Future continuous

Future continuous: use

Actions in progress in the future

We use the future continuous for situations or actions that will be in

progress at a certain time in the future.

• This time next week, we‘ll be travelling to Paris.

• Tomorrow at 10, you‘ll be doing your exam.
• When you get off the train, I‘ll be waiting on the platform.
• In two months’ time, we‘ll be lying on the beach and drinking a
mojito.

Future arrangements (=present continuous)

We use the future continuous instead of the present continuous for future
events that have already been planned or decided.

• We’ll be coming next weekend.

 • We’ll be leaving at 8 a.m. tomorrow.

Future continuous: signal words

As you can see in the examples above, we often use the future
continuous with time expressions such as:

• This time … (this time tomorrow, this time next week, etc.)
• When …
• At + time … (at 7 tomorrow, at midday next Monday, etc.)
• In … (in 2 weeks, in 3 months, in 5 years, etc)
• In …’ time (in 2 weeks’ time, in 3 months’ time, in 5 years time, etc)
 Future perfect

Future perfect: use

Actions finished in the future
We use the future perfect for actions that will be finished before certain
time in the future.

• By 2050, researchers will have found a cure for cancer.

• By this time next year, I’ll have graduated.
• When you arrive tomorrow, we’ll have left.

Duration until some time in the future

We use the future perfect to talk about the duration of a situation until a
certain time in the future.

• By the time I leave, I will have been in England for 6 months.

• In 2 years, we will have been married for 20 years.
Future perfect: signal words
As you can see in the examples above, we often use the future
perfect with time expressions such as:

• By … (by tomorrow, by next week, by the end of the year, etc.)

• By this time … (by this time tomorrow, by this time next week, etc.)
• In … (in 2 weeks, in 5 years, etc.)
• When/Before …

By + time expression means ‘not later than’, ‘at’ or ‘before’ certain time.