Word Family Worksheets

Maybe some of you like this form (notice I don't say tense ☝). Not only do I hate teaching it but to get students to use it in all its forms is difficult. We are all aware of one or two common functions but I shall go a little deeper so we can start to use FUTURE CONTINUOUS fignya freely 😎 Blinnnnnnn.... here goes.... 

✔ Events in progress in the future (the one we all know). 

This is very much like what we learn at pre-int level when using past continuous and past simple together, but for the future: 

● This time next week, I'll be lying on the beach getting burned. 

● Can't come out tonight. I'll be having dinner around 8pm before mum sends me to bed. Sorry, my wife. 

● Good luck in your driving test! We'll be thinking of you (around the time you are taking your driving test)... and try not to crash! 

✔ Events that are fixed or we expect them to happen.🤔 

This one is fignya. We use the future continuous although there is no continuous meaning.🤦🏻‍♂ The idea is that something is fixed, decided or we expect to happen in the normal course of events. We'll compare forms here: 

● Paul will be doing another awesome video on phrasal verbs again tonight. (This sounds a lot more definite than: Paul will/is going to do another....) 

● I'll be seeing you again real soon! (Because this is more definite, it sounds more threatening than: I will see you again real soon! which is more like a soft promise) 

● John's at home. He'll be having fish & chips as usual, the fat moron! (We expect it because it always happens. It sounds much more definite/expected than: He will/is going to eat fish & chips...) 

✔ No idea of making decisions (Kind of overlaps with the last one) 

We can use the future continuous to say: something will happen anyway without having to make decisions. We often finish the sentence with "anyway:"

● Mum, can you wash my pants later? - I'll be doing all the washing tonight anyway. (Much more definite than: I'm going to do... which we can say but not as strong) 

● Can you not drink any beer right now? When the guests come, we'll all be getting drunk soon enough.(Sounds strong to say it will definitely happen. Much more than: When the guests come, we are going to get...) 

✔ Polite inquiries.🤴 

Here it means: What have you already decided? It's not so common in everyday speech and the only time you'd hear it is if some waiter called Jeeves approached you in a hotel. It is a good structure as if doesn't force any decision: 

● Will Sir be having his usual meal of octopus bollocks on peacock vomit? 

● Will Madame be requiring any further assistance to get her pants on? 

If I said: 

● Sir, are you going to have your usual mean of octopus.... 

This is much more direct and to some extent is trying to press for a decision. 

✔ Going to 

You can pretty much substitute WILL for GOING TO in the above examples to make the sentences less formal. 

● Can't come out tonight. I'm going to be having dinner around 8-ish.