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Future Continuous Tense, Definition, Structure, Rules, Examples

The Future Continuous Tense, also known as the Future Progressive Tense, describes actions that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future. Read the article to know more about it like definition, Types, Examples.
authorImageAnanya Gupta12 Dec, 2023
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Future Continuous Tense

Future Continuous Tense: Do you ever feel stuck in a present that is hard to escape? Have you ever found yourself wishing for a different sort of life, yet feeling powerless to make these dreams come true? If this sounds like you, it might be time to look into the future continuous tense—a grammar form that could unlock greater control over your own destiny.

Developing an understanding of this important linguistic form can help you yield more powerful results in areas ranging from career aspirations to overall happiness. By getting familiar with this concept, and strengthening its power through practical use, we empower ourselves to shape our lives on a much deeper level.

What is the Future Continuous Tense?

The future continuous tense , also called the future progressive tense, denotes an ongoing action that will occur in the future. This tense mirrors the structure of the present continuous tense but is oriented toward future events. Examples:
  • Future continuous: I will be watching my movies from lunch until dinner.
  • Present continuous: I am watching my movies.
This tense is particularly useful when describing:
  1. Multiple actions are happening in the future.
  2. Planned or confirmed future events taking place at a specific time.
Despite occasional confusion with the simple future tense, the future continuous tense has distinctive features. It is commonly used with a specified period, unlike the simple future tense, which may or may not have an exact time reference. Furthermore, the future continuous tense conveys a higher degree of certainty compared to the simple future tense. It is employed for actions deemed certain, whereas the simple future tense is suitable for less predictable actions. Examples:
  • Future continuous (specific): They will be promoting me to the sales manager on Friday.
  • Simple future (uncertain): They will someday promote me to sales manager.
Differentiating the future continuous tense from the future perfect continuous tense is essential. The former pertains to actions occurring over a specific time frame in the future, while the latter is used for ongoing actions into the future without a specified end date. Examples:
  • Future continuous: I will be working as an assistant from August to December.
  • Future perfect continuous: In November, I will have been working as a sales assistant for many months.
It's important to note that, like other continuous tenses, stative verbs like want, need, love, or hate cannot be used with the future continuous tense . Instead, stative verbs should be paired with the simple future tense.

Future Continuous Tense Structure

The Future Continuous Tense is formed using a specific structure. Here is the structure for the Future Continuous Tense :
Future Continuous Tense Structure
Sentence Type Structure Example
Affirmative Subject + will/shall + be + present participle + object/complement She will be studying for her exam.
Negative Subject + will not/shall not + be + present participle + object/complement They will not be attending the meeting.
Interrogative Will/Shall + subject + be + present participle + object/complement? Will you be working on the project tomorrow?
In these structures, "will" or "shall" serves as the auxiliary verb, "be" is the linking verb, and the present participle (base form + -ing) of the main verb represents the ongoing or continuous action. The object or complement is included based on the context of the sentence.

Future Continuous Tense Rules

Like the present continuous tense and the past continuous tense, the future continuous tense is constructed using two auxiliary verbs – 'will' and 'be,' followed by the past participle form of the main verb. The past participle is formed by adding 'ing' to the end of the verb. To create a negative form, 'not' is added after 'will.' In interrogative sentences, the structure begins with 'will,' followed by the subject, 'be,' and the past participle form of the verb. It's essential to note that the future continuous tense exclusively applies to action verbs and cannot be used with stative verbs. This restriction exists because only action verbs can occur over a specific duration. Additionally, remember that the action referred to in the future continuous tense would have commenced earlier but will not be concluded at that particular time.

Future Continuous Tense Formula

The formula for the Future Continuous Tense is: Subject + will be + present participle (verb + ing) + object Example:
  • She will be studying for her exams.

In this formula:

  • "Subject" is the person or thing acting.
  • "will be" is the future auxiliary verb.
  • "present participle" is the base form of the verb + "-ing" (e.g., studying).
  • "object" is the recipient of the action (optional).
This tense is used to express actions that will be ongoing at a specified time.

Future Continuous Tense Uses

The future continuous tense, also known as the future progressive tense, is employed in English for specific purposes: 1) Ongoing Actions in the Future:
  • Example: I will be studying for my exams all day tomorrow.
2) Planned or Confirmed Future Events at a Specific Time:
  • Example: She will be working on the project during the conference next week.
3) Actions Happening Simultaneously in the Future:
  • Example: While you are having dinner, I will be finishing my work.
4) Predicting or Speculating about Future Actions:
  • Example: They will be rehearsing for the play at this time.
It's crucial to understand that the future continuous tense is often used when there is a specified period of time in the future during which the action will take place. This tense imparts a sense of certainty that the action is planned or expected to occur.

Examples of Future Continuous Tense

Here's a table with examples of sentences in the Future Continuous Tense:
Future Continuous Tense Examples
Example Sentences Meaning
I will be working on the project tomorrow. Ongoing action in the future.
At 8 PM tonight, she will be cooking dinner. Action happening at a specified time in the future.
They will be celebrating their anniversary next month. Ongoing action over a specific period in the future.
Will you be attending the meeting at 10 AM? Question about a future ongoing action.
He will be playing the guitar during the party. Expressing an action that will be happening in the future.
In these examples, the Future Continuous Tense is used to convey actions that will be in progress at some point in the future.
Related Links
Present Tense Future Tense
Past Tense Simple Present Tense

Future Continuous Tense FAQs

What is the Future Continuous Tense?

The Future Continuous Tense describes actions that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future. It is formed using "will/shall + be + present participle (verb + ing)".

How is the Future Continuous Tense formed?

The structure is: Subject + will/shall + be + present participle form of the verb + object/other parts of the sentence.

When do we use the Future Continuous Tense?

We use it to signify actions that will be in progress at a particular future time, actions happening over a period, comparisons between present and future, and multiple simultaneous actions in the future.

Can you provide examples of the Future Continuous Tense?

"I will be studying for my exam tomorrow." "They will be traveling to Paris next month." "Will you be attending the meeting at 3 p.m.?"

How do we make the Future Continuous Tense negative?

Insert "not" after "will" or use the contracted form "won't." For example: "She will not be working on that project." or "She won't be working on that project."
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