Future progressive tense

Future progressive

The future progressive serves to express an action which will be in the process of occurring. It is formed by putting the present progressive into the future: will be + present participle.

  • I will be waiting for you at six o’clock.
  • He will be eating by the time you arrive.

Hint for usage: How to choose between the future progressive and the simple future? If it is possible to use the expression “will be in the process of,” it is the future progressive that best expresses the action. The future progressive indicates that an action will be continuing at a given moment; the simple future suggests that the action will be complete. Thus the verb tense can nuance meaning. Consider these sentences, both of which are grammatically correct:

  • I will be finishing my homework at 10:00. (This suggests that I may finish my homework at 10:05 or 10:15; I will be nearing completion, in the process of completion.)
  • I will finish my homework at 10:00. (This suggests that I will finish at 10:00 sharp.)

 

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