Future continuous
How to describe an action that will be in progress at a particular moment in the future, using will be and the -ing form.
When you use it
You use the future continuous for an action that will be in the middle of happening at a certain time in the future: This time tomorrow I will be flying to Lisbon. You also use it for something that will happen anyway, as part of a normal routine or plan: I will be seeing Tom at work, so I can give him the book. A third use is a polite question about someone's plans, when you do not want to sound as if you are asking for something: Will you be using the car this evening?
How it is formed
The form is will, then be, then the -ing form of the main verb. It does not change with the subject.
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / you / he / she / it / we / they | will be working | will not (won't) be working | Will she be working? |
Short forms are the norm in speech: I'll be working, she'll be waiting, we won't be staying.
Compare the three most common future forms:
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| will + base verb | I will call you at six. | a single future action or a decision |
| going to + base verb | I am going to call him later. | a plan or intention |
| will be + -ing | I will be calling clients all afternoon. | an action in progress over a period |
Examples
- This time tomorrow I will be flying to Lisbon.
- Don't call at eight. We will be having dinner.
- Tom will be working late tonight, so he can't come.
- Will you be using the car this evening?
- Anna won't be teaching next week. She is on holiday.
- In ten years most people will be driving electric cars.
- I will be waiting for you outside the station.
- Will Tom be staying with us at the weekend?
The sentence about dinner shows the core idea. At eight o'clock the meal will already have started and will not yet be over. We will have dinner at eight would mean instead that the meal begins at eight.
Common mistakes
- ✗ Don't call at eight. We will have dinner. (meaning: the meal will be in progress)
✓ Don't call at eight. We will be having dinner.
Ukrainian and Russian use one form, ми будемо вечеряти / мы будем ужинать, for both the start of an action and an action in progress. English separates them. Will have dinner names the start; will be having dinner describes the meal going on around eight o'clock. - ✗ Tomorrow I will working all day.
✓ Tomorrow I will be working all day.
The form has two parts after the subject: will be and the -ing verb. Будемо / будем translates as will be, so both words are needed. Leaving out be is the most frequent slip with this tense. - ✗ I will be knowing the answer by Friday.
✓ I will know the answer by Friday.
Verbs that describe states (know, understand, want, believe, belong) do not usually take a continuous form in any tense. Use will plus the base verb with them. - ✗ Will you be use the car tonight?
✓ Will you be using the car tonight?
In questions will moves in front of the subject, but be and the -ing form stay where they were. Only the first word changes position. - ✗ When you will be arriving, call me.
✓ When you arrive, call me.
After when, before, after, until and as soon as English uses a present form for future time, even though Ukrainian and Russian use a future form there: коли приїдеш / когда приедешь. The future continuous belongs in the main clause, not in the time clause.
Try it
- At nine tomorrow Anna ___ (drive) to work.
- Don't come at six. I ___ (still / cook).
- ___ (you / use) the printer this afternoon?
- Tom ___ (not / work) next Monday. It's a holiday.
- Call me when you ___ (arrive).