Future Continuous (B2)

1. Core Idea

The future continuous shows a future activity in progress. At B2, it can also make questions sound less volitional, describe expected events, and provide context in future narratives.

Examples:

• “At 8 p.m. tomorrow, I will be watching TV.”
• “She will be working when you arrive.”
• “At this time next week, they will be travelling through Europe.”

2. Structure

Form: subject + will be + verb-ing

Negative: subject + won’t be + verb-ing. Question: Will + subject + be + verb-ing?

3. Advanced Uses

3.1 Actions in Progress at a Future Moment

Use the future continuous to describe what will be happening at a particular future moment. It can show a period that continues all day, for hours, or until a later time.

Examples:

• “At 10 a.m., I will be working on the report.”
• “Tomorrow evening, she will be studying for her exam.”
• “The technicians will be testing the system all night.”
• “I will be travelling for hours tomorrow.”
• “The shop will be staying open until midnight.”

It often answers “What will be happening at a certain future time?”

3.2 Present Deduction with Will Be + -ing

We can also use will be + -ing to guess what is happening now. This is a present deduction, not a future-time use.

Examples:

• Now: “Don’t call him; he’ll be sleeping.”
• “She’ll be thinking about her presentation now.”

3.3 Actions Interrupted by Another Future Event

Use future continuous for the longer ongoing action. In the time clause with when/while, use the present simple for the shorter interrupting event (not will).

Correct: “She will be taking a shower when the phone rings.” (NOT “when the phone will ring”)

Examples:

• “I will be having dinner when you arrive.”
• “We will be driving home when it starts to rain.”
• “They will be watching TV when the power goes out.”

3.4 Polite Enquiries

• Future continuous can soften questions, making them more polite or less direct.
• It’s also useful in formal or professional contexts.

Examples:

• “Will you be using the car tomorrow?” → often softer/less direct than “Will you use the car tomorrow?” (which can sound more like a request).
• “Will she be attending the meeting?”
• “Will you be joining us for dinner this evening?”

3.5 Register in Professional Contexts

Both will be doing and is/are going to be doing are grammatical. In professional schedules, announcements, and updates, will be doing is often the shorter, more neutral choice for an expected activity:

• Neutral professional update: “Our team will be presenting the results at 10 a.m.”
• Emphasis on a plan already made: “Our team is going to be presenting the results at 10 a.m.”

The choice is about planning emphasis, not correctness: will be presenting states an expected activity, while is going to be presenting highlights a plan already made.

3.6 Stative Verbs: An Important Restriction

Avoid	Use instead
“I will be knowing the answer tomorrow.”	“I will know the answer tomorrow.”
“She will be owning the flat next year.”	“She will own the flat next year.”
“The decision will be seeming unfair.”	“The decision will seem unfair.”

Some verbs can describe either a state or an activity. The continuous form is possible when the meaning is active:

• “I will be thinking about your suggestion.” (think = consider)
• “We will be having dinner when you arrive.” (have = eat, not possess)

3.7 Future Continuous in Storytelling and Context

Use it to set the scene in future narratives, making descriptions more vivid and engaging.

Examples:

• “Next month, we will be staying at a small cottage by the lake, enjoying the quiet mornings.”
• “At this time tomorrow, I will be flying over the mountains, looking down at the valleys.”

3.8 Expected Events as a Matter of Course

Use the future continuous for an event you expect to happen anyway. This can sound less like a request than a simple future question or offer:

• “I’ll be seeing Tom tomorrow, so I’ll pass it on.”
• “Will you be seeing Tom?” asks whether seeing Tom is already expected or arranged.
• “Will you see Tom?” can ask about a decision, intention, or willingness, so it may sound more like a request to do it.

Using will you be doing helps avoid this volitional/request meaning when you only want information about someone’s expected plans.

4. Common Time Expressions

• At 7 p.m. / 10 a.m. / noon
• Tomorrow morning / evening / night
• Next week / month / year
• When… (for interrupted actions)
• For hours / all day / all night (with duration emphasis): “We will be travelling for hours tomorrow.”

5. Future Continuous vs Simple Future

• Simple future → focuses on the action itself.
  “I will read a book tomorrow.” → emphasises that I will do it.
• Future continuous → emphasises the ongoing nature of the action or its context at a particular time.
  “I will be reading a book at 8 p.m. tomorrow.” → focuses on what will be in progress.

5.1 Future Continuous vs Present Continuous (Arrangements)

• “I’m meeting Jane tomorrow.” — a fixed personal arrangement.
• “I’ll be meeting Jane tomorrow.” — an expected event in a schedule or routine.
• “Will you be using the car tomorrow?” — asks about an expected plan without sounding like a request for it.

5.2 Future Continuous vs Future Perfect

• “By 8 p.m., I will have finished” (completed before a time) vs “At 8 p.m., I will be working” (in progress at a time).

5.3 Future Continuous Passive

The future continuous passive is will be being + past participle. It is correct but less common than an active form.

• “The bridge will be being repaired while we are away.”
• “Applications will be being checked throughout the week.”

5.4 Future Continuous vs Future Perfect Continuous

Use the future continuous for an activity in progress at a future moment. Use the future perfect continuous to emphasise its duration up to that future point.

• “In May, I will be working in Berlin.” (in progress then)
• “By May, I will have been working in Berlin for two years.” (duration up to then)

6. Key takeaways

• A future action in progress: “At 8 p.m., I’ll be working.”
• A present deduction: “He’ll be sleeping now.”
• Expected events and polite enquiries, where will you be doing avoids a request/volitional meaning.
• Structure: will + be + verb-ing
• Long, ongoing action → future continuous
• Short, interrupting action (in a when/while time clause) → present simple
• Stative verbs such as know, own, and seem normally use the simple future, not the future continuous