Future continuous

Form will +be + present participle

Use You use the FUTURE CONTINUOUS to talk about:

• actions or events that will be in progress at a specific time in the future

She will be working on her thesis for the next three years.

• predicted developments in the future

We’ll all be using the Internet in ten years’ time.

• something that will definitely happen in the future, either because it is already planned or because it is part of a normal routine.

Ann will be helping us to organize the party.

Future perfect simple

Form will + have + present participle

Use You use the FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE to talk about actions or events that will be finished before a certain time in the future. You often use it with by.

I’ll have written the report by tomorrow morning.

Future perfect continuous

Form will + have been + present participle

Use You use the FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS to talk about continuous actions in the future that will still be in progress by a certain time in the future. It emphasizes the length of time of the action and is often used with for.

When Mr Smith retires next week, he will have been working for our firm for 30 years.

Exercise 1. Choose the correct answer.

1. ‘What are you thinking about?’

‘This time next week, I ____b)____on the beach.’

1. will have sunbathed b) will be sunbathing c) will have been

sunbathing

2. ‘Have you finished decorating your house yet?’

No, but I ________ by Friday.’

1. will be finishing b) will have been finishing c) will have

finished

3. ‘Have you just moved here?’

‘No. I ________ here for two years next month.’

1. will be living b) will have been living c) have lived

1. ‘_________ to the supermarket today?’

‘Yes. Do you want me to get you something?’

1. Will you have gone b) Will you have been going c) Will you be

going

5. ‘Can you give Steve a message for me?’

‘Certainly I ________ him at work, later on today.’

1. will be seeing b) will have seen c) will have been seeing

1. ‘You’ve been working hard all day.’

‘Yes. At 3 o’clock, I ________ for six hours.’

1. will be studying b) will have been studying c) will have studied

1. ‘Sarah has gone to the cinema to see that film again.’

‘I know. After this time, she _________ it five times!’

1. will have seen b) will have been seeing c) will be seeing

1. ‘John has an exam tomorrow, doesn’t he?’

‘Yes. In fact, at this time tomorrow, he _________ the exam.’

1. will have been sitting b) will be sitting c) has sat

1. ‘Are you typing another report?’

‘Yes. By the time I finish this one, I ________ twenty-three reports today!’

1. will have been typing b) will have typed c) will be typing

1. ‘Those two people have been dancing all evening.’

‘Yes. By 11 o’clock, they ________ for four hours.’

1. will have been dancing b) will have danced c) will be dancing

Exercise 2. Choose the correct tense.

1. When we go to Paris, we will climb / will have climbed the Eiffel Tower. 2. James will have completed / will have been completing his studies by the end of the year. 3. By the time I get home, I will have been walking / will walk for three hours. 4. Kim will be performing / will have been performing in the school concert next week. 5. We’re too late to catch the bus. It will go / will have gone by now. 6. ‘We’ve run out of milk. ‘ ‘Really? I will buy / will have been buying some more this afternoon.’ 7. This time tomorrow, I will have been leaving / will be leaving for the airport. 8. Sam will work / will have been working here for two years on Monday. 9. I will collect / will have collected you from Peter’s house on my way home. 10. Julia will have found / will be finding the note I left for her by now.

Exercise 3. Put the verbs in brackets into the FUTURE CONTINUOUS or the FUTURE PERFECT.

1.	A: B:	I can’t come shopping on Saturday morning because I will / ‘ll be working (work). That’s a pity.
2.	A: B:	Don’t phone me later than midnight because I _________ (sleep) then. Shall I give you a call at about 10:30, then?
3.	A: B:	Come to my house at six o’clock. _________ (you / finish) your homework by then?
4.	A: B:	Have you made the preparations for the party? Not yet, but I _________ (finish) them by this evening.
5.	A: B: A:	__________ (you / go) to James’ party on Saturday night? Yes. Would you mind giving me a lift?
6.	A: B:	There’s a meeting tomorrow at 4 o’clock. I can’t go if it is that late. I _________ (leave) by then.

Exercise 4. Choose the correct tense.

1. Next Monday, Amanda ⁽¹⁾ will have been starting / is starting work. She ⁽²⁾ is going to work / will work for a large company in the city center. By the end of next week, she ⁽³⁾ will be finishing / will have finished her training.

2. My parents have been married for almost thirty years. In fact, this time next month, they ⁽¹⁾ will be celebrating / will have been celebrating their 30^th wedding anniversary. They ⁽²⁾ will have been living / will be living in the same house for twenty-five years by next Thursday, and, by the time my farther is sixty, he ⁽³⁾ will work / will have been working for the same company for forty years.

Exercise 5. Put the verbs in brackets into the FUTURE PERFECT or the FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS.

1. By 3 o’clock, she will have been studying (study) for six hours. 2. By the end of next month, Sam _________ (finish) the project. 3. He ________ (not / start) painting the kitchen before Tuesday. 4. By the time she arrives in Paris, she ________ (travel) for four hours. 5. I hope I _________ (buy) my own house by the time I’m thirty-five. 6. By Saturday, Lisa _________ (diet) for two weeks. 7. Hopefully, they _________ (learn) everything by the time they sit the exam. 8. By 4 o’clock, I _________ (sit) in the hairdresser’s for three hours. 9. By Christmas, I _________ (work) for this company for eighteen months. 10. By next weekend, Brian _________ (move) house. 11. Hopefully, the builders _________ (finish) building the house by next month. 12. By Tuesday, Alan _________ (sail) for twelve days. 13. By tomorrow morning, she _________ (sleep) for twelve hours.