Future continuous and future perfect

Do you know how to use phrases like I'll be studying or I'll have finished? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how the future continuous and future perfect are used.

In three years' time, I'll be studying medicine.
In five years' time, I'll have finished studying medicine.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: Future continuous and future perfect: Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Future continuous

We can use the future continuous (will/won't be + -ing form) to talk about future actions that:

will be in progress at a specific time in the future:

When you come out of school tomorrow, I'll be boarding a plane.
Try to call before 8 o'clock. After that, we'll be watching the match.
You can visit us during the first week of July. I won't be working then.

we see as new, different or temporary:

Today we're taking the bus but next week we'll be taking the train.
He'll be staying with his parents for several months while his father is in recovery.
Will you be starting work earlier with your new job?

Future perfect

We use the future perfect simple (will/won't have + past participle) to talk about something that will be completed before a specific time in the future.

The guests are coming at 8 p.m. I'll have finished cooking by then.
On 9 October we'll have been married for 50 years.
Will you have gone to bed when I get back?

We can use phrases like by or by the time (meaning 'at some point before') and in or in a day's time / in two months' time / in five years' time etc. (meaning 'at the end of this period') to give the time period in which the action will be completed.

I won't have written all the reports by next week.
By the time we arrive, the kids will have gone to bed.
I'll have finished in an hour and then we can watch a film.
In three years' time, I'll have graduated from university.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: Future continuous and future perfect: Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B1 - Intermediate

B2 - Upper intermediate

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Hello, In one of the previous messages, two sentences were discussed: 1) I think astronauts will land on Mars by the year 2020. 2) I think astronauts will have landed on Mars by the year 2020. Kirk replied that both alternatives are possible. If you don't mind, I'd like to add a question of my own. 1) Does it mean that we can always use both Future Simple and Future Perfect interchangeably in similar sentences with 'by'? For example: - By the year 2040 the world's population will reach/will have reached 9 billion. - We will get back/will have got back to the hotel by seven. - In ten years' time I'll get married and have three kids / I'll have got married and had three kids. Perhaps the degree of certainty might be different? What do you think? Thank you very much for your answer!

Hello EvgenyAndreev, Both options are possible and there is no difference in meaning in these examples. The by-phrase already contains a sense of 'complete before' so it makes no difference if 'will' or 'will have' is used. ~ Peter The LearnEnglish Team

Hi sir, Considering the two phrase, "In five years time","in 10 year's time", which one is correct? I mean the word "years" without apostrophe 's' is correct or the word with apostrophe 's ,is correct. Thanks ,

Hello again David

The correct spelling is 'in five years' time' or 'in ten years' time'. This apostrophe indicates possession (of a sort) and it comes after the letter 's' because 'years' is plural.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

I promise I’ll have done all the work by next Saturday. In this sentence, is it possible that the person finish the work on Saturday?

Hello Harry New,

Generally, when we use will have with a by construction we consider it to refer to a time before the identified moment. However, in normal communicative use the context will determine this. It is possible that the speaker means 'before next Saturday', 'before I see you next Saturday', 'before I come to work next Saturday' etc.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Excuse me, this sentence has come in an English test and I'd like to know the right answer: - Friday has the ...................... number of cars on roads. (least- fewest- less- fewer) Some teachers say it's the least, but others say the fewest and I'm a little confused.

Hello muhammadShaker

'the fewest cars' and 'the lowest number of cars' (or 'the smallest number') are the best forms here; 'the least number' is also used sometimes but is not really correct. 'fewest' can only be used with a plural count noun (such as 'cars', but not 'number'). 'least' is used in many ways, but it used with uncount nouns -- 'number' is not an uncount noun here.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi, I saw a sentence on the Internet, which reads: "I will be leaving for the UK at 7:00 in the evening." As I think "leave", similar to "arrive", can only occur at a particular point of time, I am quite confused as to why future continuous is used in this sentence. Thanks.

Hi patph0510,

The continuous aspect can be used to convey a variety of meanings and these are often not clear without knowing the context. In this case, I expect the person who said this was thinking of their departure for the UK and was imagining it as something that would take some time. If they were flying, for example, they'd have to get to the airport, check in, go to their gate, board the plane, get settled, etc. At some point during that process, the clock would strike 7.00.

We often use the future continuous to speak about planned or arranged events in this way.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team