Future Continuous – Definition and Examples
- Describes actions that will be happening at a specific time in the future
- Focuses on the duration of an activity that will be happening later
- Formed with will be + verb-ing (e.g.: She will be working at 9 p.m.)
- To form a negative, add not after will (e.g.: will not be working / won't be working)
- To form a question, begin with will, placing the subject before be (Will she be working tonight?)
What is the Future Continuous?
The future continuous (also called the future progressive) is a verb tense used to describe an action that will be happening at a certain time in the future.
It emphasises that the activity will be ongoing or in progress.
Examples
- At this time tomorrow, I will be flying to Paris.
- She will be studying at 8 p.m. tonight.
- They will be watching the game when you arrive.
In each sentence, the action is not finished.
Important Spelling Rules
1. Add "-ing" to most verbs
play → playing (I will be playing tennis at 6 p.m.)
2. Verbs that end in "e"
prepare → preparing (She will be preparing dinner tonight.)
3. Verbs that end in "ie"
lie → lying (He will be lying on the beach all day.)
How to Form the Future Continuous
To form the future continuous, use:
will + be + verb-ing
Structure
will + be + present participle (-ing form)
Examples
- I will be working tomorrow morning.
- She will be waiting at the station.
- They will be traveling across Europe next month.
Using "Going to be"
Another way of forming the future continuous is by using going to be + present participle.
Structure
am / is / are + going to be + verb-ing
This form is often used for planned or expected actions.
Examples
- I am going to be working tomorrow morning.
- She is going to be waiting at the station.
- They are going to be traveling across Europe next month.
Despite having two possible forms, there is no difference in meaning between them.
When to Use the Future Continuous
1. Actions Happening at a Specific Time in the Future
Use the future continuous to describe something that will be in progress at a particular moment in the future.
Examples:
- This time tomorrow, I will be driving to work.
- At 8 p.m., she will be studying for her exam.
2. Actions Happening During Another Future Action
The future continuous can describe an activity that will be in progress when another event happens.
Examples:
- I will be sleeping when you arrive.
- They will be having dinner when the movie starts.
3. Planned or Expected Future Activities
Sometimes the future continuous describes events that are expected or already planned.
Examples:
- We will be meeting the client tomorrow morning.
- She will be working from home next week.
Future Continuous Overview
Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
| I | I will be working. | I won't be working. | Will I be working? |
| You | You will be working. | You won't be working. | Will you be working? |
| He | He will be working. | He won't be working. | Will he be working? |
| She | She will be working. | She won't be working. | Will she be working? |
| It | It will be working. | It won't be working. | Will it be working? |
| We | We will be working. | We won't be working. | Will we be working? |
| They | They will be working. | They won't be working. | Will they be working? |
Negative Future Continuous
To form a negative sentence in the future continuous, use:
will not be + verb-ing
(or won't be)
Examples
- I will not be working tomorrow evening.
- She won't be traveling next week.
- They won't be waiting for us.
How to Form a Question in the Future Continuous
To form a question in the future continuous, place will before the subject.
Structure
Will + subject + be + verb-ing?
Examples
- Will she be working tonight?
- Will they be traveling this summer?
- Will you be studying later?
Using Contractions in the Future Continuous
In spoken and informal English, contractions are commonly used.
Affirmative Contractions
- I will be working → I'll be working
- She will be studying → She'll be studying
Example:
- I'll be working at 9 p.m.
Negative Contractions
- will not be → won't be
Example:
- They won't be waiting for us.
Future Continuous (will be + verb-ing)
Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific time.
Example:
- I will be watching the movie at 9 p.m.
Stative Verbs
Not all verbs can be used in continuous tenses. Stative verbs describe states, not actions, so they are not usually used in the future continuous.
Common stative verbs:
- Mental states: know, believe, understand
- Emotions: love, hate, like
- Senses: see, hear, seem
- Possession: have, own
- Other states: need, cost, depend
Use the future simple instead:
- This trip will cost a lot of money. (Correct)
- This trip will be costing a lot of money. (Incorrect)
Find out more
Future Simple - will + base verb
Focuses on what will happen - a single event, decision, prediction, or promise.
- I will call you tomorrow.
- She will pass the exam.
- I'll have the pasta, please. (spontaneous decision)
Future Continuous - will be + verb-ing
Focuses on an action in progress at a specific future moment.
- I will be calling you at noon. (mid-call at that moment)
- She will be studying when you arrive.
Key Difference
| Future Simple | Future Continuous | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | will + base verb | will be + verb-ing |
| Focus | The event itself | Action in progress at a moment |
| Key words | tomorrow, soon, later | at this time, when, at noon |
Simplest Way to Remember
- Future Simple = the event → I will watch the game.
- Future Continuous = the middle of the event → I will be watching the game at 9 p.m.
The future continuous can be formed with both:
will be + verb-ing (more common)
am/is/are going to be + verb-ing (often for planned actions)
Example:
I will be working later.
I am going to be working later.
Use: will + be + verb-ing
Example:
She will be studying tonight.
Use it to describe actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future.
Example:
At 8 p.m., they will be watching a movie.