ESLSongs

Practice the future continuous in your ESL class with this song, This time next year by Toni Braxton.

This song contains five different examples of the future continuous: I’ll be home lighting candles, you’ll be missing me, I’ll be out buying presents, I’ll be having my coffee & it will be breaking my heart

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

This time next year I’ll be home lighting candles
Tryin’ to just get on with my life…
And this time next year hope I’m through
with the hurtin’
Tryin’ to get you out of my mind…

So, don’t try to play like you’re not that concerned
And don’t try to say that your heart doesn’t burn
So, tell me

Chorus
How can you say that our love isn’t special?
How can you say that our love wasn’t true?
And how can you say
You can take it or leave it
When I’m missing you and you know
You’ll be missing me, too?

This time next year I’ll be out buying presents
And something will remind me of you…
And this time next year I’ll be out having dinner
And run into some friends we both knew…

Oh, don’t try to play like you won’t be concerned
And don’t try to say that your heart doesn’t yearn
Oh, tell me

Chorus

Come early Christmas morning
I’ll be having my coffee and I’ll think of you
And the things we used to do
And you know it will be breaking my heart…
‘Cause the holidays are special
it will always play a part
In my heart…

Chorus

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Put the words in the future continuous phrases below into the correct order, then put them in the correct gaps in the song lyrics. Then listen to check.

• be having out I’ll dinner
• be home lighting I’ll candles
• me be missing you’ll
• presents out I’ll buying be
• will my breaking be it heart

This time next year ¹_______________
Trying to just get on with my life…
And this time next year hope I’m through with the hurting
Trying to get you out of my mind…

So, don’t try to play like you’re not that concerned
And don’t try to say that your heart doesn’t burn
So, tell me

Chorus
How can you say that our love isn’t special?
How can you say that our love wasn’t true?
And how can you say you can take it or leave it
When I’m missing you and you know ²_______________, too?

This time next year ³_______________
And something will remind me of you…
And this time next year ⁴_______________
And run into some friends we both knew…

Oh, don’t try to play like you won’t be concerned
And don’t try to say that your heart doesn’t yearn
Oh, tell me

Come early Christmas morning
I’ll be having my coffee and I’ll think of you
And the things we used to do
And you know ⁵_______________…
‘Cause the holidays are special
it will always play a part
In my heart…

Toni Braxton

Toni Michele Braxton is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards, and numerous other accolades. In 2011, Braxton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. In 2017 she was honored with the Legend Award at the Soul Train Music Awards.