I will be working (future continuous)

We use will be + -ing (the future continuous) when we talk about an activity or event going on at a

particular time or over a particular period in the future:

Next Friday, the President will be celebrating ten years in power.

The plane will be traveling at twice the speed of sound when it passes overhead.

After the operation, you won't be doing any sport for a while.

I will be saying more about that topic in my next lecture.

With the future continuous we normally mention the future time (Next Friday etc.).

We also use the future continuous when the future activity or event is the result of a previous

decision or arrangement:

He will be taking up his place at university in July, (the result of a previous decision)

She will be performing every day until the end of the month, (part of a schedule)

or of a routine activity:

We'll be going to my brother's house again for Christmas, (we always go there)

I'll be seeing Tony on Tuesday. That's when we usually meet.

Future continuous and present continuous for the future

We can often use either the future continuous or the present continuous when we talk about

planned activities or events in the future (see also Unit 8):

We will be leaving / are leaving for Istanbul at 7.00 in the evening.

Professor Hodge will be giving / is giving the first presentation at the conference.

But we prefer the present continuous to talk about surprising or unexpected activities or events:

Have you heard the news? Dr. Radford is leaving! (rather than ...will be leaving.)

Future continuous and will

Compare the use of will and the future continuous in these sentences:

Ann will help us organize the party. (= she is willing to help)

Ann will be helping us to organize the party. (= a previous arrangement)

Will you come to the concert? (= an invitation)

Will you be coming to the concert? (= asking about a possible previous arrangement)

We'll join you in half an hour. (= I have just decided)

We'll be joining you in half an hour. (= a previous arrangement)

When we use the future continuous, we are often referring simply to some future event or action

*that has been previously arranged. However, we use will, not the future continuous, to talk about

such things as decisions that people have made, willingness to do things, inviting, promising, etc.

You can use the future continuous rather than will or the present continuous for the future to

sound particularly polite when you ask about people's plans. For example, if you are asking about

their plans because you want to ask them to do something unexpected or difficult. Compare:

Are you starting work on the room today? and

Will you be starting work on the room today? You see, I hope to use it for a meeting tomorrow.

What time are you coming to babysit? and

What time will you be coming to babysit? We have to be at the theatre by 7 o'clock.

It is often possible to use going to be + ing rather than the future continuous to ask about plans

in a particularly polite way:

Are you going to be starting work on the room today?