3.2. Types of questions

The Future Indefinite

The Future Continuous

1) GENERAL

Will you work?

Will he work?

Will you be working now?

Will he be working now?

2) ALTERNATIVE

Will you work or study?

Will he work or study?

Will he or she work?

Will you be working or talking?

Will he be working or talking?

Will he or she be working now?

3) SPECIAL

Where will you work?

Where will he work?

Where will you be working now?

Where will he be working now?

4) SUBJECT

Who will work in your family?

Who will be working now?

5) DISJUNCTIVE

You will work, won’t you?

He will work, won’t he?

You won’t work, will you?

He won’t work, will he?

You’ll be working, won’t you?

He’ll be working, won’t he?

You won’t be working, will you?

He won’t be working, will he?

The Future Indefinite

The Future Continuous

It is used to denote a future action which is not planned.

It’s seldom used in English.

1) A decision at the moment of speaking.

I’m tired. I’ll have some sleep.

It is used to denote an action which will be going on at a definite moment in the future.

1) This moment can be indicated by the definite time.

At 1p.m. I’ll still be working.

2) A distant future.

I will see Jane soon.

2) This moment can be understood from the context.

I won’t receive you tomorrow. I’ll be working.

3) To denote an action which is expected to take place in the nearest future the following word combinations are used:

to be going to (colloquial)

to be about to (literary)

to be on the point of (literary)

It’s going to rain.

The runners are about to start.

She was on the point of crying.

3) This moment can be indicated by another future action, expressed by a verb in the Present Simple.

When you return from Moscow, I’ll still be working.

When the morning comes we’ll be travelling across the ocean by plane to the USA.

When you come the kid will be already sleeping.

The future Indefinite is rendered in Russian by the future perfective or imperfective:

I’ll read 10 chapters tomorrow.

Завтра я прочту 10 глав.

I’ll read the all day tomorrow.

Завтра я буду читать целый день.

4) It is used to denote anticipated actions, which are sure to take place in the nearest future. We can foresee it.

Bye! I’ll be missing you.

I’m sure it will be happening to me very soon.

It will be snowing tomorrow.