would be coming

USAGE SUMMARY

"would be coming" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used in future tenses or conditional sentences to indicate a possibility or plan for something to happen. Example: If I won the lottery, I would be coming to visit you in Hawaii next month.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"But I knew they would be coming.

The New York Times - Sports

They would be coming back for more".

The Guardian

Judge Tullos would be coming back, too.

The New York Times

Charles/Benjamin would be coming home.

The Guardian

And, Amelio added, Jobs himself would be coming back.

The New Yorker

The next World Cup matches would be coming up overnight.

The New York Times - Sports

Al Capone would be coming to you for lessons.

The New Yorker

Prosecutors promised that more indictments would be coming.

The New Yorker

They sensed the real thing would be coming soon.

The New York Times - Sports

"I sort of knew I would be coming back".

The New York Times

He thought some commendation from his office would be coming.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "would be coming", ensure the context clearly establishes a past point of reference from which the future action is viewed. This ensures clarity and avoids confusion with simple future tenses.

Common error

Avoid using "would be coming" in contexts requiring a simple future tense. This phrase is typically used to express a future action viewed from a past perspective; using it otherwise can lead to grammatical errors and miscommunication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would be coming" primarily functions as a verb phrase indicating a future action or event viewed from a past perspective. It combines the modal verb "would" with the continuous form "be coming" to express an expectation, plan, or prediction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would be coming" is a versatile verb phrase used to express future actions or events from a past perspective. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it commonly conveys expectation or anticipation. Its usage is generally neutral, making it suitable for a wide range of contexts. To ensure accurate and impactful writing, remember to establish a clear past reference point and avoid misusing it in place of simple future tenses. Keep in mind that the most authoritative sources that frequently use this phrase are "The New York Times", "The Guardian", "BBC", "The New Yorker" and "Independent".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would be arriving

Offers a subtle synonym that maintains the same future-in-the-past tense but emphasizes the arrival process.

was expected to arrive

Changes the modal "would" to a past expectation, implying a scheduled or anticipated arrival.

was anticipated to come

Replaces the continuous aspect with a simple past anticipation, focusing on the expectation rather than the process.

was planning on arriving

Rephrases to highlight planning and arrival intention.

were scheduled to appear

Shifts the emphasis to a planned appearance, suggesting a formal arrangement.

was going to turn up

Uses a more informal expression to indicate arrival, suitable for casual contexts.

was about to approach

Indicates an imminent arrival, suggesting a near-future action.

was on the verge of reaching

Highlights the closeness to a destination, conveying a sense of nearness.

was destined to reach

Emphasizes a predetermined outcome of reaching a destination.

was meant to attend

Highlights that attendance was planned or intended, emphasizing the plan rather than the action.

FAQs

How can I use "would be coming" in a sentence?

"Would be coming" is used to describe an action that was expected or planned to happen in the future from a point in the past. For example: "He said he "would be coming" later that day".

What's a more formal alternative to "would be coming"?

In formal contexts, consider using "was expected to arrive" or "was scheduled to appear" instead of "would be coming". These alternatives ("was expected to arrive", "was scheduled to appear") convey a similar meaning with a more professional tone.

Is "would have been coming" different from "would be coming"?

Yes, "would have been coming" indicates a conditional action that did not happen, while "would be coming" describes an action expected to happen in the future from a point in the past. "I "would have been coming", but I got sick" implies you did not come, whereas "I "would be coming" later" indicates a plan to come later.

When is it appropriate to use "was going to come" instead of "would be coming"?

"Was going to come" can often be used interchangeably with "would be coming", especially in less formal contexts. However, "would be coming" often implies a stronger sense of planning or expectation from a past perspective. Both phrases ("was going to come", "would be coming") indicate a future action viewed from the past, but the subtle difference lies in the degree of certainty or formality.