Introduction
In this chapter, we will take a look at the general structure or formula of the Future Continuous Tense with lots of examples. We will also cover the structure or formula for all the Future Continuous Tense sentence types, such as Positive, Negative, Interrogative, and Interrogative Positive sentence types.
What is Future Continuous Tense?
The future continuous tense (also known as the future progressive tense) indicates that an action will be happening at a certain future time. It often sets the scene for another future action or event.
General Structure/Formula
[Subject] + [will/shall be] + [Verb + ing] + [Object]
Examples
| Subject | Helping Verb (will/shall be) | Verb + ing | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | will be | playing | football. |
| We | shall be | visiting | Paris. |
| You | will be | reading | the book. |
| He | will be | watching | a movie. |
| She | will be | cooking | dinner. |
| It | will be | raining | tomorrow. |
| They | will be | winning | the match. |
Types of Sentences
1. Positive Sentences
Positive sentences state that something will be happening in the future.
Structure:
- Subject + will/shall be + verb + ing + Object
Examples:
| Subject | Helping Verb | Verb + ing | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | will be | playing | football. |
| We | shall be | visiting | Paris. |
| You | will be | reading | the book. |
| He | will be | watching | a movie. |
| She | will be | cooking | dinner. |
| It | will be | raining | tomorrow. |
| They | will be | winning | the match. |
2. Negative Sentences
Negative sentences state that something will not be happening in the future.
Structure:
- Subject + will/shall + not + be + verb + ing + Object
Examples:
| Subject | Helping Verb | not | be | Verb + ing | Object |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | will | not | be | playing | football. |
| We | shall | not | be | visiting | Paris. |
| You | will | not | be | reading | the book. |
| He | will | not | be | watching | a movie. |
| She | will | not | be | cooking | dinner. |
| It | will | not | be | raining | tomorrow. |
| They | will | not | be | winning | the match. |
3. Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences ask questions about actions that will be happening in the future.
Structure:
- Will/Shall + Subject + be + verb + ing + Object?
Examples:
| Will/Shall | Subject | be | Verb + ing | Object |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will | I | be | playing | football? |
| Shall | we | be | visiting | Paris? |
| Will | you | be | reading | the book? |
| Will | he | be | watching | a movie? |
| Will | she | be | cooking | dinner? |
| Will | it | be | raining | tomorrow? |
| Will | they | be | winning | the match? |
4. Interrogative Negative Sentences
Interrogative negative sentences ask negative questions about actions that will be happening in the future.
Structure:
- Will/Shall + Subject + not + be + verb + ing + Object?
Examples:
| Will/Shall | Subject | not | be | Verb + ing | Object |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will | I | not | be | playing | football? |
| Shall | we | not | be | visiting | Paris? |
| Will | you | not | be | reading | the book? |
| Will | he | not | be | watching | a movie? |
| Will | she | not | be | cooking | dinner? |
| Will | it | not | be | raining | tomorrow? |
| Will | they | not | be | winning | the match? |
Real-Life Examples
Affirmative Sentences:
- “She will be visiting her grandparents next week.”
- “They will be watching the new movie.”
- “He will be writing a letter to his friend.”
Negative Sentences:
- “I will not be going to the party.”
- “We shall not be seeing the eclipse.”
- “She will not be finishing her homework.”
Interrogative Sentences:
- “Will you be traveling to Japan?”
- “Will he be passing the exam?”
- “Will they be playing soccer?”
Interrogative Negative Sentences:
- “Will you not be attending the meeting?”
- “Will she not be completing the task?”
- “Will they not be arriving on time?”
Summary Table for Types of Sentences
Here is a summary table to help understand the different types of sentences in the future continuous tense:
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + will/shall be + verb + ing + Object | “She will be visiting her grandparents.” |
| Negative | Subject + will/shall + not + be + verb + ing + Object | “She will not be visiting her grandparents.” |
| Interrogative | Will/Shall + Subject + be + verb + ing + Object? | “Will she be visiting her grandparents?” |
| Interrogative Negative | Will/Shall + Subject + not + be + verb + ing + Object? | “Will she not be visiting her grandparents?” |
Understanding and practicing these structures will help you effectively use the future continuous tense to communicate actions that will be ongoing in the future.