Future continuous tense into passive voice?

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Forums · General English Grammar & Vocabulary, Listening & Speaking · General English Grammar Questions
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I have read in many grammar books that a sentence of future continuous tense cannot be changed into passive voice. For example: You will be writting a letter. According to the rules which i have read this sentence cannot be changed into passive voice.
I just want to know that is this an authentic rule or not?
Thank you.
Full Member126
You mean we can't say:
A letter will be being written by you.

Double 'be' looks odd but, is this wrong ?

Thanks,
New Member34
The passive would be:

*The letter will/would be being written by you.

which doesn't work, see:

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AND REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Future Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Future .

Examples:
  • *Jane will be being at my house when you arrive. Not Correct
  • Jane will be at my house when you arrive. Correct
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futurecontinuous.html
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To be is such a non-continuous verb, in the classification at the above site.
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Hi guys,

A letter will be being written by you.

Grammatically, this is fine. 'Write' is not a non-continuous verb, and 'be' is just used here to form the auxiliary.

Semantically, it's not easy to think of a plausible context where you'd say the above sentence, but I might possibly say something like

I'll have to rent a car to meet you at the airport next Monday, because my car will be being fixed at the time you arrive.

However, I wouldn't say that this kind of tense/voice combination is commonly used.

Best wishes, Clive
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Found this great article at the BBC Learning English site:
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Generally, we avoid using the continuous form of the passive with the future, present perfect, past perfectfuture perfect and , although present continuous and past continuous are quite common and sound quite natural in the passive voice.

The passive:

For the purpose of the chart below I have used the verb to clean, but there are obviously many other possibilities:
Simple Continuous Present: It is cleaned... It is being cleaned... Past: It was cleaned.. It was being cleaned Future: It will be cleaned... xxxx xxxx xxxx Present Perfect: It has been cleaned... xxxx xxxx xxxx Past Perfect: It had been cleaned... xxxx xxxx xxxx Future Perfect: It will have been cleaned xxxx xxxx xxxx



Study these further examples of use and note how we avoid using the continuous form of the passive in the final four tenses listed:
  • This toilet at Terminal One is in frequent use and is cleaned every four hours. It is being cleaned now, so you'll have to use the one that is situated opposite the British Airways check-in desk.
  • My daughter's portrait was delivered to my house in London before I arrived home. I didn't expect this to happen as it was still being painted when I began my journey back.
  • You will be told when to board the plane in due course. An announcement will be made, don't worry. And one of my colleagues will be accompanying you all the way to Guadalajara. (NOT: You will be being accompanied...)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv119.shtml

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The above being said, such continuous future passive constructions may be found at the BBC sites:-)).

Thus, I wouldn't talk about a strict rule being in effect in this case.

BBC NEWS | The Editors

Levy could be as guilty as sin and after Judaic spin has come into play he will be being sold as whiter than white washing powder. ...


BBC - Cumbria - Communities - Recycling and Refuse

Recycling bring sites are remaining open and will be being emptied on a regular basis. Trade waste collections are contiuning with some minor changes to ...


BBC NEWS | Programmes | Letter From America | Pork barrel politics

It's the same question which this weekend will be being asked all around the country, because it's the dawn of an election year. ...

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Another quote, from fiction this time:
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My client's ship on the other hand will be belching more fire than smoke and will be being attacked by all the enemy at once.

William Golding, Rites of Passage, p. 172
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is there passive voice for future continuous tense ?
Hi,

Please take the time to read the earlier posts in this thread, and you will find your answer.

Clive
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