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.
你将学到什么
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!
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将来进行时 (will be -ing)掌握将来进行时，让你自信描述未来某个时刻正在发生的动作！记住核心公式：
will be加上verb-ing，轻松拿捏高级感。 -
即将来临的未来：Be About To & Be On The Point OfThese phrases are your secret weapon for talking about something happening RIGHT NOW, or in the next few seconds!
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预定未来 (预期将, 预定将)使用
be due to或be set to来描述预定的未来事件，让你的日程安排听起来既“官方”又“专业”！ -
将来完成进行时：持续时间时态It highlights an action's duration leading up to a specific future moment.
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Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About ToFuture in the past describes what was expected, planned, or predicted from a past point of view. Use was/were going to, would, was about to, and was due to.
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Future Time Clauses: When I Do vs. When I Have DoneAfter future time conjunctions (when, before, after, until, as soon as, once), use present simple or present perfect — never will. Use present perfect when one action must be completed before the next.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
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1
By the end you will be able to describe your ongoing activities at a specific time tomorrow using 'will be -ing'.
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2
By the end you will be able to distinguish between informal and formal future schedules using 'be due to' and 'be about to'.
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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.
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4
By the end you will be able to explain past plans that changed using 'was going to' and 'was about to'.
章节指南
Overview
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.
How This Grammar Works
will or going to cannot. They add layers of timing, expectation, and emphasis.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.
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.
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.
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*.
Common Mistakes
- 1Confusing Future Continuous with Simple Future for specific future actions.
- 1Using 'will' for officially scheduled events instead of more precise forms.
- 1Incorrectly forming or using the Future Perfect Continuous when duration is key.
Real Conversations
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Quick FAQ
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.
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).
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).
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
关键例句 (8)
I'm about to finish my coffee, then I'll be ready.
Estoy a punto de terminar mi café, luego estaré listo.
即将来临的未来：Be About To & Be On The Point OfThe train is about to depart, please stand clear of the doors.
El tren está a punto de salir, por favor, aléjense de las puertas.
即将来临的未来：Be About To & Be On The Point OfBy 6 PM, she `will have been waiting` for an hour.
Para las 6 PM, ella habrá estado esperando por una hora.
将来完成进行时：持续时间时态When you arrive, I `will have been working` on this report for three hours.
Cuando llegues, habré estado trabajando en este informe por tres horas.
将来完成进行时：持续时间时态技巧与窍门 (4)
想象“正在进行中”
This time next week, I will be lying on the beach.
The 'Just' Trick
检查你的 be 动词！
They are due to arrive.
The 'For' Rule
核心词汇 (7)
Real-World Preview
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
常见错误
In English, we never use 'will' in a time clause starting with when, as soon as, or until. Use the present simple instead.
The Future Perfect Continuous requires the '-ing' form to show ongoing duration. 'Worked' is for the Future Perfect Simple.
To talk about a specific past plan that changed, use 'was going to'. 'Would' is usually for hypothetical situations or past habits.
本章规则 (6)
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'.
快速练习 (10)
Find and fix the mistake:
After I will finish, I will go.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Time Clauses: When I Do vs. When I Have Done
I ___ (go) to the party, but I got sick.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About To
I knew the project ___ succeed.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About To
When I ___ (arrive), I will call you.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Time Clauses: When I Do vs. When I Have Done
Which is correct?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future Time Clauses: When I Do vs. When I Have Done
Which sentence is correct?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Future in the Past: Was Going To, Would, Was About To
I'm so tired! By the time I get home, I ___ for ten hours.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 将来完成进行时：持续时间时态
The two nations are ___ signing a peace treaty.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 即将来临的未来：Be About To & Be On The Point Of
By the time the guest arrives, I ___ (cook) for three hours.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 将来完成进行时：持续时间时态
At 9 AM tomorrow, I ___ (work) on my presentation.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 将来进行时 (will be -ing)
Score: /10
常见问题 (6)
主语 + will + be + 动词ing。比如：You will be studying，或者缩写形式："You'll be studying"。
I will be about to. Instead, just use the present tense I am about to because it already implies the future.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.The concert is set to begin at 8 PM.
The report is due to be submitted.
