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I see one of my friends posted this status:

"Halloween celebration @ MBC - One of the last shots I'll be taking here"

Anyone could explain why she uses "I'll be taking" but not "I will take"? any difference between these two uses

Dinh Xuan Nhat
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    It's the same as the difference between I'll leave soon and I'll be leaving soon, which is to say "not much". Arguably in some contexts the continuous form slightly emphasises the "extended" nature of the "future action", but in your specific context it really doesn't amount to a meaningful nuance. Not all alternative phrasings carry alternative meanings. – FumbleFingers Nov 11 '17 at 16:08
  • @Fumblefingers I was wondering- does the future progressive work with verbs that convey a very brief action too? For instance drop, shoot, kick etc ////// ex: I'll be dropping it off at the post office later today/ I'll be drooping by his place later – Daniel Mar 20 '18 at 20:52
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    @Daniel: using a "progressive" form often (not sure about always) implies that the duration of the (possibly future) action/activity is contextually relevant. For example, I'll be walking the dogs this afternoon, so I might not be in when you arrive. As compared to I'll walk the dogs this afternoon, so they won't keep pestering you to take them out, where it's the fact of the action being completed that matters, not the duration. Note that contexts such as I'll be cooking roast chicken on Sunday [if you'd like to come to dinner], imply "continuity" between present and future. – FumbleFingers Mar 21 '18 at 16:41
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    Settle down to sleep now kids. I'll be turning off the light in a few minutes implies a strong link between time of speaking and impending "lights out" (arguably, emphasising current requirement to prepare for that). Simple future ...I'll turn off the light in a few minutes is just a straightforward statement on a par with I'll see you all bright and early in the morning. – FumbleFingers Mar 21 '18 at 16:47
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    Does this answer your question? "Will + be + verb -ing)" vs "Will + verb" ? – niamulbengali Jan 21 '21 at 18:37

1 Answers1

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"Will be [verb]-ing is future continuous tense. It is used to describe a future, action that will occur over some period of time:

All day tomorrow I will be studying for the big exam.

As you know, it's often grammatical to substitute the simple future for the continuous, without changing the meaning:

All day tomorrow I will study for the big exam.

There is a slight difference in nuance, though. Any continuous tense describes ongoing action, as if you are watching it happen. For example:

Tomorrow the Packers will be facing the Patriots to determine who goes to the championship.

In the above sentence there is little difference between "will be facing" and "will face", but if a sports announcer were to say this sentence, the feeling is that we could be watching the game as it happens. There's a kind of dramatic immediacy when we use the future continuous.

(BTW the verb "to face" or "to face off", in sports, means "to compete against, face-to-face". See verb definition 3)

In the same way, your friend says "I'll be taking shots" because she expects you to be there, and possibly join her in taking the shots. She could have said "I will take" but that is more matter-of-fact, and doesn't include the suggestion of personal invitation.

Andrew
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