The Future Continuous

Also called the future progressive tense

The future continuous tense isn't taught very much in English classes but, in fact, English speakers use it a lot. You will sound much more natural if you master this tense.

Click here to download this explanation as a pdf.
Click here to learn about how to USE this tense.

Here's how to make it:

The positive (will + be + verb-ing):

At 10 am tomorrow,

• I will be sleeping
• you will be working
• she will be studying
• it will be raining
• he will be cooking
• we will be eating breakfast
• they will be travelling

In the same way as with the future simple, usually we use the short form ('ll be verb-ing) when we are speaking.

Sometimes students don't use the short form, because they are not sure how to pronounce it. Here are some examples to help.

• I'll be sleeping.
  
• You'll be working.
  
• She'll be studying.
  
• It'll be raining.
  
• He'll be cooking.
  
• We'll be eating breakfast.
  
• They'll be travelling.
  

Here's an exercise about making the future continuous positive.

Here's the negative:

When John gets home,

• I will not be working (I won't be ..)
• you will not be reading (you won't be ..)
• he will not be cooking (he won't be ..)
• she will not be studying (she won't be ..)
• it will not be snowing (it won't be ..)
• we will not be watching TV (we won't be ..)
• they will not be sleeping (they won't be ..)

As with the positive, we usually use the short form (won't + be + verb-ing) when speaking.

Here's an exercise to practise the negative.

Next, the question.

'Yes / no' questions:

When she arrives at the party,

• will I be cooking?
• will you be dancing?
• will she be singing?
• will he be eating?
• will we be drinking?
• will it be snowing?
• will they be talking?

'Wh' questions:

Next weekend,

• what will I be doing?
• where will you be working?
• how will she be travelling?
• what will he be eating?
• why will we be studying?
• why will it be snowing?
• what will they be wearing?

Here's an exercise about 'yes / no' and 'wh' questions.