Future continuous and future perfect
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 Tony_M,
The form won't have + verb3 could be a prediction about the present or the future, depending on the context. Here, I think the context strongly suggests the former (I presume she hasn't eaten) but, of course, the speaker is also assuming that that will stil be the case when they arrive at the hospital.
Where there is potential ambiguity words and phrases such as 'yet', 'so far', 'by then', 'by the time I arrive' and so on can be used to add clarity.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you, Peter.
Would the following sentence make sense?
Would "would have take" show a lesser degree of certainty?
My friend sent me a really long message yesterday. I can’t even imagine how much time it will have taken. = (it probably took)
Hello Tony_M,
In this context there's no certainty involved as the speaker is not giving any estimate. Rather, the speaker is simply saying they have no idea. Given that, I don't think there's any difference.You could use will have taken, would have taken or simply took here.
If the speaker were making a guess then there would be a difference in certainty:
...it will have taken hours... (more confident)
...it would have taken hours... (less confident)
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again and thank you, Peter.
You wrote:
Which one is more confident? Will?
Oh - sorry about that. It was a typo. I've edited the reply.
Thank you, Peter.
Notes:
-The moment my motorcycle starts emitting smoke, I'll have decided to fix its engine.
--> Preventive Maintenance: prevent breakdown before it occurs.
-When smoke comes out of my motorcycle, I’ll already have made the decision to fix its engine.
--> Corrective Maintenance : Repair the failure after it occurs.
1-Future continuous:
-When you try to call me at 8 PM, I'll be starting work.
--> I'll be in the process of starting the work at 8 PM: that means at that time I'll be busy working and I may not be able to answer the phone.
-Actually, I work as an employee on a big farm. Next year, I'll be working on my own project.
--> Different action / job in the future.
-Once I complete my internship, I won't be staying in Paris.
--> Indicate a temporary stay or an ongoing activity in the future.
2-Future perfect:
-The moment my motorcycle starts emitting smoke, I'll have decided to fix its engine.
--> This expression indicates that the decision will be made before a certain moment in the future.
-Children will have watched TV by the time their parents come back.
-By the time the mechanic comes, I won't have driven my broken car.
Hello,
Can I ask you a question, sir.
By 2030, a lot of things in our life ………………………thanks to modern technology.
a) had changed
b) had been changed
c) will be changed
d) will have been changed
I am in highschool grade and I found a difficulty in determining this question
My answer is will be changed because the action is extended not ened by 2030 right?
Thank you in advance
Hello zthdy40,
Two answers are possible here: (c) will be changed and (d) will have been changed.
The time reference 'by 2030' means at some time in or before before 2030 - maybe in 2030, maybe 2029, 2028 etc. When we use a time reference like this we can use the modal verb will + verb to show that an action happens or will + have verb3 to show that an action is already complete. Here both are possible.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team