Future Continuous

Target Structure:

will be + verb-ing

Goal:

Use the Future Continuous to talk about actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future or to describe future plans politely.

1. Warm-Up (3 min)

🗣️ Questions:

1. What will you be doing this time tomorrow?

2. What will people be doing 50 years from now?

3. Will you be working or relaxing next weekend?

💬 Sample Answers:

This time tomorrow, I’ll be travelling to Madrid.
People will be living on Mars in the future!

🎯 Focus: noticing the “action in progress in the future” idea.

2. Presentation (8 min)

A. Form

✅ will + be + -ing (present participle)

SubjectAuxiliaryVerbI / you / he / she / we / theywill beworking, studying, sleeping…

💬 Examples:

I’ll be studying at 8 p.m. tonight.
They’ll be waiting for us at the station.
She won’t be joining the meeting.

B. Uses

✅ Use 1 — Action in progress at a future time

At 10 o’clock tomorrow, I’ll be driving to work.

✅ Use 2 — Predicting routine or expected actions

Don’t call him at 7 — he’ll be having dinner.

✅ Use 3 — Polite or indirect questions about plans

Will you be using the car this afternoon?

✅ Use 4 — Emphasising continuity of an action

We’ll be working on the project all week.

C. Comparison with Other Future Forms

TenseUseExampleWillsimple decision/predictionI’ll call you later.Be going toplan or intentionI’m going to study medicine.Future Continuousaction in progress / polite enquiryI’ll be studying at 9 p.m.

💬 Tip: It answers “What will you be doing at…?”

3. Controlled Practice (6 min)

Complete with the correct future form of the verb in brackets (will be + -ing).

1. At this time tomorrow, I ______ (fly) to Paris.

2. Don’t call her at 8 — she ______ (watch) her favourite show.

3. This weekend, we ______ (stay) at my parents’ house.

4. They ______ (not / work) when we arrive.

5. What ______ you ______ (do) at midnight tonight?

6. I ______ (drive) to work, so I can’t answer your message.

7. The students ______ (study) for their exams all next week.

8. He ______ (use) the computer when you need it?

✅ Answers + Explanations

1. will be flying → action in progress at a specific future time.

2. will be watching → ongoing action at 8 p.m.

3. will be staying → planned continuous activity.

4. won’t be working → negative continuous action.

5. will you be doing → correct question form.

6. will be driving → in progress, cannot do another action.

7. will be studying → continuous activity over a period.

8. Will he be using → polite question about future plans.

💬 Why not “will + verb”? → That shows a single action, not one “in progress.”

4. Interactive Practice (5 min)

Complete with your own ideas.

1. At 9 p.m. tonight, I’ll be ______.

2. This time next week, I’ll be ______.

3. In five years, I’ll probably be ______.

4. Don’t call me tomorrow morning — I’ll be ______.

5. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, everyone will be ______.

💬 Example:

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, everyone will be celebrating.

🎯 Focus: produce natural, personal examples using “will be + -ing.”

5. Engaging Discussion Questions (4 min)

🗣️ Talk freely — use future continuous naturally.

1. What will you be doing this time tomorrow?

2. Will people still be working in offices 20 years from now?

3. What will your family be doing during the next holiday?

4. Will you be living in the same place in five years?

5. How do you think technology will be changing our daily lives?

6. What will students be studying in schools in the future?

7. Do you think you’ll still be learning English in ten years?

🎯 Encourage extended answers (“because…”, “while…”).

6. Extra Discussion (3–4 min)

💬 Deeper prompts:

1. What will the world be doing to fight climate change in 2050?

2. How will transport systems be working in the future?

3. What will your city be celebrating in 10 years?

4. What kind of jobs will people be doing when robots are everywhere?

5. How will people be communicating in 100 years?

7. Wrap-Up & Review (2 min)

🎯 Quick Recap:

ConceptStructureExampleFuture Continuouswill + be + verb-ingI’ll be working tomorrow morning.Main useAction in progress at a future timeAt 10 a.m., I’ll be driving.Other usesPrediction of routine, polite questionsWill you be joining us later?

💬 Mini-Challenge:
Say three sentences:

1. About tomorrow → “I’ll be …”

2. About next week → “I’ll be …”

3. A polite question → “Will you be …?”