Learn two ways of talking about the future including the future continuous tense and 'be plus the infinitive'. Explore usage of the future continuous tense for future plans, predictions, likelihood, and polite questions. Discover how to use future continuous and 'b plus the infinitive' for plans, predictions, instruction, and necessity. Engage with examples, explanations, and a comprehension quiz.
The future continuous tense is used to talk about events that will be happening at a specific time in the future.
The structure 'B + infinitive' is used to give instructions or state that something should or must be done.
Deep dives
Future Continuous: Describing Future Plans
The future continuous tense is used to talk about events that will be happening at a specific time in the future. It can also be used to express the duration of an activity. For example, one can use phrases like 'this time next week' or 'next year' to indicate when the event will occur. Additionally, the future continuous tense can be used to describe simultaneous actions. For instance, someone can say, 'While you're working at the BBC, I'll be sipping my cocktails by the hotel pool'. The tense is formed by using 'will be' + the present participle of the verb.
B + Infinitive: Instruction and Necessity
The structure 'B + infinitive' is used to give instructions or state that something should or must be done. It is commonly found in more formal English, describing official arrangements or in media reports. For example, 'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are to visit Singapore next month' or 'A man is to appear in court later today, charged with murder'. The negative form is achieved by adding 'not' after 'B'. The structure is formed by using 'subject + B + infinitive with to'.