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