The Future Continuous Tense

The Future Continuous is used to express: 1. – an action in progress at a definite future moment, which can be indicated by the adverbial phrases of definite time such as at this time tomorrow (next week, next month, etc), at 9 o’clock on Monday, etc or be clear from the situation: Example: God knows what I’ll be saying in a minute. 2. – an action which the speaker expects to take place in the future in the natural course of events, or which will definitely happen in the future as the result of a routine or arrangement: Example: I feel I’ll be asking you the same question tomorrow. I’ll be seeing Tom tomorrow. (because we work together) Note 1: 1) Will you be coming to the meeting tonight? (casual question about future event) Will you come to the meeting tonight? (request) 2) I’ll come and visit you tomorrow. (intention, promise) I’ll be coming to visit you tomorrow so I can bring the magazines then. (future activity in normal course of events) Note 2: – an action which is already planned or decided: Example: I shall be travelling by train. In many cases the Future Continuous can be replaced by the Present Continuous: Example: I am travelling by train. In both sentences there is a plain statement of future action. However, when a more distant or uncertain future is involved, the Future Continuous may be used instead of the Present Continuous. Example: He says he’ll be returning from abroad some time in the future. The use of the Present Continuous here requires a statement of a much less distant and uncertain arrangement or activity: Example: He says he’s returning from abroad next month. 3. – polite enquiry meaning ‘What have you already decided?’, giving the idea that we are not trying to influence people, but we want to know if our wishes fit in with their plans: Compare: Will you be staying in this evening? (just asking about plans) Are you going to stay in this evening? (perhaps pressing for a decision) Will you stay in this evening? (request or order) 4. – simultaneous actions in the future, with the Future Continuous tense in the main clause and the Present Continuous tense in the subordinate clauses of time: Example: I’ll look (‘ll be looking) after the children while you are making dinner.

Ex. 1

Read and translate the sentences. Comment on the use of the Future Continuous tense.

1. You’ll have to add another cup and saucer on the tray, Parky. A friend of Mrs. Keswick’s has just arrived. She’ll be having tea with us. 2. I’d better get you home, Theodora darling. Your aunt will be worrying and wondering where you are. 3. Goodbye. You won’t be seeing me for a long time. 4. – Why must I take a book and a packed lunch? – You’ll be sitting on the train for hours. 5. While you are slicing the cheese, I will be buttering the bread. 6. We’ll be arriving at Miami airport at exactly this time tomorrow morning. 7. Next Sunday, the Prime Minister will be celebrating ten years in power. 8. Whenever I think of you, I will be remembering the shadow of your smile. 9. And you, Edwin, will be doing me a great service if you get me the smelling salts from my bedroom. 10. Will you be wearing your new earrings tonight? 11. Mind, I shall be keeping a very careful eye on you from now on! 12. She’ll be soon coming round the mountains! (about the first train)

2. 1. You'll have to add another cup and saucer on the tray, Parky. A friend of Mrs. Keswick's has just arrived. She'll be having tea with us. 2. I'd better get you home, Theodora darling. Your aunt will be worrying and wondering where you are. 3. Goodbye. You won't be seeing me for a long time. 4. — Why must I take a book and a packed lunch? — You'll be sitting on the train for hours. 5. While you are slicing the cheese, I will be buttering the bread. 6. We'll be arriving at Miami airport at exactly this time tomorrow morning. 7. Next Sunday, the Prime Minister will be celebrating ten years in power. 8. Whenever I think of you, I will be remembering the shadow of your smile. 9. And you Edwin, will be doing me a great service if you get me the smelling salts from my bedroom. 10. Will you be wearing your new earrings tonight? 11. Mind, I shall be keeping a very careful eye on you from now on! 12. She'll be soon coming round the mountains! (about the first train). 13. In the next few minutes we shall be crossing the Belgian border.

Ex. 2

Make a new sentence to say what a person will be doing at a definite future moment.

Example: He’s sleeping now. (when I arrive tonight) – He will be sleeping when I arrive tonight.

1. Helen’s wearing a blue dress. (at the party tomorrow) 2. Steve’s lying in the sun. (while Terry’s working hard) 3. We’re having lunch. (at 1 o’clock) 4. The boys are playing basketball. (until 5 o’clock) 5. I’m writing letters. (all day tomorrow) 6. Jane and Kate are watching video. (until midnight) 7. They’re sitting an exam in German. (in mid-June) 8. We’re arriving at Paddington Station. (at 11 a.m.) 9. Uncle Dan is waiting at the airport to meet us. (when we come back in four weeks’ time) 10. George is analyzing statistics on the department activities over the past quarter. (at midday tomorrow) 11. We’re discussing our mistakes in the final test. (all morning the day after tomorrow) 12. We’re developing the South Asia markets. (in a year’s time)

Ex. 3

Make future progressive questions to ask somebody politely:

1. what time they are planning to get up; 2. what they plan to wear; 3. how they intend to travel to the university; 4. how soon they intend to leave; 5. whether they expect to take a car or a bus; 6. whether they plan to have lunch at the students’ canteen; 7. what time they intend to go there; 8. where they are planning to sleep; 9. how they intend to prepare for the test; 10. when they plan to go back home.

Ex. 4

Complete the following sentences using the Future Continuous Tense according to the model.

Model: Don’t leave (we; to have supper in about twenty minutes).

Don’t leave, we’ll be having supper in about twenty minutes.

1. Is there anything you’d like her to tell him? (I; to see him at the party today).

2. Don’t wait for me. (I; to catch up with you in a minute).

3. We must leave immediately. (they; to expect us out there before noon).

4. Don’t worry. (I; to write shortly).

5. We needn’t trouble to send him the book he left here. (he; to come to see us again soon).

6. I can buy the medicine for you. (I; to pass by the chemist’s).

7. I don’t think it’s wise to wait for him. (he; to get home late this evening).

8. Why worry so much? I am sure (you; to hear from him soon).

Ex. 5

Complete the conversation. Put in a pronoun and the future continuous form of the verb.

Daniel: I'm going to go into business when I leave college. Five years from now (e.g.)

I' ll be running (I / run) a big company. I expect (1) … (I / earn) lots of money.

Vicky: I don't know what (2) … (I / do). What about you, Natasha?

What (3) … (you / do), do you think?

Natasha: I'm too lazy to do any work. I intend to marry someone very rich. (4) … (I /

give) dinner parties all the time. We'll have a cook (5) … (who / do) all the

work, of course. And you'll both get invitations.

Vicky: You're joking, aren't you, Natasha? I expect (6) … (you / play) in an orchestra.

That's what you really want to do, isn't it?

Ex. 6

Put in the answers. People are saying what they will be doing as part of their routine.

David: When are you going to the club, do you know?

(Nick goes to the club every Friday.)

Nick: I'll be going there next Friday.

Vicky: Are you likely to see Ilona in the near future?

(Emma sees Ilona every day.)

Emma: tomorrow.

Claire: Are you going to France again soon?

(Henry goes to France every summer.)

Henry: _________________________________________________

Jessica: When are you going to play badminton again?

(Matthew plays badminton every weekend.)

Matthew: ________________________________________________

Andrew: When are you next having lunch in the canteen?

(Daniel has lunch in the canteen every day.)

Daniel: __________________________________________________

Ex. 7

You want to ask a friend to do something for you or to let you do something.

Find out if it is convenient for your friend. Use the verbs in brackets.

e.g. You want to have a look at your friend's magazine tonight. (read)

Will you be reading your magazine tonight?

1 You want your friend to take your library book back today. (go to)

2 You want your friend to send your best wishes to Vicky soon. (write to)

3 You want to use your friend's calculator this afternoon. (use)

4 You want your friend to give a photo to Daniel tomorrow. (see)

5 You want your friend to give you a lift to the festival. (drive)

6 You want your friend to give a message to her sister soon. (phone)

Ex. 8

Translate into English.

1. В своїй наступній лекції вчений буде говорити про надприродні явища в цій області. 2. Не хвилюйся, Аня буде допомогати нам організовувати вечір. 3. — Не уявляю, що будуть говорити про мене люди після того випадку. — Будуть пліткувати, а потім найдуть нову тему для розмов. 4. Нас не буде в Москві в серпні. Ми будемо гостювати у родичів у Великому Новгороді. 5. — Цікаво, як вона буде реагувати на цю новину: чи буде вона сміятися чи плакати, чи буде вона сердитися чи радіти. — Поживем, побачим. 6. Хотіла б я знати, чим буде займатися мій брат, поки нас не буде дома. Боюсь, що цілими днями він буде лежати на дивані і дивитися бойовики по телевізору. 7. Не хвилюйся, я не забуду тебе. Я буду думати про тебе день і ніч. А ти будеш згадувати мене? 8. Ірина не зможе приєднатися до нас сьогодні ввечері. Вона буде сидіти з сусідськими дітьми. 9. Ти весь день будеш користуватися комп´ютером? Він мені також потрібен. 10. Ти не будеш проходити повз аптеки? Мені потрібні ліки. 11. Якщо ти покинеш мене, все рівно я буду сподіватися, я буду берегти тебе (to hold) в свому серці.

Ex. 9

Join the following pairs of sentences with if, when, while. Mind the use of the tenses in the subordinate clause.

1. You will be packing our things. I shall be making arrangements over the telephone.

2. We shall come at 12 o’clock. They will be rehearsing the second act.

3. You will ring up at 3 o’clock. I am afraid I shall be having a long-distance call and the line will be engaged.

4. The German students will be having their oral test. The English students will be writing their examination paper.

5. The ward doctors will be examining their patients. The professor will make his daily round.

6. I will be staying home from school. My groupmates will be taking a test.

7. My daughter will be studying at a nursery school. I will be finishing my higher education.

8. Dave will be choosing a career. Ann will be already taking up her career.

9. I will be applying for entry to the university. My friend will be taking his finals at school.

10. On 31 August, I’ll be meeting my groupmates at the inaugural ceremony. My relatives will be swimming in the sea.

Ex. 10

Translate the Russian sentences into English making them the logical continuation of the English ones.

1. We shall be playing chess in half an hour. – А вони будуть грати в шашки.

2. What will you be doing when I come? – Я буду, очевидно, писати доповідь.

3. What will the coach be doing at this time tomorrow? – Він буде тренувати юнацьку команду.

4. I shall be listening to one of my favourite symphonies at 8 o’clock tomorrow. – А я буду в цей час писати доповідь про творчість Шеллі.

5. Tomorrow at this time we shall be taking leave of each other at the station. – Ви вдвох поїдете на північ, а я поїду на південь.

6. I shall be taking my exam in English this time next year. – А я буду здавати його в січні, як завжди.

7. What will you be doing tomorrow evening? – Я буду повторювати матеріал для екзамену, так як екзаменатор надмірно вимогливий і я боюся провалити екзамен.

8. I will be having my first day at work on September 1. – А я в цей день розпочну здобувати кваліфікацію перекладача в КНЛУ.

9. My daughter will be staying at home till she goes to the comprehensive school. – A моя дочка піде до початкової школи після дитячих ясел.

10. Tomorrow we are taking a test. Will you be cheating in it again? – Я думаю, я не буду списувати завтра, тому що я ретельно підготувався до тесту.

Ex. 11

Match the sentence and its meaning:

Ann will help us organise the party. A previous arrangement.

Ann will be helping us to organize the party. She is willing to help.

Will you come to the concert? An invitation.

Will you be coming to the concert? Asking about a possible previous arrangement.

We’ll join in half an hour. I’ve just decided.

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