Future continuous
The formation of the future continuous (sometimes called the future progressive) is: subject + will + be + verb+ing
Examples:
I will be sleeping
They will be studying
We will be eating
This verb tense is a 4th way to indicate a future event. There are some differences between all these different ways, but sometimes 2 or more ways can be used with no difference in meaning.
The first way is with will: I will run in the Boston Marathon this year.
The 2nd way is with be going to: I’m going to run in the Boston Marathon this year.
The 3rd way is with the present continuous: I’m running in the Boston Marathon this year.
The 4th way is with the future continuous: I will be running in the Boston Marathon this year.
There is also a 5th way, and that is by replacing “will” with “be going to” in the future continuous. I call this the be going to future continuous: I’m going to be running in the Boston Marathon this year.
The future continuous is used in 3 situations:
A. It’s used for actions that are already happening at some future time.
Examples:
At this time next week, I’ll be lying on the beach in Los Cabos.
Next year, we’ll be traveling around Asia.
This evening she’ll be using the computer.
B. The future continuous is also used for future actions that have been planned. It has the same meaning as “going to,” the present continuous, and “be going to,“ future continuous.
Examples:
I’ll be going downtown later today.
I’m going to go downtown later today.
I’m going downtown later today.
I‘m going to be going downtown later today
He’ll be studying for the IELTS exam all next month.
He’s going to study for the IELTS exam all next month.
He’s studying for the IELTS exam all next month.
He‘s going to be studying for the IELTS exam all next month.
We’ll be visiting Aunt Laurie and Uncle Tim this summer.
We’re going to visit Aunt Laurie and Uncle Tim this summer.
We’re visiting Aunt Laurie and Uncle Tim this summer.
We‘re going to be visiting Aunt Laurie and Uncle Tim this summer.
C. When used as a question, the future continuous and the be going to future continuous asks about someone’s plans because we want something.
Examples:
Will you be using the computer this evening? I want to use it to do some research.
Are you going to be using the computer this evening?
Will they be staying the whole weekend? I don’t want to share my bedroom for too long.
Are they going to be staying the whole weekend?
Will I be playing defense in tomorrow’s game? I want to play defense.
Am I going to be playing defense in tomorrow’s game?