Future Continuous Tense
The future continuous describes actions that will be in progress at a specific moment in the future. It also expresses planned or expected ongoing events.
Forming the future continuous
Structure: will + be + verb-ing
I will be working at 9am tomorrow.
She won't be attending the meeting.
Will you be using the car tonight?
When to use the future continuous
1. An action in progress at a specific future moment:
At this time tomorrow, I will be flying to Tokyo.
Don't call at 8pm — we'll be having dinner.
2. A planned or expected future event (polite / neutral):
I'll be seeing the doctor on Friday.
Will you be coming to the party?
3. An action that will be in progress when another future action happens:
When you arrive, I will be cooking dinner.
She will be sleeping when the plane lands.
Future continuous vs. will
| Future continuous | Will + base verb |
|---|---|
| In progress at a future time | Instantaneous decision or prediction |
| I'll be working all evening. | I'll call you later. |
Tip: The future continuous is often used for polite enquiries about plans without pressure: Will you be needing the car? sounds softer than Will you need the car?