What is Future Progressive?
The future progressive is a tense used to denote future action that will be occurring at a certain point in time. It’s the perfect way to express future actions taking place over a certain amount of time in the future, as it conveys future events that are currently in progress.
It can be used instead of future perfect or future simple to express upcoming events that we anticipate and make predictions on – like vacation plans, career changes or relationship milestones. It creates clarity by helping your listener understand the timeline of future events and gives them something clear and concrete to look forward to.
Future Progressive Rules
Learning these four critical rules when using the future progressive tense will help communication become clearer and easier.
| Rules | Explanation |
| Conjugations | Be aware that many verbs have unique simple future conjugations and must be memorized separately from the regular form – for example, the verb ‘I went’ becomes ‘going’ instead of ‘went’. |
| Habitual actions | Remember that future progressive sentences indicate habitual actions or those which will occur. |
| Descriptions | Future progressive adjectives emphasize universal truths like wide-spread statements of fact while simple past adverbs can be used to describe an action taking place beyond a single instance. |
| Auxiliary verb | Future progressive questions use an auxiliary verb alongside the main verb – such as ‘going’, ‘will’, or ‘will be’ – when forming a question. |
Examples of Future Progressive Verbs
The future progressive is a type of verb tense that allows us to express actions in progress at some future point. Examples of future progressive verbs include:
- “Will be running”
- “Will be playing”
- “Will be cooking”
When using future progressive verbs, you are expressing not only future action but continuous future action, so it’s important to keep this in mind when conjugating future progressive verb forms. With future progressive tenses, we can better visualize the future events that we have planned and give more depth to the stories that we tell. So next time you want to communicate a future event that you plan on continuing, consider using future progressive verbs!
Future Progressive Exercises with Answers
Exercises:
- We will be _ to their friend’s house tomorrow.
- I will be _ for my math test on Saturday.
- My family will be _ dinner together this evening.
- We will be _ in a hotel for our weekend away.
- He will be _ his project by Friday morning.
Answers:
- We will be driving to their friend’s house tomorrow.
- I will be studying for my math test on Saturday.
- My family will be eating dinner together this evening.
- We will be staying in a hotel for our weekend away.
- He will be completing his project by Friday morning.
Future Progressive Verbs List
| Will be starting | Describes the beginning of something. |
| Will be going | To begin a journey. |
| Will be working | An extended period of labour. |
| Will be eating | To consume something. |
| Will be watching | To view something. |
| Will be laughing | Describes a reaction to humour. |
| Will be finishing | To describe an action of winding down. |
Advice for ESL Students & English Language Learners
As an ESL student or English language learner, the future progressive tense can seem daunting, but there are a number of strategies for mastering it. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the structure of future progressive verbs and practicing with example sentences. Then focus on developing the ability to identify future progressive verb forms in conversations and various pieces of writing.
Don’t forget to set aside time to speak out loud using future progressive verb forms, as this common mistake is one that can easily be eradicated through practice. While learning the future progressive may take some commitment and effort, rest assured that these skills will be invaluable when you become more fluent in English.
Additionally, it is important for learners to properly understand simple future, present perfect and present perfect progressive.
Common Mistakes Made by English Learners
Learning a new language can be challenging, and English learners often make small mistakes just like everybody else.
One common mistake is with future progressive tense. This error may occur when someone mistakenly uses future simple instead of future progressive in a sentence. For example, many learners might say “I am going to watch television tomorrow,” when they really should be saying “I will be watching television tomorrow.” Even those who have been studying for some time may need extra help to remember future progressive forms and avoid making this mistake.
Common Mistakes:
1. Incorrect Tense
Why it Happens
Not having a firm grasp on correct tense usage can confuse your statements. This can cause you to use the wrong verbs and misconstrue your message.
Correct Use
When speaking in the future progressive tense, you would use a verb that reflects current habits and routines. Keep tense in mind when selecting your verbs.
2. Lack of Compounds
Why it Happens
The first mistake is leaving out verbs when needed. Failing to use these in phrases can lead others to misinterpret what you are trying to express.
Correct Use
Verbs join two words to actions – for example, ‘to eat something’ or ‘I am crossing the street’.
3. Inconsistency
Why it Happens
People forget how they described something before and change the context in a contradictory manner. This confuses the reader.
Correct Use
Be sure that your verbs remain consistent throughout your writing. There should be no sudden shifts from ‘happen’ to ‘finish’ unless there was a clear shift in the thing being described.
4. Incorrect Usage
Why it Happens
You don’t know which verbs to use, so you use too many and it confuses the statement.
Correct Use
Using too many verbs can make your writing sound monotonous and can also lead to viewers losing interest. Therefore it is important to focus on expressing yourself clearly and effectively with them.
Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes:
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and avoid common errors, it pays to develop strategies for preventing future mistakes in advance.
- A good place to start is by taking time for self-reflection about what areas need the most improvement; whether that’s grammar or logic, it’s important to consider not just what has gone wrong, but why. Understanding the root causes of future progressive errors can help make sure your future performance meets expectations.
- Additionally, practice makes perfect; commit a little bit of time each week towards improving any skills that need brushing up on and get feedback from peers or colleagues once you feel comfortable enough with your progress.
Prevent future mistakes and maximize potential success with these tips!
Learning Future Progressive Strategies and Best Practices
Understanding future progressive strategies and best practices is key to staying competitive in today’s ever-evolving professional landscape. It is important to understand the latest trends and focus on staying ahead of the curve through future progressive thinking.
Businesses should shift their focus from reactive decisions to proactive future planning, utilizing data and other resources to gain an advantage over competitors. Adopting future progressive strategies means being open to change, taking calculated risks, leveraging technology and data wisely, identifying opportunities for continual improvement, and developing creative solutions for problems. Additionally, keep reading for more useful tips:
Tip 1: Study a List
Why it helps
Learning the various forms and using them properly in speaking and writing is easier than it seems with daily practice. A list can simplify this process and make it seem less daunting.
Daily Life Example
The best way to learn to use verbs correctly is to study a list of verbs and their usages, and then practice writing sentences with them.
Tip 2: Practice Reading
Why it helps
Exposing yourself to verbs hidden between other words can help you identify them faster and with more accuracy.
Daily Life Example
To ensure that you understand how frequently a type of verb should be used it’s important to practice reading with them as well, so the meanings become clear. So keep a book of your choice on hand and highlight every verb you come across.
Tip 3: Everyday Conversations
Why it helps
By applying the verbs exercise to everyday conversations, you’ll find these words easy to remember and use in the near future.
Daily Life Example
Take your time when speaking to people. Take note of the verbs they use, and try and repeat them back in different contexts. You can also do this from the comfort of your home by recording yourself or using an AI assistant.
Future Progressive Frequently Asked Questions
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