Future Progressive — actions that will be in progress at a future moment; planned ongoing actions
Passive (advanced) — passive across multiple tenses; passive with modals; impersonal passive constructions
At B2, students know basic Present Progressive. This lesson focuses on three less-practised uses:
1. Action in progress at this moment: Anna is currently working undercover inside the fraud network.
2. Temporary situation: Digital fraud is growing faster than any other category of crime.
3. Future arrangement (scheduled): Anna is meeting her contact at the drop box tomorrow at noon.
Useful adverbs: currently · right now · at the moment · increasingly · rapidly
The Future Progressive is often underused at B2. Key uses:
1. Action in progress at a specific future time: At this time tomorrow, Anna will be presenting her findings to the editor.
2. Expected ongoing action: The scammers will be monitoring her activity throughout the operation.
3. Polite/natural enquiry about future plans: Will you be attending the security briefing on Friday?
Contrast with Future Simple: "She will present" (completed event) vs "She will be presenting" (in progress at that moment)
This lesson extends passive beyond Present/Past to include:
Future passive: The data will be encrypted automatically.
Modal passive: The network can be breached without the user knowing. / Passwords should be changed every ninety days.
Progressive passive: Thousands of accounts are being targeted right now.
Perfect passive: The servers have been compromised. / The data had been stolen before the breach was detected.
Impersonal passive: It is estimated that online fraud costs the economy £3 billion annually. / It is believed that the network operates from three countries.
· Present Prog: I'm currently working / are being run / are being harvested / is being hosted / is constantly being updated / are being recorded / are being captured / is currently being drafted
· Future Prog: will be happening / will be presenting / will be attending
· Passive: are being run · credentials are being harvested · have been hacked · being updated · can be taken down · has been extracted · has been sold · will be resold · your passwords will already have been changed · will be locked · it is estimated · it is believed · can be held · should be noted · is currently being drafted
Ex 2 (complete): 1. is currently working (Pres Prog) 2. are being targeted (Passive Pres Prog) 3. will be presenting (Fut Prog) 4. can be intercepted (Passive modal) 5. is growing (Pres Prog) 6. will be monitoring (Fut Prog) 7. is estimated (Passive impersonal) 8. are being tracked (Passive Pres Prog) 9. will be running (Fut Prog) 10. should be changed (Passive modal)
Ex 3 (make passive): 1. Thousands of accounts are being targeted by the network right now. 2. Your data will be sold within minutes. 3. The servers have been compromised by unknown attackers. 4. Passwords should be changed every ninety days. 5. It is estimated that 3 billion phishing emails are sent daily.
Ex 4 (Prog vs Simple): 1. will be presenting (Fut Prog — in progress at that moment) 2. will present (Fut Simple — completed event) 3. is meeting (Pres Prog — future arrangement) 4. will be monitoring (Fut Prog — ongoing throughout) 5. is working (Pres Prog — temporary situation)
Ex 5 (errors): 1. are being targeted (Passive Pres Prog — NOT 'are targeting') 2. will be presenting (Fut Prog — NOT 'will presenting') 3. can be intercepted (Passive modal — NOT 'can intercepted') 4. It is estimated (impersonal passive — NOT 'It is estimating') 5. is currently being drafted (Passive Pres Prog — NOT 'is currently drafting')
Task 2: (1) are being run / credentials being harvested (2) compromised servers / being updated (3) are being recorded / being captured (4) will be presenting / regulation (5) is currently being drafted / three European countries
The Digital Trap
Vocabulary
VocabularyGrammar
GrammarActions in progress right now, or temporary ongoing situations.
Anna is currently working undercover inside the network. (happening now)
Digital fraud is growing faster than any other category of crime. (ongoing trend)
Thousands of accounts are being targeted right now. (passive — in progress)
Anna is meeting her contact tomorrow at noon. (future arrangement)
Key adverbs: currently · right now · at the moment · increasingly · rapidly
An action that will be in progress at a specific future moment.
At this time tomorrow, Anna will be presenting her findings. (in progress then)
The scammers will be monitoring her activity throughout the operation. (ongoing)
Will you be attending the conference on Friday? (polite enquiry)
Contrast: "She will present" (completed event) vs "She will be presenting" (in progress at that moment)
The passive across multiple tenses — essential in crime and technology reporting.
Progressive: Accounts are being targeted. / Data is being harvested.
Perfect: Servers have been compromised. / The data had been stolen.
Future: Your password will be changed automatically.
Modal: The network can be breached. / Passwords should be changed.
Impersonal: It is estimated that 3 billion phishing emails are sent daily.
Impersonal: It is believed that the network operates from three countries.
Write: Pres Prog · Fut Prog · Passive (with tense or type)
Use the structure in brackets.
Rewrite in the passive. Keep the same tense.
Choose the correct form. Think about whether the action is in progress or completed.
Each sentence has ONE mistake.
Reading
ReadingWrite full sentences.
Write T, F or NG.
Listening
ListeningCircle A, B or C.
Write ONE, TWO or THREE words for each gap.
Expert Interview Notes — Dr. Chen
Find one example of each. Write the exact words.
Speaking
SpeakingWork in pairs. One is Anna (journalist), one is Dr. Chen (cybersecurity expert). Use all three grammar structures. Then swap.
Card A — Anna (Journalist)
- "What is currently happening with phishing attacks?" [Pres Prog]
- "What are criminals doing right now to…?" [Pres Prog]
- "Will you be attending / presenting at…?" [Fut Prog]
- "What will be happening to a victim's data if…?" [Fut Prog]
- "Can data be intercepted? Should passwords be changed?" [Passive modal]
- "It is reported that… — is this true?" [Impersonal passive]
Card B — Dr. Chen (Expert)
- "Thousands of accounts are being targeted right now." [Pres Prog passive]
- "Phishing is growing faster than any other crime." [Pres Prog]
- "I will be presenting at the conference." [Fut Prog]
- "Your data will be sold within minutes." [Future passive]
- "It is estimated that 3 billion emails are sent daily." [Impersonal passive]
- "New laws are currently being drafted." [Pres Prog passive]
Then swap.
Groups of four — each person takes one role. Debate the question: "Who is responsible for stopping online fraud — governments, companies, or individuals?"
Language to use:
"Right now, companies are not doing enough to…" / "Legislation is currently being drafted…" / "It is estimated that victims are losing… / Passwords should be changed… / Data must be encrypted… / At this time next year, regulations will be…"
Talk in groups of three.
Writing
WritingOption A — Undercover Situation Report: Write Anna's situation report to her editor — what is currently happening in her investigation, what will be happening next, and what has been discovered.
Option B — Cybersecurity Advisory: Write a short advisory for the general public — what is currently being done by criminals, what should be done by users, and what will be happening if systems are not secured.
Word count: 100–120 words
Present Progressive — active + passive progressive
Future Progressive — at least one
Passive — at least THREE forms (modal / impersonal / perfect / future)
Plus at least FIVE vocabulary words from Handout 1
"It is estimated / believed that… / Data is currently being… / Accounts are being targeted… / Passwords should be changed… / At this time tomorrow, [action] will be happening… / It has been discovered that…"

