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
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
Hello Team. I think both choices in the next sentence are correct, right? Why
- By the end of next year, the road to my town (will have been paved - will be paved).
Thank you.
Hello Ahmed Imam,
You are right -- both answers are correct.
They both refer to a paved road in the future. Why exactly someone would choose to use one or the other depends a lot on their intentions and the context, but, for example, 'will have been paved' could suggest the speaker is thinking of different sorts of works that will be done in the town between now and next year, and the road is one of the projects on that list.
The other sentence is more general; it just reports the state of the road in the future, after it has been paved.
Hope that helps.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello team.
My question is: between future continuous and present continuous, what is the correct tense to talk about future arrangements? For example, in these sentences:
a)Mary is starting school next week.
b)Mary will be starting school next week.
Which is the correct one?
I know it depends on the context, but I would like to be explained what are the different nuances of meaning between these tenses. Thank you.
Hello Teresa R.,
Both forms are grammatically correct and the difference in meaning is quite subtle.
Present continuous is used when an arrangement has been made. In other words, a plan or intention is seen as having gone beyond just being an idea and has taken real form. This my mean that an official decision has been taken, or that some steps have been taken (confirming with others, making reservations, taking time off work, buying tickets etc).
Will + verb-ing is used to express expectation or visualisation. We often use it when we are describing something which is seen as part of the normal course of events, including with present time reference. For example:
People will be waking up in Tokyo in a couple of hours.
The Mars Rover will be reaching its next target this afternoon.
Sue will be taking her exam right now.
In terms of your example, both forms are possible. You might be talking about a piece of information which has just been confirmed, in which case present continuous is more likely, or you might be imagining the situation next week and how you will feel, in which case will + verb-ing is more likely. Without a clear context it's not possible to say.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Team. Is the following sentence grammatically incorrect?
- By tomorrow, I'll book the tickets.
Thank you.
Hi Ahmed Imam,
It is correct, but it would be more common to put the verb phrase ("I'll book the tickets") at the start of the sentence, and "by tomorrow" at the end.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
I think we (will run - will have run) out of oil in the next hundred years
In the next day, they (will send - will have sent) people to mars
What’s the correct answer please
Hello Alaa El Baddini,
In the first sentence, both answers are possible, but I suppose the answer the teacher had in mind was 'will have run'. In the end, both mean the same thing, but 'will have' looks at the time in the future when there's no oil left and 'will' looks at the time when the last oil is used up.
The second sentence sounds a little odd to me, perhaps because it's out of context. But if I had to choose an answer I suppose I'd choose 'will send'.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Kirk.
1- What is the meaning of "in the next day" in sentence No. 2 ?
Also can we use the future continuous or not?
- In the next day, they will be sending people to Mars.
Thank you.
Hello Ahmed Imam,
'in the next day' is not correct in standard British or American English, but I suppose it refers to 'the next day', i.e. the day after today.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Dear teachers,
Could you please help me with the following sentences?
Are these sentences correct:
1. I am going to finish my second book by the end of this year. (publish)
---- > My second book will have published by the end of this year.
2. We planted the trees nearly three years ago. (grow) ---- >
This year the trees will have grown for three years?
Hello Natasa Tanasa,
1. The past participle of 'be' is missing from what I suppose is supposed to be a passive sentence: 'My second book will have been published by the end of this year' would be correct, but as written it is not.
2. Your sentence is grammatically correct. It would be a little odd in general use, but in context it would be fine. Though here it looks like a simple sentence transformation exercise and your suggestion looks fine to me. You could also use a continuous form: 'This year the trees will have been growing for three years'.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Team. Could you please help me? Which form is correct or both? Why? Some teachers insist that No. 2 is correct but I believe No. 1 is correct, right?
1- All Egyptian schools will apply E-learning by 2030.
2- All Egyptian schools will have applied E-learning by 2030.
Thank you.
Hello Ahmed Imam,
1 is possible but 2 more clearly states that the application will begin before 2030. Perhaps that's why your colleagues prefer it.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again, Kirk. I think the future perfect means that the action (applying) will no longer happen after 2030 and so I think it's not the intended meaning, right?
Thank you.
Hello Ahmed Imam,
The future perfect does indeed mean that the application will be finished by 2030. Part of the issue here is the exacting meaning of 'apply' in this context.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
I'm really sorry Kirk. I can't understand what you mean. Simple language please.
Thank you.
Hello Ahmed Imam,
I'm sorry that wasn't clear. The problem is that I don't understand the purpose of the sentences that you're asking about, or exactly what they are supposed to mean.
As you say, 'All Egyptian schools will have applied E-learning by 2030' indicates that the application of e-learning will be completed before 2030. But what does it mean to 'apply e-learning'?
If 'apply e-learning' means that new ways of learning with technology will be implemented -- that is, that these new methods will start being used -- then it doesn't mean that e-learning won't be taking place after 2030. What I understand is that it means that all of the planned actions to introduce e-learning will be completed by 2030, but that this does not mean that e-learning will stop being used in 2030.
Hope that makes sense.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you so much Kirk.
Hello Mr. Ahmed Imam,
No. 1: Future Simple Tense. Will / shall + root form of the verb)
It is used to talk about things that haven’t happened yet / to talk about an action or condition that will begin and end in the future.
No. 2: Future Perfect Tense. (Will have / won't have + past participle)
It is used to talk about something that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
I think that’s why some teachers prefer the second one.
All the very best sir,
Feroz
Hello, there's something makes me confused
In three years' time, I'll be studying medicine.
What I can infer from the above is
Will the studying medicine begin in 2024 if today is in 2021
Or
The studying medicine just starts at time in the future (let's say tommorow in 2021 ) and finish at time in 2024?
Which one do you think is wrong Sir?
Hi LitteBlueGreat,
Actually, that sentence doesn't tell us when the studying begins or ends. It just tells us that the studying will be in progress at that time (in three years' time = in 2024). So, the start must be before 2024, and the end must be after 2024, but that's all we can know from the sentence.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Sorry sir If I ask you a lot but Does this sentence have the same meaning like the above?
We'll be starting (the meeting) at six o'clock.
I've come across the sentence on Cambridge Dictionary.
So if the speaker mentions the time point at 6 oclock Does it mean that the meeting actually starts before 6 oclock? Considering that "Start" here is in continuous form..
This verb "start" always makes me puzzled moreover in continuous form. Thanks
Hi LitteBlueGreat,
I see what you mean. This sentence means that the meeting starts at 6 o'clock. It's a different meaning - the future continuous can also show a plan, arrangement or intention. See meaning number 6 on this page:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-referen…
In the sentence about studying medicine, I guess it is possible to understand it with the same meaning - that the studying begins in three years' time (not before then). But it is ambiguous, and I think will be more likely understood as the before/after meaning, so if the speaker wanted to show that the starting time was in exactly three years, the speaker would probably clarify that using a different choice of words, e.g. "In three years' time, I'll be starting my studies".
I hope that helps.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
But it is ambiguous, and I think will be more likely understood "as the before/after meaning,"
Thanks Sir but could you explain more about a phrase I put punctuation marks above
Hi LitteBlueGreat,
Yes, sure. I mean that for this sentence ("In three years' time, I'll be studying medicine."), I expect most people will understand it to have the meaning I explained in my first comment - the studying will be in progress at that time (i.e. the person will have started studying before that time, and will continue studying after it).
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks a lot for your favor Sir, Really great explanations
Hi GiulianaAndy,
In these sentences, then means 'that time' or 'at that time'. It refers to a time that was mentioned earlier in the conversation ('the first week of July' / '8 p.m.'). So, the speaker doesn't need to repeat that information.
No, it's not directly required by these particular tenses. But more generally, these tenses are often used with references to a specific future time (using then or other words) to make their meaning clear.
Have a look at this Cambridge Dictionary page for more examples. I hope it helps!
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
an easily understood explanation but I hope you give me other explanations again, here :
Try to call before 8 o'clock. After that, we'll be watching the match.
So, What does "That" in "After That" refer to?
A. Activity of calling itself
B. The time after 8 o'clock
Thanks
Hi LitteBlueGreat,
It probably refers to A, the call. To refer to a time, the reference word is normally 'then' --> After then, we'll be watching the match.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks a lot sir and sorry for replying the comment wrongly ^_^
Hi LitteBlueGreat,
No problem :)
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
But again sir, in relation to my second question above.
Considering the lack of the reason the speaker gives suggestion to their freind to call before 8 o'clock and what will actually happens at 8 oclock
Is it possible that I infer that the match will start at 8 oclock so that they will not be disturbed by any other activity (i.e calling) ?
Hi LitteBlueGreat,
Yes, definitely! I think that is the most likely interpretation.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello DaniWeebKage,
Both are correct. We use the present continuous to speak about arranged future plans (such as appointments) and the future continuous can be used to speak about what will be happening at a point of time in the future.
In the situation that I suppose you are imagining with these sentences, I can't think of any reason for using one versus the other. But in other situations, you might say 'I'm changing my ISP tonight' to say, for example, that you can't go to the cinema with someone. This is a context where you're speaking of scheduling, i.e. future arrangements.
You might say 'I'll be changing my ISP tonight' when, for example, someone comments on what they'll be doing tonight, e.g. watching an important rugby match.
But this is not to say that the other response would be impossible in these situations.
Hope this helps.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Mr.Kirk
May i ask if there is any difference between using "will" and "be going to" in the future progressive, the future perfect and the future perfect progressive
I will be waiting....vs.....i am going to be waiting....for example
Are they the same or different?
I read about the difference between these two verbs in the simple future, but i need to know if they are similarly different in the other future tenses too.
Many thanks in advance
Hello Carolomran,
Yes, in general their difference in the future continuous is similar to their difference in the future simple.
Best wishes,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Tim,
That's correct and is a good summary. Well done!
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmed Imam,
In 1, the projects won't necessarily be finished in five years' time. In 2, the projects will have already been finished by then.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Maahir,
Both going to and the future continuous show plans, but the future continuous shows a higher degree of certainty. If you say I will be buying a new car, it shows that you are very sure that this will actually happen. If you say I am going to buy a new car, it doesn't show such certainty. Buying a new car may be just your dream or intention.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Jack Red,
You are right that both forms (will turn and will be turning) are correct here.
I think the explanations you quote are only examples of uses, not the only uses possible. It's quite possible to use will + verb to describe choices (things we control), for example, as well as things we do not control. It's also quite possible to use will be + verbing to describe things that we expect (in the present as well as the future) as part of a normal and predictable process.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Zuzanna,
I'm afraid I can't think of an example for that usage off the top of my head -- that sounds strange to me. Sorry!
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team