 7 PM."

12. How do you use the Future Continuous Tense to make predictions?

Use it to predict ongoing actions or events. For example, "It will be raining by the time we arrive."

13. Can the Future Continuous Tense be used for habitual actions in the future?

Typically, it's used for actions happening at a specific future time rather than habitual actions.

14. What is an example of a Future Continuous Tense sentence in a formal context?

"By next year, the company will be expanding its operations overseas."