Unit 24. Will be doing and will have done

'I will be doing something' (future continuous) = I will be in the middle of doing something.

• I'm going on holiday on Saturday. This time nex week I'll be lying on a beach or swimming in the sea.

Compare will be (do) ing and will (do)

• Don't phone me between 7 and 8. We'll be having dinner then.
• Let's wait for Mary to arrive and then we'll have dinner.

Compare will be -ing with other continuous forms.

• At 10 o'clock yesterday, Sally was in her office. She was working. (past)
• It's 10 o'clock now. She is in her office. She is working. (present)
• At 10 o'clock tomorrow, she will be in her office. She will be working.

We also use will be doing in a different way : to talk about complete actions in the future.

• A : If you se Sally, can you ask her to phone me?
  B : Sure. I'll be seeing her this evening, so I'll tell her then.
• What time will your friends be arriving tomorrow?

You can use Will you be -ing...? to ask about somebody's plans, especially if you want something or want them to do something.

• A : Will you be using your bicycle this evening?
  B : No. Do you want to borrow it?

We use will have (done) (future perfect) to say that something will already be complete.

• Sally always leaves for work at 8.30 in the morming, so she won't be at home at 9 o'clock. She'll have gone to work.
• We're late. The film will already have started by the time we get to the cinema.