B2 · Upper Intermediate Chapter 13

Looking Ahead: Advanced Future Forms

6 Total Rules
58 examples
7 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of temporal precision and talk about the future like a native speaker.

  • Describe actions in progress at specific future moments using the Future Continuous.
  • Express formal schedules and imminent events with professional accuracy.
  • Calculate long-term durations and revisit past intentions that never happened.
Don't just predict the future—describe it with vivid detail.

What You'll Learn

Ready to talk about the future with amazing precision? This chapter unlocks natural ways to discuss ongoing actions, like what you'll *be doing* next weekend, and durations leading up to future moments. You'll sound incredibly confident and advanced!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to describe your ongoing activities at a specific time tomorrow using 'will be -ing'.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to distinguish between informal and formal future schedules using 'be due to' and 'be about to'.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to express the duration of an action leading up to a future point using the Future Perfect Continuous.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to explain past plans that changed using 'was going to' and 'was about to'.

Chapter Guide

Overview

Mastering the nuances of future tense in English is a hallmark of truly advanced learners. If you're at the B2 level, you've likely moved past the basic "will" and "going to," and you're ready to unlock a level of precision that will make your English sound incredibly natural and sophisticated. This chapter, "English looking ahead: advanced future forms," is designed to equip you with the tools to express complex future ideas with confidence.
You'll discover how to paint vivid pictures of ongoing actions at a specific time in the future using the Future Continuous, making your descriptions much more dynamic. We'll also dive into ways to talk about imminent events, whether it's something casual that’s about to happen or a more dramatic, on-the-verge moment with be about to and be on the point of. For those scheduled events and professional contexts, be due to and be set to will add a layer of official precision to your speech.
And for the ultimate in future foresight, we'll explore the Future Perfect Continuous, a powerful tense that emphasizes duration leading up to a future milestone. By integrating these advanced future forms into your communication, you'll not only avoid sounding repetitive but also convey your thoughts with the clarity and naturalness of a native speaker. Get ready to elevate your B2 English grammar and truly sound amazing when discussing what's next!

How This Grammar Works

These advanced future forms allow you to convey detailed information about future events that simple "will" or "going to" cannot. They add layers of timing, expectation, and emphasis.
The Future Continuous (will be -ing) describes an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. Think of it like taking a snapshot of a future moment and seeing what's happening. For example: "This time next year, I will be living in London." You're not just saying you'll live there; you're imagining yourself in the middle of the experience. It's perfect for setting a scene.
For immediate futures, we have be about to and be on the point of. Be about to is informal and indicates something is happening very, very soon: "Hold on, I'm about to send that email." Be on the point of is more formal and often used for more significant or dramatic imminent events, suggesting a critical juncture: "The negotiations were on the point of breaking down when a new proposal emerged." Both express urgency but with different shades of formality and impact.
When discussing scheduled or planned events, especially those that are official or arranged, be due to and be set to come into play. Be due to implies an official timetable or expectation: "The flight is due to depart at 3 PM." Be set to suggests that something has been prepared or arranged to happen, often with a sense of inevitability or high probability: "The company is set to announce its new strategy next week." These are vital for professional and formal communication.
Finally, the Future Perfect Continuous is our "duration tense." It focuses on how long an action will *have been happening* up to a specific point in the future. It highlights the ongoing nature of an activity leading up to a future deadline or event. For instance: "By next May, I will have been studying English for five years." This tells us not just that you'll still be studying, but the total accumulated time of study *up to that point*. These forms allow for incredible precision, moving you far beyond basic future statements.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Confusing Future Continuous with Simple Future for specific future actions.
✗ At 8 PM, I will eat dinner. (Implies starting dinner at 8 PM)
✓ At 8 PM, I will be eating dinner. (Implies being in the *middle* of eating dinner at 8 PM)
*Explanation:* The Future Continuous emphasizes the action's ongoing nature at a particular future moment.
  1. 1Using 'will' for officially scheduled events instead of more precise forms.
✗ The conference will begin at 9 AM tomorrow.
✓ The conference is due to begin at 9 AM tomorrow. / The conference is set to begin at 9 AM tomorrow.
*Explanation:* 'Be due to' and 'be set to' add a layer of official scheduling or pre-arrangement that 'will' often lacks, making your statement more precise and formal.
  1. 1Incorrectly forming or using the Future Perfect Continuous when duration is key.
✗ By the end of the month, I will have finished my project for three weeks.
✓ By the end of the month, I will have been working on this project for three weeks.
*Explanation:* The Future Perfect Continuous specifically highlights the *duration* of an ongoing action leading up to a future point, emphasizing how long something has already been happening.

Real Conversations

A

A

Hey, what are you doing next Saturday evening?
B

B

Oh, I can't meet up then. I'll be taking my final exam online. I'll probably be on the point of collapse from stress!
A

A

Oh no, good luck!
A

A

Did you hear about the new product launch?
B

B

Yes, I read about it. The company is set to unveil it at the tech fair, isn't it? It's due to happen on the 15th.
A

A

That's right! By then, they will have been developing it for almost two years.
A

A

Are you ready for your interview?
B

B

Almost! I'm just about to leave the house. I'm so nervous!
A

A

You'll do great!

Quick FAQ

Q

When should I use 'will be -ing' instead of a simple future with 'will' or 'going to'?

Use 'will be -ing' (Future Continuous) when you want to describe an action that will be *in progress* at a specific future time, or to talk about future arrangements as part of a general plan. It paints a picture of what's happening at that moment.

Q

What's the main difference between 'be about to' and 'be on the point of'?

'Be about to' is more common and informal, indicating immediate future action ("I'm about to call you"). 'Be on the point of' is more formal or dramatic, suggesting a critical moment or being right at the verge of a significant event ("The discovery was on the point of changing everything").

Q

Can 'be set to' and 'be due to' be used interchangeably?

Often, but with a subtle difference. Both indicate scheduled events. 'Be due to' often implies an official or expected time based on a schedule ("The train is due to arrive"). 'Be set to' can imply a higher degree of certainty, preparation, or a predetermined plan, often with an emphasis on the outcome ("The team is set to win the championship").

Q

Why is the Future Perfect Continuous considered an "advanced" tense?

It requires combining concepts of duration, completion, and future timing. It's advanced because it allows you to express how long an ongoing action *will have lasted* by a specific future point, showing not just an action, but its cumulative time up to that moment.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these advanced future forms constantly to add naturalness and precision to their speech. For instance, the Future Continuous is very common in everyday planning ("This evening, I'll be working late"). While 'be about to' is widely used informally for immediate actions, 'be on the point of' is less frequent in casual conversation and often appears in more formal or literary contexts to heighten drama. Be due to and be set to are standard in news, business, and official announcements, making them essential for a professional tone. Mastering these allows B2 learners to sound much more integrated into diverse English-speaking environments.

Key Examples (8)

1

This time tomorrow, we will be flying over the Atlantic.

Future Continuous (will be -ing)
2

She won't be answering her phone during the meeting.

Future Continuous (will be -ing)
3

I'm about to finish my coffee, then I'll be ready.

Imminent Future: be about to & be on the point of
4

The train is about to depart, please stand clear of the doors.

Imminent Future: be about to & be on the point of
5

The train `is due to depart` at 6:30 AM.

Scheduled Future (be due to, be set to)
6

My project `is set to be finished` by Friday.

Scheduled Future (be due to, be set to)
7

By 6 PM, she `will have been waiting` for an hour.

Future Perfect Continuous: The Duration Tense
8

When you arrive, I `will have been working` on this report for three hours.

Future Perfect Continuous: The Duration Tense

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'Snapshot' Rule

If you can imagine taking a photo of the action at that future time, use the Future Continuous.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Continuous (will be -ing)
💡

The 'Just' Trick

Add 'just' to 'about to' to make it sound even more immediate and natural. 'I'm just about to leave' sounds more native than 'I am about to leave'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Imminent Future: be about to & be on the point of
💡

News Reading

If you see 'Set to' in a headline, it almost always means 'is going to' but in an official capacity. It's a great way to spot future predictions in news.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Scheduled Future (be due to, be set to)
💡

The 'For' Rule

If you are using 'for' to describe a duration in the future, check if you need the Future Perfect Continuous. It's the most reliable signal.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Perfect Continuous: The Duration Tense

Key Vocabulary (7)

commence to start (formal) imminent about to happen duration the length of time something lasts milestone a significant stage or event anticipate to expect or predict provisional temporary or subject to change schedule a plan for carrying out a process

Real-World Preview

rocket

The Big Product Launch

Review Summary

  • will + be + [verb]-ing
  • be + about to + [verb]
  • be + due to + [verb]
  • will + have + been + [verb]-ing
  • was/were + going to + [verb]
  • When/As soon as + Present Simple/Perfect

Common Mistakes

In English, we never use 'will' in a time clause starting with when, as soon as, or until. Use the present simple instead.

Wrong: I will call you when I will arrive at the hotel.
Correct: I will call you when I arrive at the hotel.

The Future Perfect Continuous requires the '-ing' form to show ongoing duration. 'Worked' is for the Future Perfect Simple.

Wrong: Next year, I will have been worked here for ten years.
Correct: Next year, I will have been working here for ten years.

To talk about a specific past plan that changed, use 'was going to'. 'Would' is usually for hypothetical situations or past habits.

Wrong: I would go to the party, but I got sick.
Correct: I was going to go to the party, but I got sick.

Next Steps

You've just unlocked some of the most sophisticated structures in the English language. Your ability to express time is now at a high-intermediate level. Keep practicing these in your daily conversations!

Write your 5-year career plan using at least 4 different future forms.

Listen to a news broadcast and identify instances of 'is due to' or 'is set to'.

Continue to: Wishes, Regrets, and Formal Demands

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the blank with the correct form.

I ___ (go) to the party, but I got sick.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was going to go
It was a past plan.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About To

Fill in the blank with 'due to' or 'set to'.

The train is ___ arrive at 5:30 PM.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: due to
We use 'due to' for timetabled arrivals.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Scheduled Future (be due to, be set to)

Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'be about to'.

Hurry up! The train ___ leave the station!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is about to
The subject 'the train' is singular, so we use 'is'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Imminent Future: be about to & be on the point of

Find the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

He was on the point of to quit his job.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to quit
'On the point of' must be followed by a gerund: 'quitting'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Imminent Future: be about to & be on the point of

Find the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

I will be knowing the results by tomorrow morning.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: will be knowing -> will know
'Know' is a stative verb and cannot be used in the continuous form.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Continuous (will be -ing)

Fill in the blank.

We ___ (visit) London, but we went to Rome instead.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: were going to visit
Past intention that didn't happen.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About To

Which sentence is most natural for a news report?

The two nations are ___ signing a peace treaty.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: on the point of
'On the point of' is the most formal and appropriate for a news context.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Imminent Future: be about to & be on the point of

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: When I see him, I'll talk.
Standard time clause structure.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Time Clauses: When I Do vs. When I Have Done

Find the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

He said he will be here at 5.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he would be here at 5.
Reported speech requires backshifting.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About To

Correct the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

The meeting is due start at noon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is due to start
You must include 'to' before the verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Scheduled Future (be due to, be set to)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Yes, but only with 'I' and 'we'. It is very formal and mostly used in British English. Example: I shall be waiting.
They are very similar. I'll be doing is more common for predictions and routines, while I'm going to be doing emphasizes a strong intention or a plan already made.
No, we don't say I will be about to. Instead, just use the present tense I am about to because it already implies the future.
They are very similar. On the verge of is often used for more dramatic or emotional situations, like on the verge of tears or on the verge of a breakdown.
You can, but it sounds very formal. If you say I am due to go to the gym, it sounds like you have a very strict schedule. Usually, I'm going to is better for personal life.
Both mean 'because of', but only due to can be used as a future schedule marker. You cannot say The train is owing to arrive.
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Wishes, Regrets, and Formal Demands
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