Future Progressive Tense: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know what the future progressive tense is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on future progressive tenses, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is the future progressive tense?

According to Walden, there are many different forms of verbs in the English language, from a simple form of the verb to complex:

  •   Conditional progressive tense
  •   Past perfect progressive tense
  •   Present participle tense
  •   Past perfect tense
  •   Present perfect tense
  •   Conditional tense
  •   Infinitive tense
  •   Future perfect progressive tense
  •   Present perfect continuous tense
  •   Imperative tense
  •   Indicative tense
  •   Perfect passive tense
  •   Present continuous tense
  •   Present progressive tense
  •   Present perfect progressive/continuous tense
  •   Future progressive tense
  •   Subjunctive tense
  •   Conditional perfect tense
  •   Present indicative tense
  •   Simple present tense
  •   Conditional perfect progressive tense
  •   Simple future tense
  •   To-infinitive tense
  •   Past progressive/continuous tense
  •   Bare infinitive tense
  •   Simple conditional tense
  •   Past progressive tense
  •   Simple past tense
  •   Gerund tense or gerund phrase 
  •   Present perfect progressive tense 
  •   Past participle tense
  •   Future perfect tense

Today we will go over the future progressive tense. Progressive tenses, also known as continuous tenses, describe actions that are in progress. According to Grammar Monster, future progressive tense is used for an ongoing action that will occur in the future. This is also called the future continuous tenses. The future part of the future progressive often utilizes the word “will” while the progressive form uses the ing ending in place of the final consonant, also called the present participle of verb. This is done with the action verbs in a sentence for the continuous event. The future progressive tense can also be used for an interrogative about an ongoing action or future actions. This verb tense can also be used in the negative form. Unlike the simple tenses, the progressive tenses describe ongoing action. In English grammar, this expected length of time varies for a shorter action versus a longer action.

Many different languages also contain words that mean future tense. You may notice that some of these translations of future tense look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that likely have the same root or language of origin, causing them to sound the same. The below list of translations of future tense is provided by Word Sense

  • Italian: futuro‎
  • Interlingua: futur‎
  • Bulgarian: бъ̀дещ‎
  • Afrikaans: toekoms‎
  • Ido: futura‎
  • Lithuanian: būsimas‎
  • Danish: fremtidig‎
  • Ukrainian: майбу́тній‎
  • Bokmål: framtidig‎, fremtidig‎
  • German: zukünftig‎
  • Slovak: budúci‎
  • Belarusian: бу́дучы‎
  • French: futur‎
  • Armenian: ապագա‎
  • Catalan: futur‎
  • Romanian: viitor‎
  • Macedonian: иден‎
  • Hebrew: עֲתִידִי‎ (atidí)
  • Latvian: nākotnes‎
  • Polish: przyszły‎
  • Hungarian: jövőbeli‎
  • Finnish: tuleva‎; tulevaisuuden‎
  • Greek: μελλοντικός‎, μέλλων‎
  • Nynorsk: framtidig‎
  • Cyrillic: будући‎
  • Telugu: భవిష్య‎, భావి‎
  • Slovene: prihodnji‎
  • Norman: futur‎
  • Dutch: toekomstig‎
  • Spanish: futuro‎, venidero‎
  • Portuguese: futuro‎, vindouro‎
  • Esperanto: estonta‎, futura‎
  • Turkish: gelecek‎
  • Russian: бу́дущий‎, гряду́щий‎
  • Czech: budoucí‎
  • Basque: geroko‎
  • Roman: budući‎

What are examples of the future progressive tense?

Future progressive tense can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of future progressive tense that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use.   Take a look at the below list of future progressive tense examples from Grammar Monster, Your Dictionary, and Really Learn English:

  •  Will he be asking for forgiveness in a year?
  •  I will be watching TV when you call this evening.
  •  When you come, I will be waiting.
  •  The next time you see a spider’s web, please pause and look a little closer. You will be seeing one of the most high-performance materials known to man. (Biologist Cheryl Hayashi)
  •  We will be celebrating like kings next month if it works.
  •  In a year, he will be asking for forgiveness.
  •  Will you be eating a plant-based diet in time tomorrow?
  •  We will be working quite closely next week.
  •  Will we be flying over the Atlantic soon?
  •  We will not be driving spaceships in 3019.
  •  When we arrive at their house tonight, they will be waiting.
  •  Joanne will not be coming home for the holidays.
  •  By 3019, we will be driving spaceships.
  •  John will be baking a cake at 3 o’clock tomorrow.
  •  The amusement park will not be increasing ticket prices later this year.
  •  Will Joanne be coming home for the holidays?
  •  He will not be asking for forgiveness in a year.
  •  It will be raining the entire week, so we can’t play tennis in Denver.
  •  The amusement park will be increasing ticket prices later this year.
  •  I will not be eating a plant-based diet anytime soon.
  •  Where will you be waiting?
  •  Will the amusement park be increasing ticket prices later this year?
  •  Joanne will be coming home for the holidays.
  •  He will be running until he’s too tired to move.
  •  When will he be running until?
  •  They will be dancing all night long!
  •  What will they be doing all night long?
  •  The Moscow State Circus will be performing in Cheltenham for the next 3 weeks.
  •  By then, we will be practicing yoga every morning.
  •  Tomorrow at three o’clock Josh will be cooking.
  •  Next weekend, I will be eating a plant-based diet.
  •  I will be working all night in the restaurant, so please take care of the kids.
  •  This guy will be sleeping when you find him.
  •  In an hour, we will be flying over the Atlantic.
  •  She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes
  •  They will be painting the fence.

Overall, the future progressive tense refers to a continuous action that will occur in the future.

Sources:

  1. Glossary of grammatical terms | OED 
  2. Verb Forms: “-ing,” Infinitives, and Past Participles – Grammar – Academic Guides | Walden University 
  3. Examples of Future Progressive Tense | Really Learn English 
  4. Future Progressive Tense Examples | Your Dictionary 
  5. Future Progressive Tense | What Is the Future Progressive Tense? | Grammar Monster 
  6. future: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense