Future Continuous and Future Perfect Exercises
Do more with this exercise
In progress then, or finished by then?
Use the future continuous (will be + -ing) for an action in progress at a future time. Use the future perfect (will have + past participle) for an action completed before a future time.
- Future continuous:
- At 8 p.m., I will be studying. The studying will be in progress at eight.
- Future perfect:
- By 8 p.m., I will have finished. Finishing will happen before eight.
- At and by:
- At names the moment you look at. By sets a deadline. Read the whole sentence to decide whether the action is ongoing or complete.
- Form:
- Use will be working for the continuous and will have worked for the perfect. The second verb form changes.
- Questions:
- Put will before the subject: Will you be working at noon? / Will you have finished by noon?
Examples
At this time tomorrow, I will be travelling to Madrid.
the journey will be in progress then
By Friday, we will have finished the report.
completion before the deadline
At noon, she will be meeting her new team.
the meeting will be happening at noon
By the time you arrive, I will have cooked dinner.
dinner will already be ready
Will you be using the car this evening?
asking about an action in progress at a future time
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Choose the future form
Choose the form that matches the stated future time and meaning.
1.At 9 p.m. tonight, I ___ for my exam. I plan to study from eight until ten.
2.By 9 p.m. tonight, I ___ my homework. It will be ready before nine.
3.Don't call at noon. We ___ with the client from eleven to one.
4.By the time the guests arrive, she ___ dinner. It will be on the table.
5.This time next week, they ___ across the country. The trip takes all day.
6.By the end of the month, we ___ ten lessons. The tenth will be complete.
Complete the future timeline
Use the future continuous or future perfect form named in the hint. Type all missing words.
Fix the future form
Replace the incorrect verb phrase with the correct form. Keep the rest of the sentence.
13.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
14.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
15.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
16.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
17.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
18.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
Look at a future moment from two angles
Imagine looking at a future time on a clock. If an activity is happening at that moment, the future continuous is useful: “At eight, I will be studying.” If an activity is already complete before that time, use the future perfect: “By eight, I will have finished.” The difference is the view of the action, not how far away the future is.
At and by are helpful clues, but they are not automatic answers. A sentence may mention a deadline and still talk about another action. Look for expressions such as “from seven to nine” or “it will be ready.” They tell you whether the action continues through the time or ends before it.
The forms are regular patterns even when the main verb is irregular: *will be* + *-ing*, and *will have* + past participle. Practise the broader choices between will, going to and other future forms in the future tenses exercises before returning to these two more precise forms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between future continuous and future perfect?
Future continuous describes an action in progress at a future moment. Future perfect describes an action completed before a future moment.
Does at always mean future continuous?
No. At points to a time, but the meaning of the whole sentence decides the form. Here, an action continuing across that moment takes the future continuous.
Does by always mean future perfect?
Not always, but by often sets a deadline. If the action will be complete before that deadline, use the future perfect.
How do I form a future perfect question?
Put will before the subject, then use have + past participle: “Will you have finished by Friday?”
Answer key
1. At 9 p.m. tonight, I ___ for my exam. I plan to study from eight until ten.
Answer: will be studying
At nine, the studying will be in progress.
2. By 9 p.m. tonight, I ___ my homework. It will be ready before nine.
Answer: will have finished
The work will be complete before the deadline.
3. Don't call at noon. We ___ with the client from eleven to one.
Answer: will be meeting
The meeting will be happening at noon.
4. By the time the guests arrive, she ___ dinner. It will be on the table.
Answer: will have cooked
Dinner will be completed before the guests arrive.
5. This time next week, they ___ across the country. The trip takes all day.
Answer: will be driving
The journey will be in progress at that future moment.
6. By the end of the month, we ___ ten lessons. The tenth will be complete.
Answer: will have completed
The tenth lesson will be finished before the end of the month.
7. At six tomorrow evening, I ___ dinner. I start at five and finish at seven.
Answer: will be cooking
The cooking is in progress at six.
8. By six tomorrow evening, I ___ dinner. We can eat at six.
Answer: will have cooked
Cooking will be complete before six.
9. At midnight, they ___ home. Their train leaves at eleven and arrives at one.
Answer: will be travelling
The journey will be in progress at midnight.
10. By Friday, she ___ the book. She will return it then.
Answer: will have read
Reading will be complete by Friday.
11. At ten, we ___ the new plan. The discussion starts at nine and ends at eleven.
Answer: will be discussing
The discussion will be in progress at ten.
12. By the time you arrive, I ___ the tickets. They will be in your inbox.
Answer: will have sent
Sending will be complete before the arrival.
13. At nine tomorrow, I will studying in the library.
Answer: At nine tomorrow, I will be studying in the library.
The future continuous form is will be + -ing.
14. By Friday, she will has finished the project.
Answer: By Friday, she will have finished the project.
After will, use have, not has.
15. At noon, we will be meet the visitors.
Answer: At noon, we will be meeting the visitors.
After will be, use the -ing form.
16. By the time you get home, I will have cook dinner.
Answer: By the time you get home, I will have cooked dinner.
After will have, use a past participle.
17. At this time next week, they will be travelled through Spain.
Answer: At this time next week, they will be travelling through Spain.
For an action in progress, use will be + -ing.
18. By the end of the day, we will have write the report.
Answer: By the end of the day, we will have written the report.
The past participle of write is written.