Learning English

Future continuous

Meaning and use

We use the future continuous to talk about events that will be in progress at a particular time or over a period of time in the future. These are usually plans or predictions.

This time next year he’ll be working in Dubai

A taxi will be waiting outside the station when you arrive.

At four o'clock tomorrow I’ll be lying here again.

We can also use the future continuous to say that a future action will be in progress at the same time as another action.

I’ll be thinking of you when I’m sitting on the beach in the Bahamas.

The future continuous can also be used to talk about a future event that will happen in the normal course of things. This means the action is certain to happen without any effort or decision being made by the speaker.

I'll give John his birthday present since I’ll be seeing him at work on Monday.

I can give you a lift as I’ll be going into town anyway to do the shopping.

Flight attendants will be circulating around the cabin to offer you refreshments.

We can also use the future continuous to politely enquire about a person’s plans for the future. This is used to ask about someone's plans without any pressure.

Will you be coming to dinner tonight?

Will you be wanting dinner?

Form

Future continuous positive

subject + will + be + -ing form of verb

I’ll be starting in the south and making my way north by train.

Future continuous negative

subject + won’t + be + -ing form of verb

They won’t be staying very long as they have to get back.

Questions

Future continuous questions are made with:

will / won’t + subject + be + -ing form of verb

We can also use question words.

Why will they be arriving so late tonight?