In brief
- Formation: subject + will be + verb in -ing.
- Main usage: describe an action that will be in progress at a specific moment in the future.
- Negative: will not be (contracted won’t be) + verb in -ing.
- Interrogative: Will + subject + be + verb in -ing ?
- Typical time markers: this time tomorrow, at 6 pm, when you arrive, next Monday at noon.
- To avoid: state verbs (know, love, believe, want…) are not used in continuous form.
The future continuous (or future progressive) is used to place an action in the future by specifying that it will be in progress at a given moment. It does not simply say that something will happen; it says that it will already be happening. This nuance of duration and simultaneity is what distinguishes it from the simple future.
Formation of the future continuous
The structure is fixed and applies to all subjects without exception: will be + verb-ing. No conjugation changes according to the person.
| Subject | Affirmative form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | I will be working | I’ll be working |
| You | You will be working | You’ll be working |
| He / She / It | He will be working | He’ll be working |
| We | We will be working | We’ll be working |
| They | They will be working | They’ll be working |
Negative form
not is inserted between will and be. The contraction won’t be is the natural form in speech.
| Long form | Contraction | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| I will not be sleeping. | I won’t be sleeping. | I will not be sleeping. |
| She will not be attending. | She won’t be attending. | She will not be attending. |
| They will not be waiting. | They won’t be waiting. | They will not be waiting. |
Interrogative form
Will comes before the subject; be remains in place, followed by the verb in -ing.
| Question | Translation |
|---|---|
| Will you be coming to the party? | Will you be coming to the party? |
| Will she be working tomorrow? | Will she be working tomorrow? |
| Will they be staying for dinner? | Will they be staying for dinner? |
| Where will he be living next year? | Where will he be living next year? |
Uses of the future continuous
1. An action in progress at a specific moment in the future
This is the central usage. A time reference is set in the future and the action is said to already be in progress at that moment. Time markers such as this time tomorrow, at 8 pm, when you arrive, this time next week often accompany this construction.
At 9 pm tonight, she’ll be watching the match. : At 9 pm tonight, she will be watching the match.
When you get home, I’ll be cooking dinner. : When you get home, I will be cooking dinner.
This time next year, we’ll be living in a new house. : At this time next year, we will be living in a new house.
2. Two simultaneous actions in the future
The future continuous is used to describe parallel actions; while one unfolds, the other happens at the same time.
She’ll be working while he’ll be relaxing on the beach. : She will be working while he will be relaxing on the beach.
Some people will be arriving while others will be leaving. : Some people will be arriving while others will be leaving.
3. A background action interrupted by a future event
Just as the past continuous describes a background action interrupted in the past, the future continuous plays the same role for future situations. The long action is in the future continuous; the punctual event is in the simple present or simple future.
They’ll be having dinner when we arrive. : They will be having dinner when we arrive.
She’ll be sleeping when the alarm goes off. : She will be sleeping when the alarm goes off.
4. A planned or expected event in the near future
The future continuous can express a future arrangement in a more neutral way than going to. It presents the action as already inscribed in the flow of events, without emphasis on intention.
We’ll be moving to a new office next month. : We will be moving to a new office next month.
She’ll be presenting her findings at the conference. : She will be presenting her findings at the conference.
5. A polite request to find out if someone has plans
This is a usage that many learners ignore. The question Will you be + -ing ? allows you to politely inquire about someone’s plans, without pressure or implicit obligation. It sounds more neutral and less direct than Will you + base verb ?
| Direct request (simple future) | Polite request (future continuous) |
|---|---|
| Will you drive me to the airport? (Can you / Will you take me to the airport ?) |
Will you be driving past the airport? (Will you be driving past the airport ?) |
| Will you come to the meeting? (Will you come to the meeting ?) |
Will you be attending the meeting? (Will you be attending the meeting ?) |
| Will you use the car tonight? | Will you be using the car tonight? (Are you planning to use the car tonight ?) |
The future continuous version does not ask for a service; it asks if something is planned. This nuance makes it more comfortable in professional situations or in exchanges where you want to avoid putting the other person in a position of obligation.
Time markers for the future continuous
| Marker | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| this time tomorrow | at this time tomorrow | This time tomorrow, I’ll be landing in Tokyo. |
| this time next week / year | at this time next week / next year | This time next year, she’ll be studying abroad. |
| at + time | at (specific time) | At midnight, they’ll still be dancing. |
| when + simple present | when | When you wake up, I’ll be working. |
| while | while | While you sleep, I’ll be finishing this report. |
| all day / all night | all day / all night | We’ll be travelling all day. |
| still | still, yet | Will you still be working at 10 pm? |
State verbs: a limit to respect
State verbs (stative verbs) do not express an action but a mental, emotional, or perceptual state. They are not used in continuous form, including in the future continuous. This rule applies to all progressive tenses in English.
| Category | Verbs involved |
|---|---|
| Feelings and emotions | love, hate, like, want, prefer, wish |
| Mental processes | know, believe, understand, think (opinion), remember, forget |
| Involuntary perceptions | see, hear, smell, taste, feel |
| States and possession | be, have (possession), own, belong, contain, consist |
I will be knowing the answer tomorrow. ✗ I will know the answer tomorrow. ✓
She will be wanting a coffee. ✗ She will want a coffee. ✓
They will be believing you. ✗ They will believe you. ✓
Some verbs have a dual status depending on the meaning used. Think expresses an opinion (state) or active reflection (action). Have denotes possession (state) or an activity (action). In their active sense, these verbs accept the continuous form.
We’ll be having lunch at noon. ✓ : We will be having lunch at noon. (have = activity)
She’ll be seeing her friends this weekend. ✓ : She will be seeing her friends this weekend. (see = to meet)
Future continuous, simple future, and going to: the differences
These three forms all speak about the future but from different angles. The following table summarizes the essentials.
| Tense | Structure | Idea expressed | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple future | will + base verb | Spontaneous decision, prediction, promise | I’ll call you later. |
| Going to | am/is/are going to + base verb | Decided intention, plan, visible evidence | I’m going to call you later. |
| Future continuous | will be + verb-ing | Action in progress at a specific moment in the future | I’ll be calling you at 5. |
The difference is felt in concrete side-by-side examples.
I’m going to finish the report. : I am going to finish the report. (planned intention)
I’ll be finishing the report when you arrive. : I will be finishing the report when you arrive. (action in progress at that specific moment)
She’s going to take the train. : She is going to take the train. (already decided)
She’ll be taking the train all morning. : She will be taking the train all morning. (duration, action in progress)
Practical exercise
Test your knowledge of the future continuous:
Question 1. What is the correct structure of the future continuous?
Question 2. Which of these sentences correctly uses the future continuous?
Question 3. Which sentence expresses a polite request to find out if someone has plans?
Question 4. How to translate “At this time tomorrow, I will be traveling”?
Question 5. What is the correct negative form of They will be attending the meeting?
Question 6. What is the difference between I’ll call you and I’ll be calling you at 5?
Question 7. Why is this sentence incorrect: She will be loving this film?
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