FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

                                  

FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

The future continuous tense, sometimes also referred to as the future progressive tense, is a verb tense that indicates that something will occur in the future and continue for an expected length of time. It is formed using the construction will + be + the present participle (the root verb + -ing).

The simple future tense is used when an action is expected to occur in the future and be completed. For example, let’s suppose you have a meeting tomorrow at five o’clock.

I will arrive at five o’clock.

I will arrive is the simple future tense of the verb to arrive. You arrive once; beyond that, you can’t keep on arriving. However, once you get there, you may be doing something that goes on continuously, at least for a certain period of time.

At five o’clock, I will be meeting with the management about my raise.

Will be meeting is the future continuous tense of the verb to meet. The construction will + be + the present participle meeting indicates that the meeting isn’t going to happen in an instant, all at once. It will have a duration. The will + be + present participle construction always indicates the future continuous tense.

·         Michael will be running a marathon this Saturday.

·         Eric will be competing against Michael in the race.

·         I will be watching Michael and Eric race.

The Future Continuous Tense Is for Action Verbs Only

It is important to note that the future continuous tense is only used with action verbs, because it is possible to do them for a duration. (Action verbs describe activities like running, thinking, and seeing. Stative verbs describe states of existence, like being, seeming, and knowing.) To use the will + be + present participle construction with a stative verb would sound very odd indeed.

1.       I will be being stressed tomorrow during my science test.

I will be stressed tomorrow during my science test.

2.       When the sun comes out tomorrow, winter will be seeming like a distant memory.

When the sun comes out tomorrow, winter will seem like a distant memory.

3.       After I study, I will be knowing all the answers for the test.

After I study, I will know all the answers for the test.

Make sentences in the future continuous tense.

1. At this time tomorrow, I ..................................

will leave

would leave

will be leaving

2. The baby ....................................... soon.

will walk

would walk

will be walking

3. What ........................................... this evening?

will you do

will you be doing

4. Summer term ...................................... on 20th.

will start

will be starting

5. She ........................................ with us.

will come

will be coming

6. The plane ........................................... at 3 o’clock.

will leave

will be leaving

will have left

7. I .......................................... of you.

will think

will be thinking

would be thinking

8. He ............................................ the conference.

will attend

will be attending

would be attending

Answers

1. At this time tomorrow, I will be leaving.

2. The baby will be walking soon.

3. What will you be doing this evening?

4. Summer term will be starting on 20th.

5. She will be coming with us.

6. The plane will be leaving at 3 o’clock.

7. I will be thinking of you.

8. He will be attending the conference.

Future Continuous Tense Exercise

At three o’clock tomorrow…

1. I ________________________ (work) in my office.

2. You ________________________ (lie) on the beach.

3. He ________________________ (wait) for the train.

4. She ________________________ (shop) in New York.

5. It ________________________ (rain).

6. We ________________________ (get) ready to go out.

7. They ________________________ (meet) their parents.

8. He ________________________ (study) in the library.

9. She ________________________ (exercise) at the gym.

10. I ________________________ (sleep).

Answers:

At three o’clock tomorrow…

1. I’ll be working in my office.

2. You’ll be lying on the beach.

3. He’ll be waiting for the train.

4. She’ll be shopping in New York.

5. It’ll be raining.

6. We’ll be getting ready to go out.

7. They’ll be meeting their parents.

8. He’ll be studying in the library.

9. She’ll be exercising at the gym.

10. I’ll be sleeping.

Complete the sentences.

Questions :

1.       I guess you ______________________________(feel) thirsty after working in the sun.

2.       You ______________________________(wait) for her when her plane arrives tonight.

3.       You ______________________________(miss) the sunshine once you are back in England.

4.       I ______________________________(see) Jim at the conference next week.

5.       When he is in Australia, he ______________________________(stay) with his friends.

6.       I ______________________________(eat) with Jane this evening so I can tell her.

7.       Just think, next Monday you ______________________________(work) in your new job.

8.       In an hour, I ______________________________(sit) in front of my TV.

9.       Tomorrow at this time, I ______________________________(take) my English language exam.

10.   You ______________________________(work) with Miss Cool again when you turn up for work tomorrow.

ANSWERS:

1.       will be feeling

2.       will be waiting

3.       will be missing

4.       will be seeing

5.       will be staying

6.       will be eating

7.       will be working

8.       will be sitting

9.       will be taking

10.   will be working