The future continuous — will be + verb-ing — is used to describe an action that will be happening, in progress, at a specific moment in the future. It answers the question: 'What will be going on at that point in time?' It is also used in polite, indirect requests, and to talk about planned events in a tone that is more matter-of-fact than will or going to. While not the most common future form, it appears frequently in natural English speech and writing, and teachers who understand it are better placed to explain it when learners encounter it.
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
Why is 'will be teaching' used here rather than 'will teach'? What does the continuous form tell the colleague?
'I will be teaching Class 5 at 10 a.m.' tells the colleague that the teaching will already be in progress at that moment — it will have started before 10 a.m. and will still be going on when they arrive. 'I will teach Class 5' is also grammatically correct, but it is less precise — it simply states that the teaching will happen, without the sense of it being in progress at that specific moment. The future continuous, like the past and present continuous, focuses on the ongoing nature of an action at a specific point in time. The key question it answers is: what will be happening at that moment? Not: what will happen?
In each sentence, there is a specific future moment or period. What will be in progress at that time? What does the future continuous tell us that simple will does not?
Each sentence describes an action that will be ongoing — in the middle of happening — at a specific future point. 'The students will be sitting their exams' at this time tomorrow means the exams will be in progress, not starting or finishing at that exact moment. 'Will be using the new textbooks' means the use will be ongoing by next month. 'Will be preparing the room' while you travel means the preparation is happening at the same time as your travel. The future continuous is particularly useful for: (1) saying what will be in progress at a future moment, and (2) showing two future actions happening at the same time, with the continuous one as the background action.
Instead of: 'Are you using the projector later?'
A more polite version: 'Will you be using the projector later?'
Why does the future continuous make these requests sound more polite or indirect? What is different about how the speaker positions themselves?
'Will you be going to the staffroom?' sounds more polite than 'Are you going to the staffroom?' because it frames the question as asking about the person's natural future activities — what will be happening anyway — rather than making a direct request or demand. It does not feel like the speaker is trying to make the other person do something; it is asking about their plans in a gentle, indirect way. This use of future continuous for polite enquiries and indirect requests is common in professional and formal English contexts. Teachers who are aware of it will sound more natural in professional settings.'
| Form | Use / Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Example | Notes |
| Positive (all subjects) | She will be marking books this evening. | will be + verb-ing — same for all subjects |
| Contraction | She'll be marking books this evening. | 'll be is natural in speech |
| Negative | He won't be teaching tomorrow morning. | will not be + verb-ing |
| Question | Will you be attending the meeting? | Will + subject + be + verb-ing |
| Polite enquiry | Will you be using the classroom after lunch? | Asking about natural future plans — indirect and polite |
| Simultaneous future actions | While the students are writing, I'll be circulating. | Future continuous for the background ongoing action |
FUTURE CONTINUOUS VERSUS SIMPLE WILL
The difference between 'I will teach Class 5 tomorrow' and 'I will be teaching Class 5 tomorrow' is subtle but real. Simple will states that an action will happen. Future continuous emphasises that the action will be in progress — ongoing — at a particular time. In many contexts both are acceptable and the difference is small. The future continuous becomes more important when: (1) the specific moment of time matters ('At 10 a.m., I will be teaching' — stresses what is happening at that exact moment); (2) two future actions are happening at the same time (the ongoing one uses future continuous); (3) the polite, indirect tone is needed.
STATE VERBS AND FUTURE CONTINUOUS
As with all continuous tenses, state verbs (know, want, understand, believe, like, need) do not normally use the future continuous. 'I will know the results next week' — not 'I will be knowing the results.' 'She will want an explanation' — not 'She will be wanting.' This rule is consistent across all continuous tenses.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS IN FORMAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS
The future continuous is more common in formal and professional English than in casual conversation. In professional settings — staff meetings, formal announcements, letters — it is frequently used to describe what will be happening at a given time. 'The inspection team will be visiting classrooms throughout the day.' 'All teachers will be submitting their lesson plans by Friday.' These are natural, professional uses that teachers benefit from being able to produce.
WHEN IS FUTURE CONTINUOUS THE RIGHT CHOICE? - Will the action be in progress — ongoing — at a specific future moment? → Future continuous. - Are two future actions happening at the same time, and one is the background? → Background action → future continuous. - Do you want to make a question or request sound more polite and indirect? → Future continuous. - Is the action a state verb (know, want, understand)? → Do not use continuous — use simple will. - Is the focus on the completion or result of a future action? → Simple will or future perfect — not future continuous.
Choose the correct form — future continuous or simple will — for each sentence.
Each sentence has one error. Write the correct sentence and explain the mistake.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING? (6 minutes): Ask learners to think about what they will be doing at exactly this time tomorrow. Give them one minute to think. Ask three or four learners to share. Write their sentences on the board: 'I will be teaching Class 4.' 'I will be travelling to school.' Underline 'will be + -ing'. Ask: 'Is this something that will be in the middle of happening at that moment, or something that will start and finish at that moment?'
STEP 2 — THE FORM (6 minutes): Write the structure on the board clearly: will + be + verb-ing. Ask learners to produce the future continuous of five verbs with different subjects: she/mark, they/wait, I/prepare, the head teacher/chair, we/travel. Correct any errors immediately, especially 'will being' or missing -ing. Practice the contraction: she'll be marking.
STEP 3 — AT THIS TIME... (8 minutes): Give learners three future time points — this time tomorrow, this time next week, this time next month. Ask them to write one future continuous sentence for each time point about what they or their school will be doing at that moment. Share with a partner. Discuss whether the future continuous or simple will is more natural for each sentence.
STEP 4 — POLITE ENQUIRIES (7 minutes): Write three direct questions on the board: 'Are you using the projector this afternoon?' 'Are you going to the staffroom?' 'Will you see the head teacher today?' Show how each can be made more polite using future continuous: 'Will you be using the projector this afternoon?' Ask learners to practise in pairs — one makes a direct question, the other converts it to a polite future continuous enquiry.
STEP 5 — SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS (8 minutes): Ask learners to think about a lesson they will teach next week. They write two sentences: one describing what they will be doing (future continuous) and one describing what the students will be doing at the same time. Share three or four with the class and check that the form is correct and the simultaneous use is clear.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
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