Future continuous tense
The future continuous tense (also called future progressive) describes an action that will be in progress at a specific point or period in the future. It is formed with "will be" plus the verb's -ing form, as in "I will be working at 9pm tomorrow." It also expresses future events already planned or expected to happen.
Types of future continuous tense
Ongoing action at a future time
An action that will be happening at a specific moment in the future.
e.g. This time tomorrow, I will be flying to Rome., At 8am, she will be teaching her first class.
Parallel future actions
Two actions happening at the same time in the future.
e.g. While you are cooking, I will be setting the table., He will be sleeping when we arrive.
Planned or routine future events
Events expected to happen as part of a fixed schedule, arrangement or routine, without emphasis on personal intention.
e.g. I will be seeing my dentist next Tuesday., The train will be arriving shortly.
Polite questions about plans
Used to ask about someone's future plans in a soft, non-intrusive way.
e.g. Will you be using the car this evening?, Will they be joining us for dinner?
Rules to remember
- Form the affirmative with subject + will be + verb-ing: "They will be waiting outside."
- Form the negative by adding 'not' after will: "He will not (won't) be attending the meeting."
- Form questions by inverting the subject and 'will': "Will you be staying at the hotel?"
- Use a specific future time reference (a clock time, date or 'this time tomorrow') to show the action is in progress then.
- Do not use the future continuous with stative verbs like know, believe, own or love; use the simple future instead.
Examples in sentences
| Example | How it works |
|---|---|
| This time next week, we will be lying on a beach in Thailand. | Describes an action in progress at a specific future moment. |
| I will be working late tonight, so don't wait for me. | States an ongoing future action affecting another plan. |
| Will you be needing anything else before I leave? | A polite question asking about someone's near-future plan; note that 'need' is treated dynamically here for politeness. |
| She won't be joining us because she is travelling. | Negative form showing an action that will not be happening. |
| By 6pm, the guests will be arriving, so let's finish setting up. | Refers to an anticipated action treated as already in motion. |
| While I am revising, my brother will be watching television downstairs. | Shows two future actions happening simultaneously. |
| The plane will be landing shortly, so please fasten your seatbelt. | Describes an event expected to be in progress very soon. |
Common mistakes
Incorrect: I will being work tomorrow.
Correct: I will be working tomorrow.
Incorrect: She will be knowing the answer by then.
Correct: She will know the answer by then.
Incorrect: Will you be arrive at noon?
Correct: Will you be arriving at noon?
Why this matters for IELTS
Using the future continuous accurately in Speaking Part 3 and Writing Task 2 signals control over a wider range of structures, which examiners reward under Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Instead of always saying "I will do" for future plans, varying your language with "I will be doing" when describing ongoing future situations (for example, "In ten years, more people will be working remotely") shows sophistication and helps you move from band 6 towards band 7 or higher, provided the tense is used correctly and naturally within context.
Frequently asked questions
What is the future continuous tense used for?
It is used to describe an action that will be in progress at a specific future time, to show two future actions happening simultaneously, and to talk about planned or expected events without stressing personal intention.
How do you form the future continuous tense?
Use the subject followed by 'will be' and the main verb in its -ing form, for example 'They will be travelling' or 'She will not be attending'.
Can stative verbs be used in the future continuous?
Generally no. Stative verbs such as know, believe, own and love describe states rather than actions in progress, so the simple future (will know, will believe) is used instead.
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