42 126 Future continuous ‘Come to the hotel lobby at nine o'clock tomorrow. Your guide will be waiting in reception Form ‘We form the future continuous with will + be + the -ing form of the verb: (POSTIVE | will (1) be working. He will ('l) be waiting. They will (il) be watching TV. Iwill not (won't) be coming to the party. It will not (won't) be working. We will not (won't) be leaving then. Will you be waiting for me? (No, ! won't.) Will she be arriving tomorrow? (es, she will.) What will you be doing? Spelling rules for -ing forms > page 350 Actions happening at a future time We use the future continuous to talk about an action that will be in progress at or around a time in the future: Come to the main door when you arrive at the theatre — we'll be waiting for you inside. you arrive at the theatre Y Now - — we ie Don't phone me at the office tomorrow. I'll be working at home. ‘We don’t use going to with this meaning: i Fe pete THEE f ¥ By this time next month I'll be living in my new flat! Future actions with possible results ‘We can use the future continuous to talk about a future action © which may have a result: ll be meeting my friends after work so I may be home late. © or which may make another action possible or necessary: Tl be seeing the doctor tomorrow. Do you want me to ask her about your prescription? We'll be turning off the water supply for two hours at six o'clock. Please do not turn on your taps during this time. Asking about plans We use the future continuous to ask polite questions about personal plans and arrangements. It is less direct than the present continuous or going to: Excuse me. Will we be stopping for a break during the journey? Compare: Are you coming to the party? (present continuous: a direct question, to a friend) Will you be coming to the party? (future continuous: a less direct question, to your boss) We can also use the future continuous to say that we can’t do something ina formal situation. Compare: Mr Jenkins is busy so I’m afraid he won't be meeting us. (future continuous: formal situation) Sally's working so she isn’t coming to the party tonight. (present continuous: informal)Practice 1 Complete the captain's announcement with the future continuous form of the verbs in brackets. Listen and check. 66Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. Welcome on board today’s flight to Las Palmas. Our flight time today will be around five hours and ‘we (0) will. be. flying. (fly) at an altitude of 35,000 feet. Weather conditions are good and we (1) (arrive) at Las Palmas at six o'clock local time. During today’s flight we (2) (show) a selection of films. You can find details in the in-flight magazine in the pocket of the seat in front of you. Our cabin crew (3) (pass) through the aircraft with refreshments shortly after take-off. | apologise for the fact that we (4) (not / serve) a hot meal on today’s flight. This is due to a strike at the catering company. However, we (5)... (offer) you sandwiches and the usual choice of drinks. Ina few moments the cabin crew (6) ...... (demonstrate) the safety ‘equipment. Please give them your full attention, then sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. Thank you.?? Listen and check. 0 I'm afraid the head of finance won't be able to meet you tomorrow as, A he'llattend a conference. (8) he'll be attending a conference. 1 By this time next week A. we'te going to lie on the beach. B we'll be lying on the beach. 2 The au pair will be taking the children to school A. ifyou're too busy. B tomorrow morning. Don't disturb me tomorrow evening because A I'llwatch the match on TV. B I'll be watching the match on TV. 4 I'll be giving you a lift home A. so you don't need to bring your car. B if you like. 5. You can deliver the dishwasher anytime tomorrow because A T'llbe working from home. B I'll work from home. 2 Choose the best ending for each sentence, A or B. 3 Rewrite these statements and questions so they are more polite. 0 Are you going to ive us extra points for correct spelling? Will you. be. giving us extra points far correct spelling? 1 Do we get a pay rise next year? 2. I'm afraid we aren't sending you the documents until next week. 3. Are you going to stay the night? 4. Will you recommend me for a promotion when you see the boss? 5 Unfortunately, we aren't opening the day-care centre next summer. 6 Are you going to biing some food for the picnic? 12728 Willbe doing 1 Introduction Rachel: Would you like to come to our party tomorrow, Andrew? Andrew: Fr, thanks for the invitation, but I’ve got lots of work at the moment. PI be working all day tomorrow. Rachel: You won’t be working on Saturday evening, surely. Come on, Andrew, take a break. We'll be starting at about ten o'clock. ‘We can use will be + an -ing form (the Future Continuous) to talk about future actions. There are two different uses. Will be doing for continuous actions ‘We use the Future Continuous for an action over a period of time. It means that at some time in the future we will be in the middle of an action. ‘Andrew can't go to the party. He'll be working all day tomorrow. Til be out at three o'clock. PU be playing golf When the men leave the building, the police will be waiting for them. What will we be doing in ten years’ time, I wonder? Compare the Past Continuous (Unit 9), Present Continuous (Unit 4) and Future Continuous. Past: This time last week we were sitting on the beach. Present: At the moment we're sitting on the beach. Future: This time next week we'll be sitting on the beach. Compare will do and will be doing in these sentences. The band will play when the President enters (The President will enter and then the band will play.) The band will be playing when the President enters. (The band will start playing before the President enters.) Will be doing for single actions We also use will be + an -ing form for an action which will happen in the course of events because it is part of a plan or part of a schedule of future events. The party will be starting at ten o'clock. (part of the evening's events) ‘The ship will be sailing soon. (part of our journey) More than one form is often possible, Will (Unit 23) or the Present Continuous (Unit 26.1) often have a very similar meaning. The visitors will be arriving/will arrive/are arriving later. We ofien use the Future Continuous for something that will happen as part of a routine. T'll callin and see you tomorrow afternoon. PU be passing your house, It’s on my way home from work. Trevor and Laura will be cleaning the house tomorrow. They always do it on Sunday. ‘We can also use will be + an -ing form to ask about someone's plans. Will you be going anywhere near a chemists this morning? ~ Yes, why? ~ Could you get me some aspirin, please? ~ Yes, of course How long will you be using this computer? ~ You can have it in a minute. PAGE 70 © VERBSPractice A Will be doing (2) Complete the conversation. Put in a pronoun and the Future Continuous form of the verb. Daniel: I'm going to go into business when | leave college. Five years from now (>) EI be. cunning (I / run) a big company. | expect (1) (| /eam) lots of money. Vicky: don’t know what (2) (1/ do). What about you, Natasha? ‘What (3) (you / do), do you think? Natasha: I'm too lazy to do any work. | intend to marry someone very rich. (4) (I/ give) dinner parties all the time. We'll have a cook 6 (who / do) all the work, of course. And you'll both get, invitations. Vicky: ‘You're joking, aren't you, Natasha? | expect (6) (you / play) in an orchestra. That's what you really want to do, isn’t it? B Will be doing (3) 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: NN. be. going, there, next. Friday. 4 Vicky: Are you likely to see Ilona in the near future? (Emma sees llona every day.) Emma: tomorrow. 2 Claire Are you going to France again soon? (Henry goes to France every summer) Henry: 3 Jessica: When are you going to play badminton again? (Matthew plays badminton every weekend.) Matthew: 4 Andrew: When are you next having lunch in the canteen? (Daniel has lunch in the canteen every day.) Daniel: C Will be doing (3) ‘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. > You want to have a look at your friend’s magazine tonight. (read) Will. you. be. reading. your magazine, tonight 2, 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) VERBS © PAGE TI