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1 The Big Idea
A Video of the Future
📘 Level 4 — Future Continuous — Lesson 2

A photo shows one future time. A video shows a whole period. When an action fills a period, use will be + the -ing form.

I will be working from home all next week. (The whole week is full.)
They will be traveling for the whole of August. (All month.)
(The action fills the whole future period.)
Photo (lesson 60)Video (this lesson)
At 8 tomorrow, I will be working.All day tomorrow, I will be working.
This time next week, we will be traveling.All next week, we will be traveling.
An action that fills a future period → will be + verb-ing.
The form is the same as in lesson 60. The time word is a period, not one time.
2 Period Words
Words That Show a Whole Period

Look for a word or phrase that shows a long future time.

  • All day tomorrow, I will be working.
  • All next week, she will be studying.
  • They will be traveling for the whole of August.
  • The band will be playing for six months.
  • The workers will be repairing the road over the next three weeks.

More period words: throughout the summer, all through December, all weekend, from Monday to Friday.

3 Will or Will Be
A Plan or a Full Period

Future Simple names one plan. Future Continuous shows that the whole period is full. Use it when you want to say “I am busy” or “expect this for a long time.”

Will + base verb (one plan)Will be + -ing (a full period)
I will travel to Spain in July.I will be traveling in Spain all July.
She will study tonight.She will be studying all December.
They will play a game on Saturday.They will be playing games all weekend.
He will drive to Boston tomorrow.He will be driving all day tomorrow.
We will clean the house on Friday.We will be cleaning the house all Friday.
4 Negatives and Questions
Saying No and Asking

The form is the same as in lesson 60. Here are examples with periods.

Negatives
  • I won’t be working next week.
  • She won’t be studying this month.
  • They won’t be traveling in August.
  • He won’t be driving all day.
  • We won’t be staying all summer.
Questions
  • How long will you be traveling?
  • Will she be studying all weekend?
  • Where will they be staying?
  • What will you be doing all summer?
  • Who will be running the office?
5 Common Mistakes
Watch Out For These
❌ Mistake 1 — Future Simple when you want to show a full period
✗ I will work all day tomorrow. Don’t call.
✗ The workers will repair the road for three weeks. Expect delays.
✓ I will be working all day tomorrow. Don’t call.
✓ The workers will be repairing the road for three weeks. Expect delays.
Use will be + -ing to show that the whole period is full.
❌ Mistake 2 — Leaving out be
✗ They will traveling all summer.
✗ She will studying all week.
✓ They will be traveling all summer.
✓ She will be studying all week.
The form is will be + -ing. Do not forget be.
❌ Mistake 3 — -ing on a state verb
✗ She will be having a car all summer.
✗ I will be knowing the answer all week.
✓ She will have a car all summer.
✓ I will know the answer all week.
State verbs such as know, own, and have (meaning own) do not use -ing, even for a period.
❌ Mistake 4 — Wrong question form
✗ How long you will be traveling?
✗ Where will you staying?
✓ How long will you be traveling?
✓ Where will you be staying?
Put will before the subject. Then add be and the -ing form.
6 Practice
Try It Yourself
Exercise A — Will or Will Be?

Read the situation. Click the form you need.

  • 1
    You do homework all evening tomorrow.
    ✓ Correct — The action fills the whole period. Use will be + -ing.
  • 2
    You take a test on Friday morning.
    ✓ Correct — It is one event. Use will + base verb.
  • 3
    Your family travels for the whole of August.
    ✓ Correct — The action fills the whole period. Use will be + -ing.
  • 4
    The workers repair the road for three weeks.
    ✓ Correct — The action fills the whole period. Use will be + -ing.
  • 5
    You send a message tonight.
    ✓ Correct — It is one event. Use will + base verb.
  • 6
    She opens the store at 9.
    ✓ Correct — It is one event. Use will + base verb.
  • 7
    The kids play games all morning.
    ✓ Correct — The action fills the whole period. Use will be + -ing.
  • 8
    He arrives on Monday.
    ✓ Correct — It is one event. Use will + base verb.
Exercise B — Complete the Sentence

Type the correct form of will be + -ing for the verb given.

  • 1
    I from home all next week. (work)
  • 2
    They through Europe for the whole of August. (travel)
  • 3
    She for her finals all through December. (study)
  • 4
    We our house all summer. (build)
  • 5
    The workers the road over the next three weeks. (repair)
  • 6
    The kids games all morning. (play)
  • 7
    He to Boston all day tomorrow. (drive)
  • 8
    We the kitchen all weekend. (clean)
Exercise C — Make It Negative

Type the negative form with won’t be + -ing for the verb given.

  • 1
    I next week. I’m on vacation. (not work)
  • 2
    She this month. The exam is over. (not study)
  • 3
    They in August. They stay home. (not travel)
  • 4
    The workers the road next month. It’s done. (not repair)
  • 5
    He all day. The trip is short. (not drive)
  • 6
    We here all summer. We leave in June. (not stay)
  • 7
    The kids all morning. They have school. (not play)
  • 8
    I all night. I need sleep. (not read)
Exercise D — Write the Question

Type the missing words of speaker B’s question. Use the words given.

  • 1
    A: I’m traveling for six weeks.
    B: Where for six weeks? (you / stay)
  • 2
    A: Sara studies all weekend.
    B: for the exam? (she / study)
  • 3
    A: The workers fix the road next month.
    B: How long it? (they / fix)
  • 4
    A: I’m busy all day tomorrow.
    B: What all day? (you / do)
  • 5
    A: My parents visit us in July.
    B: with you all month? (they / stay)
  • 6
    A: The kids are free all summer.
    B: What all summer? (they / do)
  • 7
    A: The band plays in the park this weekend.
    B: all weekend? (they / play)
  • 8
    A: My boss is away for two weeks.
    B: Who the office? (run)
Exercise E — Choose the Form

Click the form that completes the sentence.

  • 1
    Don’t call me. I all day tomorrow.
    ✓ Correct — The whole day is full. Use will be + -ing.
  • 2
    They in Europe all August.
    ✓ Correct — Do not forget be: will be + -ing.
  • 3
    She a test on Friday morning.
    ✓ Correct — After will, use the base verb.
  • 4
    The workers the road for three weeks.
    ✓ Correct — After will be, use the -ing form.
  • 5
    you be traveling all summer?
    ✓ Correct — Make the question with will. Put will before the subject.
  • 6
    The store at 9.
    ✓ Correct — Opening is one event. Use will + base verb.
  • 7
    She this summer. She is on vacation.
    ✓ Correct — Keep be in the negative: won’t be + -ing.
  • 8
    How long in Spain?
    ✓ Correct — In a question: will + subject + be + -ing.
7 Choose the Right Sentence
Apply What You Know

Read each question. Choose the sentence that matches.

Question 1 of 8
Which sentence shows a whole future period?
Question 2 of 8
Select the correct sentence.
Question 3 of 8
Select the correct negative.
Question 4 of 8
Select the correct question.
Question 5 of 8
Which time phrase shows a whole future period?
Question 6 of 8
Select the sentence that is incorrect.
Question 7 of 8
A: “Can we meet this week?” Select the best reply.
Question 8 of 8
Which sentence has one action, not a whole period?
8 Summary
Future Continuous: Over a Period An action that fills a future period uses will be + verb-ing.
  • Idea: a video of the future. The action fills a whole period.
  • Form: will be + verb-ing. Negative: won’t be + verb-ing.
  • Period words: all day tomorrow, all next week, for six months, throughout the summer.
  • Will: one plan. Will be: the whole period is full.
  • State verbs (know, own, have) do not use -ing.
  • Remember: always use be, and always use the -ing form.
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