Future Progressive Tense

Question

Hi,A complete action in the future that will happen in the normal course of events.The Government will be making a statement later.In my opinion this isn't a completed action. I'd rather say: The Government will make a statement later. Can anyone explain the sentence above?And the second:To make a guess about the present.My mother will be working now. (= I think she is working now, but I’m not completely certain)About this one, I'd just say: My mother is probably working now.Is that right?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Note that you are asking about subtleties of meaning.

A complete action in the future that will happen in the normal course of events.

The Government will be making a statement later.

In my opinion this isn't a completed action.The listener will take this to refer to a completed action.
eg
Tom: What's for dinner this evening?
Mary: Mother will be cooking a chicken.
It seems clear here that the meaning is that the cooking will be completed.
This is basically a statement of a future plan.

But compare this, where the reference is to a specific instant in time.
eg

Tom: What will Mother be doing today at 6:05 pm?
Mary: She will be cooking a chicken.

This is more in the form of a prediction.

I'd rather say: The Government will make a statement later.

Not wrong. But not so clearly an announcement of a future plan. Could be a prediction.

Can anyone explain the sentence above?

And the second:

To make a guess about the present.

My mother will be working now. (= I think she is working now, but I’m not completely certain)

Sounds like you have at least some knowledge about her schedule.

About this one, I'd just say: My mother is probably working now.

Is that right? Yes. But just sounds like a guess, based on no real knowledge of her schedule.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Tom: What's for dinner this evening?
Mary: Mother will be cooking a chicken.
It seems clear here that the meaning is that the cooking will be completed.
This is basically a statement of a future plan.

But compare this, where the reference is to a specific instant in time.
eg

Tom: What will Mother be doing today at 6:05 pm?
Mary: She will be cooking a chicken.

This is more in the form of a prediction.

So, in your first example dinner is some event that is going to happend surely. It's some kind of plan, isn't it? And just because of that fact we can conclude that a chicken will be done for dinner. Am I right?

And about your second sentence: We don't know her schedule. Therefore, we are just making a prediction.

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Tom: What's for dinner this evening?
Mary: Mother will be cooking a chicken.
It seems clear here that the meaning is that the cooking will be completed.
This is basically a statement of a future plan.

But compare this, where the reference is to a specific instant in time.
eg

Tom: What will Mother be doing today at 6:05 pm?
Mary: She will be cooking a chicken.

This is more in the form of a prediction.

So, in your first example dinner is some event that is going to happend surely. It's some kind of plan, isn't it?Yes
And just because of that fact we can conclude that a chicken will be done for dinner. Am I right? I'd say it is more matter of context. My context is not one where it makes sense for Mary to start talking about an activity that will not be completed.

And about your second sentence: We don't know her schedule. Therefore, we are just making a prediction. On the contrary, Mary would not say that if she did not have at least some idea of Mother's schedule. It's a very precis prdifction (6:05 pm).

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

We can also use the Future Continuous to project ourselves into the future and see something happening:You'll recognize me when you get there. I'll be wearing jeans and a white
t-shirt. I'll be sitting at a table at the corner and reading a newspaper.

What if I say: You'll recognize me when you get there. I'll wear jeans and a white t-shirt. I'll sit at a table at the corner and reading a newspaper.

Is that grammatically correct?

The Future Continuous is used to talk about what we believe or guess is happening at the moment of speaking or will be happening at a particular time in the future.

Don't call him now, he'll be doing his homework.

This sentence sounds SO unnatural to my ear that I can't explain.
Anyway, he said that because he knew at least something about his schedule?

And the final sentence:

I will be seeing Ann tomorrow at the office.

I will see Ann tomorrow at the office. - Does this sentence sound like prediction? Again, to my ear sound it sounds totally fine.

I'd really love to see your answer.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

We can also use the Future Continuous to project ourselves into the future and see something happening: You'll recognize me when you get there. I'll be wearing jeans and a white
t-shirt. I'll be sitting at a table at the corner and reading a newspaper Yes..

What if I say: You'll recognize me when you get there. I'll wear jeans and a white t-shirt. I'll sit at a table at the corner and reading a newspaper.

Is that grammatically correct? Yes, But without continuous is less natural. It sounds like you are expressing a present intention rather than making a prediction about the future.

The Future Continuous is used to talk about what we believe or guess is happening at the moment of speaking or will be happening at a particular time in the future.

Don't call him now, he'll be doing his homework.

This sentence sounds SO unnatural to my ear that I can't explain.
Anyway, he said that because he knew at least something about his schedule? Yes.

And the final sentence:

I will be seeing Ann tomorrow at the office.

I will see Ann tomorrow at the office. - Does this sentence sound like prediction? Again, to my ear sound it sounds totally fine. Yes, sounds fine me, too.

I think I began by saying that these were matters of subtlety.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Oh I see I've made a mistake in the last sentence.

Anyway, I want to ask something else. How's called this thing:

Do you speak English? - Yes I speak English.
Do you speak English? - Yes I DO speak English.

What's the diffrence?

I just want to know how is that called. I know everything about short answers and that isn't it.
Or in some random text when the question doesn't exist at all. Let's say that two persons are having a fight.
-You don't care about our child you just care about yourself.
-I DO care about.........What's the diffrence?

Anonymous · Answer

?

Clive · Answer

Hi,
I see you posted a question mark. Sometimes I sleep. Sometimes I do things that are not related to the Forum.

As I want to ask something else. How's called this thing:

Do you speak English? - Yes I speak English.
Do you speak English? - Yes I DO speak English

What's the diffrence?

I just want to know how is that called. I suppose you could call it 'an emphatic auxiliary'.

I know everything about short answers and that isn't it.
Or in some random text when the question doesn't exist at all. Let's say that two persons are having a fight.
-You don't care about our child you just care about yourself.
-I DO care about.........What's the diffrence?. The use of the auxiliary verb ''do' in this way makes the statement more emphatic.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

The last question here.

I absolutely know the meaning of: have to, got to, have got to.
But since I've decided to learn grammar I want to read something more about this. How's that called in grammar?
Today I searched for quite some time and I couldn't find nothing about it.

Some ideas?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I would say something like 'expressions of necessity.

Clive

Oh, have a look here.
http://www.advanced-english-grammar.com/modal-verbs-of-necessity.html

Future Progressive Tense

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