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While the Future Continuous Tense may not be prevalent in exams, it remains a crucial aspect of English grammar and communication. In this article, let Mytour guide you through the essential knowledge related to this tense!
Article Outline:
1. Understanding the Future Continuous Tense.
2. How to Use the Future Continuous Tense.
3. The Formula for the Future Continuous Tense.
4. Indicators of the Future Continuous Tense.
5. Tips for Using the Future Continuous Tense.
6. Future Continuous Tense Exercises.
An Overview of the Future Continuous Tense
1. What is the Future Continuous Tense?
The Future Continuous Tense (known as The Future Continuous Tense or The Future Progressive Tense in English) refers to an action or event that will occur in the future and continue over a period of time.
* Differentiating Between the Simple Future and the Future Continuous Tense
The Simple Future Tense is used to describe an action that the speaker believes will occur and end entirely in the future.
Imagine you have a meeting around 2 p.m. tomorrow, then with the simple future and the future continuous tense, usage is as follows:
- Simple Future Tense: 'I will arrive at 2 o'clock'. ('I will arrive' is the simple future tense of the verb 'arrive'; when you have arrived, it means the action has ended, and you cannot continue arriving).
- Future Continuous Tense: At 2 o'clock, I will be meeting with the management about my raise. ('Will be meeting' is the future continuous tense of the verb 'meet', indicating that the meeting doesn't just occur at a fixed point in time; instead, it's a process happening over a certain period of time).
2. Usage of the Future Continuous Tense
Similar to other progressive tenses like the present continuous and past continuous, the future continuous tense also serves functions such as:
- Describing an action that will be happening at a specific point in the future
Example: At 11 o'clock tomorrow, I will be watching a movie with my boyfriend.
- Describing an action that will be ongoing when another action interrupts. The ongoing action uses the future continuous tense, while the interrupting action uses the simple present tense.
Example: When you arrive tomorrow, I will be in a meeting with my manager.
- Expressing an action that will occur and last for a certain period of time in the future
Example: My children will be staying with their grandma for the next 3 weeks while I am away on a business trip.
- Describing an action that will occur according to a predetermined plan or schedule
Example: The meeting will start at 2 o'clock.
- Used to make polite inquiries or suggestions about a future event
Example: Will you be bringing your husband to the company's year-end party?
- Describing actions that will occur simultaneously and are expected to create a particular scene at a specific point in the future.
Example:
- Describing an action that is currently happening and is expected to continue into the future; often used with 'still'
Example: He will still be making mistakes.
3. Future Continuous Tense Structure
To tackle exercises on the future continuous tense, you need to understand the structure of the future continuous tense for each different form. Specifically:
- Affirmative Form: S + will + be + V-ing
Example: I will be working at Mytour's office when you come.
- Negative Form: S + will + not + be + V-ing (will + not abbreviated as won't)
I won't be working at Mytour's office when you arrive.
- Interrogative Form: Will + S + be + V-ing?
Will you be working at Mytour's office when I arrive?
Usage of the future continuous tense, sentence structure of the future continuous tense
4. Indicators of the Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous tense is often recognized by having time adverbs indicating future time along with specific points in time. These are also considered tips for solving multiple-choice exercises, verb conjugation, choosing the correct form of the word in parentheses, etc., which students often use.
- at this time + future time (Ex: at this time tomorrow)
- at this moment + future time (Ex: at this moment tomorrow)
- at + hour + future time (Ex: at 8 a.m tomorrow)
5. Considerations when using the future continuous tense
When using the future continuous tense specifically and other continuous tenses in general, you need to pay attention to the following:
* Clauses beginning with 'when, while, before, after, as soon as, by the time, if, unless, ...'
- Such clauses never use the future continuous tense. When emphasizing ongoing nature or the process of an action, we use the present continuous tense.
Example: At this time tomorrow, I will be preparing dinner while my husband will be reading books. => Incorrect
At this time tomorrow, I will be preparing dinner while my husband is reading books. => Correct
* Some verbs are never used in the continuous tenses in general and the future continuous tense in particular, such as:
- Cost, suit, mean, be, ....
- Have, belong, ....
- Feel, taste, hear, smell, touch, ....
- Like, love, hate, prefer, want, wish, regret, .....
- Believe, think, know, understand, ...
Example: Minh will be being at his house when you come => Incorrect
Minh will be at his house when you come => Correct
* Active - passive formula of the future continuous tense
- Active: S + will + be + V-ing + O
- Passive: O + will + be + being Pii + (by S)
Example: He will be washing dishes at this time tomorrow.
Dishes will be being washed at this time tomorrow.
6. Future Continuous Tense Exercises
Among the continuous tenses, the future continuous tense is perhaps the most challenging as it is used in various contexts and serves different purposes. To help you practice and master the future continuous tense, Mytour has compiled some multiple-choice exercises, future continuous tense exercises, and exercises on passive future continuous tense. We hope that with these exercises (with answers provided below), you will feel more confident using the future continuous tense in your studies and work.
Exercise 1: Passive Future Continuous Tense Exercise, choose the correct form of the word in parentheses
1. Don't phone between 7 and 8. We'll be having dinner then.
2. Tomorrow afternoon we're going to play tennis from 3 o'clock until 4.30. So at 4 o'clock, we'll be playing tennis.
3. A: Can we meet tomorrow?
B: Yes, but not in the afternoon. I'll be working.
4. If you need to contact me, I'll be staying at the Lion Hotel until Friday.
5. They are staying at the hotel in London. At this time tomorrow, they will be traveling in Vietnam.
6. When they come tomorrow, we will be swimming in the sea.
7. My parents will be visiting Europe at this time next week
8. Daisy will be sitting on the plane at 9 am tomorrow.
9. She will be playing with her son at 7 o'clock tonight
10. What will she be doing at 10 p.m tomorrow?
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Exercise on Future Continuous Tense
1. What a mess! We have been cleaning up here for hours.
A. will clear
B. will be cleaning
2. Next Saturday at this time, we will be relaxing on the beach in Mexico.
A. will relax
B. will be relaxing
3. You will finish your homework before you go out tonight.
A. will finish
B. will be finishing
4. If you need help finding a new job, I will help you.
A. will be helping
B. will help
5.If you need to reach us, we will be staying at the Fairmont Hotel at that time.
A. will stay
B. will be staying
6. We will call you as soon as we arrive in Paris.
A. will call
B.will be calling
7. You will be enjoying yourselves in the Caribbean, while we're stuck here in New York with this cold weather!
A. will be enjoying
B. will enjoying
8. Susan will be making credit card payments until her debt is all paid off.
A. will be making
B. will make
9. Please leave the dishes. I will do them tomorrow.
A. will be doing
B. will do
10. While you're in the kitchen preparing snacks, Jim and Jeff will be watching the SuperBowl.
A. will watch
B. will be watching
Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences
1. I have no plans for the weekend. (not do)
I won't be doing anything at the weekend.
2. The test starts at 9 o'clock and you have to finish at 10.30. (not write)
We won't be writing the test at 10.30.
3. I have no work to do in the evening. (not work)
I won't be working in the evening.
4. Dad can take you to the 8.30 train tomorrow morning. He has a day off. (not go)
Dad can take you to the 8.30 train tomorrow morning. He won't be going to work.
5. I have new contact lenses. No glasses next time! (not wear)
I won't be wearing glasses when you see me next time.
6. You can come at one o'clock. We want to prepare the meal before that. (not cook)
You can come at one o'clock. We won't be cooking the meal anymore.
7. By the middle of this century there won't be any newspapers. (not read)
By the middle of this century people won't be reading any newspapers.
8. Please, don't come back home at midnight. I don't want to wait for you so long. (not wait)
If you come back home at midnight, I won't be waiting for you.
Answers:
Exercise 1: Choose the correct form of the word in parentheses
1. will be having
2. will be playing
3. will be working
4. will be staying
5. will be travelling
6. will be swimming
7. will be visiting
8. will be sitting
9. will be playing
10. what will she be doing
Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer
1-B; 2-B, 3-A, 4-B, 5-B, 6-A, 7-A, 8-B, 9-B, 10-B
Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences
1. I won't be doing anything at the weekend.
2. We won't be taking the test at 10.30.
3. I won't be working in the evening.
4. He won't be heading to work.
5. I won't be wearing glasses.
6. We won't be cooking the meal anymore.
7. People won't be reading any newspapers.
8. I won't be waiting for you.
The above information covers everything related to the future continuous tense in English. Hopefully, after this article, you have mastered all the grammar aspects related to how to use, recognize, and the structure of the future continuous tense, and know how to apply it most accurately in your work and life.
Students can explore more about the following tenses:
- The future perfect continuous tense in English
- The future perfect tense in English
