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Part 2 · Episode 7 B1-B2

I’ll Be Working Tomorrow

📐 Future Continuous

Thomas Edison · 1880s: Edison's relentless work ethic 📖 6 min read

Episode 7: I’ll Be Working Tomorrow

Future Continuous — Thomas Edison, 1880s (B1-B2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Future Continuous describes actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future, or future actions already planned and certain to happen.

Form: will be + verb-ing

Example 1: “At 3 PM tomorrow, I’ll be sitting in a meeting.” (in progress at that specific time)

Example 2: “Don’t call me tonight—I’ll be studying.” (planned future activity)

Common mistake: Wrong: “I’ll be knowing the answer tomorrow.” Better: “I’ll know the answer tomorrow.” (stative verbs don’t use continuous)

The Challenge

Luna looked at her calendar, filled with commitments for the coming week. “I will work every day next week,” she said wearily. Professor Wisdom appeared, raising an eyebrow. “Will you simply work at some point each day, or will you be actively working during specific hours, immersed in the process?” Luna considered the difference between stating a fact and describing herself in the midst of action. The watch glowed brightly, transporting them to a laboratory where work never stopped.

The Journey

Thomas Edison stood in his Menlo Park laboratory in the 1880s, surrounded by the hum of generators and the glow of experimental light bulbs. It was late evening, but his day was far from over. Edison was legendary for his work ethic, often working twenty-hour days and sleeping only a few hours on a cot in his laboratory. His competitors marveled at his productivity, while his exhausted assistants struggled to keep up with his relentless pace.

“This time tomorrow,” Edison told a visiting journalist, “I’ll be testing the same filament you see here now. And the day after, I’ll be trying a different material. And the day after that, I’ll be starting all over again if necessary.” The journalist scribbled notes, fascinated by this man who seemed to view the future as an extension of his current work, an unbroken stream of experimentation and innovation.

Edison’s approach to work differed fundamentally from his contemporaries. While others planned discrete projects with clear endpoints, Edison saw invention as a continuous process. He had already patented hundreds of inventions, yet he approached each day as if he were just beginning. The walls of his laboratory were covered with sketches and notes, evidence of ongoing experiments that would continue tomorrow, next week, next month.

His team knew that asking Edison about his plans meant hearing about work in progress. “Where will you be next Tuesday?” someone might ask. “I’ll be working right here,” Edison would reply with absolute certainty. Not “I will work,” suggesting a task to be completed, but “I’ll be working,” describing himself in the continuous state of invention that defined him.

The smell of chemicals and burning materials filled the air, mixed with the metallic scent of electrical equipment and the earthy smell of the wooden laboratory. Edison’s hands were stained with various substances, his clothes rumpled from consecutive days in the same garments. He lived in a permanent state of experimentation, and his language reflected this ongoing relationship with his work.

The Deep Dive

Future Continuous serves two main purposes: describing actions in progress at a specific future time, and expressing future plans that are already decided and certain. “At noon tomorrow, I’ll be eating lunch” paints a picture of you mid-meal at that exact moment. “We’ll be staying home this weekend” indicates a firm plan already made. Both uses emphasize the ongoing nature of the future action.

This tense is particularly useful for polite inquiries about future plans: “Will you be using the car tomorrow?” sounds less demanding than “Will you use the car tomorrow?” It also helps create smooth narratives about the future: “First I’ll be meeting with clients, then I’ll be reviewing proposals, and by evening I’ll be writing my report.” The continuous form makes these activities feel real and vivid.

Avoid using Future Continuous when Future Simple works better. Don’t say “I’ll be agreeing with you” when you mean “I’ll agree with you.” Stative verbs and single completed actions usually take Future Simple. Also, don’t confuse Future Continuous with “going to be doing”—while similar, “I’m going to be working” emphasizes more immediate, concrete plans, while “I’ll be working” can be either planned or simply expected to happen.

More Examples

History: “When you read this letter, I’ll be crossing the Atlantic on the Mayflower.” (in progress at future reading time)

Science: “In fifty years, scientists will be exploring Mars regularly.” (expected future activity)

Everyday: “This time next week, I’ll be relaxing on a beach somewhere.” (vivid future scene)

Formal: “The committee will be reviewing applications throughout next month.” (ongoing future process)

Informal: “Don’t worry, we’ll be thinking of you during the party!” (reassurance about future)

Contrast: “I’ll finish the report tomorrow” (simple completion) vs “I’ll be working on the report all day tomorrow” (ongoing process)

Practice & Reflection

Exercises:

  1. Fill in the blank: This time next year, I __ (study) at university.

  2. Correct the mistake: “Tomorrow I’ll be knowing all the answers.”

  3. Choose and explain: Which shows an action in progress at a specific future time?
    a) “I’ll visit Paris next month.”
    b) “This time next month, I’ll be walking around Paris.”

  4. Rewrite: Make it more vivid and ongoing: “Tomorrow at 9 AM, I will meet with my boss.”

  5. Compare: Explain the politeness difference: “Will you use my car?” vs “Will you be using my car?”

  6. Your reflection: Think about this time tomorrow. Write what you’ll be doing using Future Continuous.

Answer Key:
1. will be studying (describes ongoing state at that future time)
2. Tomorrow I’ll know all the answers (knowing is stative, can’t be continuous)
3. (b) — continuous creates vivid image of being in the midst of walking at that moment
4. Tomorrow at 9 AM, I’ll be meeting with my boss (makes action feel real and ongoing)
5. Second is softer, less direct, more polite—inquires about plans rather than demanding
6. Check: Does “will be + verb-ing” describe you in the midst of an action?

The Lesson

Back in her apartment, Luna looked at her calendar with fresh perspective. “Next Tuesday at 2 PM,” she told Professor Wisdom, “I won’t just work—I’ll be working, completely immersed in my project.” The Professor smiled warmly. “Exactly. Edison didn’t just plan to work; he saw himself perpetually working, always in the midst of creation. Your grammar now captures that sense of being inside the action, experiencing the future as a continuous flow rather than a series of separate tasks. That’s how dedication feels.”