Tenses challenge day 14: The future continuous

1: Relationships with other actions

We use the future continuous, in the same way as we use the other continuous tenses, to talk about an
action that will start before and finish after another action or a time.
• When you arrive, I’ll be waiting at the station.
• At 7pm, we’ll be eating dinner.

2: The future ‘as a matter of course’

The future continuous also has a special use that the other continuous tenses don’t have. This is
sometimes called the ‘future as a matter of course’ use. This means that something will happen if
things are normal and if the future is how we expect it to be. We have this special use because of the
volitional meaning that can sometimes come with the future simple (will + infinitive).
• I won’t be coming. (Fairly neutral)
• I won’t come. (This could suggest ‘I refuse to come’)

This use of the future continuous is very helpful when you want to ask a polite question about a
difficult topic, because it doesn’t talk about the other person’s intention, just about what’s going to
happen in the world if things are normal.
• When will you be paying back the money?
• When will you be leaving?

If the subject of the verb isn’t human, then this use is less important and we can often use the future
continuous and the future simple interchangeably.
• The plane will be arriving at gate 7.
• The plane will arrive at gate 7.

3: Focus on duration
We can use the future continuous to focus on duration in the future in the same way as we do with the
other continuous tenses. Sometimes, it doesn’t make a lot of difference if you choose the future
continuous or the future simple.
• He’ll be writing all summer.
 • He’ll write all summer.

We can also use the future continuous to suggest that something will be temporary.

• He’ll be working at the bank for a couple of months.

4: Using the future continuous to talk about the present

We also use the future continuous to make a guess about what’s happening in the present. This is the
same as the way we use the future simple to make a guess about the present, but the future continuous
makes a guess about something that is in progress now – a continuous action that started before now
and will finish after.
• Julie will be sleeping now.
• John will be working at the library.
• They’ll probably be having lunch at the moment.