1. Review: the future continuous tense
The future continuous tense is used to say what will be happening at a future time.
It can also be used to stress a future action as important or extraordinary. This is because ‘…ing’ stresses the verb more than the future simple tense.
The future continuous tense is made by
- subject + will be + …ing (+ future time)
- subject + (be) going to be + …ing (+ future time)
| Future time | What will be happening? (future continuous tense) | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| when you get home | I will be sleeping | I will be sleeping when you get home. |
| when the game is on | he is going to be working | He is going to be working when the game is on. |
| when she arrives | it will be raining | It will be raining when she arrives. |
| Tuesday | Samantha is going to be shopping | I think Samantha is going to be shopping no matter whether it rains on Tuesday or not. |
2. What is the passive voice?
The passive voice changes ‘x did something to y’ into ‘y has something done to it (by x)’.
It is made by:
- object + be + perfect participle (+ by subject)
*Perfect participle (p.p.) = gone, done, seen, eaten etc.
‘Be’ changes depending on the tense you want to use (present, past, future, perfect, etc.).
3. The future continuous tense (passive voice)
The future continuous (passive) uses the structures:
- object + be (future) + being + perfect participle (+ by subject)
- object + (be) going to be + being + perfect participle (+ by subject)
| Object | Be (future) | Being | P.p. | By subject | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis | will be | being | interviewed | by the local TV station | Davis will be being interviewed by the local TV station during the concert. |
| The tree | will be | being | cut down | The tree will be being cut down tomorrow at 7am. | |
| The patients | will be | being | sent | The patients will be being sent to Mercy Hospital while County Hospital does repairs. | |
| Nikki | will be | being | flown | by helicopter | Tomorrow’s plan is that while most of the wedding guests take cars to the castle, Nikki will be being flown by helicopter. |
| Object | (Be) going to be being | Being | P.p. | By subject | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rupert | is going to be | being | watched | by the opposition | I expect that during the game Rupert is going to be being watched carefully by the opposition, so we will need other players to play well. |
| The cinema | is going to be | being | renovated | The council have said that the cinema is going to be being renovated after the budget. | |
| I | am going to be | being | featured | I am going to be being featured in the upcoming edition of Style magazine. | |
| They | are going to be | being | served | by Alexis | Once the VIPS arrive at the restaurant, they are going to be being served by Alexis. |
4. Converting a future continuous tense into its passive voice
To change a future continuous tense into its passive form:
1. swap the subject and object
2. change the verb from ‘will be …ing’ to ‘will be being + p.p.’
or change the verb from ‘is going to be …ing’ to ‘is going to be being + p.p.’
| Future continuous | Future continuous (passive) |
|---|---|
| She will be walking the dog when we get home. | The dog will be being walked when we get home. |
| The mechanic will be fixing the car at 5. | The car will be being fixed by the mechanic at 5. |
| The pilot will be turning on the seatbelt sign just after take-off. | The seatbelt sign will be being turned on by the pilot just after take-off. |
| The priest will be overseeing the wedding on Sunday. | The wedding will be being overseen by the priest on Sunday. |
5. Using the future continuous (passive) to stress an action
Like the future continuous tense, the future continuous (passive) describes an on-going event at a future time.
It can also be used to stress an action in the future. This is because ‘…ing’ stresses the verb more than the future simple (passive).
It is often necessary to supply context to justify the stress of the action.
| Future tense (passive) | Meaning | Future continuous tense (passive) | Future continuous tense (passive) with context | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Those girls will be punished. | Simple future truth | Those girls will be being punished. | Do not think that I am soft on them because they are the President’s daughters. Those girls will be being punished. | Stress action is happening despite expectations it will not |
| The dog will be seen by the vet on Saturday. | Simple future truth | The dog will be being seen by the vet on Saturday. | We have been waiting for weeks, and for a while we thought it would die, but finally the dog will be being seen by the vet on Saturday. | Stress action is finally happening |
| Our office will be opened by the mayor next week. | Simple future truth | Our office will be being opened by the mayor next week. | I was really excited to hear that our office will be being opened by the mayor next week. | Stress importance of action |
| Howie’s appendix will be removed this afternoon. | Simple future truth | Howie’s appendix will be being removed this afternoon. | As it is critical the doctor’s do not delay the surgery, Howie’s appendix will be being removed this afternoon. | Stress importance of action |
| Bruce and Anya’s film will be shown after the talk. | Simple future truth | Bruce and Anya’s film will be being shown after the talk. | Please don’t immediately leave at 5pm, because Bruce and Anya’s film will be being shown after the talk. | Stress importance of action |
| The space probe will be shot into the sun. | Simple future truth | The space probe will be being shot into the sun. | At the end of its mission, and in an amazing feat of scientific engineering, the space probe will be being shot into the sun. | Stress the extraordinariness of the action |
Usually the future tense (passive) is sufficient, and the future continuous (passive) is not required.
6. Examples of the future continuous (passive)
| I hope the dinner will be being cooked when I get home. | If you call at 5, she will still be being driven to the meeting. |
| This time next week that wall will be being painted by 25 young artists. | The route will be being decided as soon as we know who is going. |
| The match will be being played at 7 30, not 7, because of the traffic problems. | All the animals will be being fed at 3 o’clock this afternoon. |
| The winner will be being picked by the chairman on Friday. | The house will be being put on sale once the couple find a new flat. |
7. Test yourself
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8 Practice Pack
