Future Continuous or Future Perfect Continuous?

Learn which tense to use, and why.

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Topic

What does it mean?

Use the future continuous for an action in progress at a future time. Use the future perfect continuous for an activity that will have been continuing for a duration by a future time.

I will be studying at 8.
She will have been waiting since 7.
We will be travelling tomorrow.
We will have been travelling for six hours.
Big idea

Ask: happening then, or how long by then?

In progress thenAt 9, I will be studying.Use future continuous.
Duration up to thenBy 9, I will have been studying for two hours.Use future perfect continuous.
Expected activityThis time tomorrow, we will be travelling.No duration needed.
Future continuous

Use it for action in progress at a future time.

At + future timeI will be reading at 7.Reading is happening then.
When another action happensShe will be cooking when you arrive.Cooking will already be happening.
This time...This time next week, we will be camping.Activity around that future moment.
Future perfect continuous

Use it for duration up to a future point.

For + timeI will have been studying for three hours by 8.Length of activity.
Since + startShe will have been working since morning.Starting point.
By the timeBy the time Dad comes, we will have been cleaning for an hour.Duration up to then.
Signal words

Time words can help.

Future continuous cluesat 6, then, this time tomorrow, when you arriveHappening at that future point.
Perfect continuous cluesfor two hours, since morning, all day, by thenDuration up to the future point.
AskIs it happening then, or has it been happening for a while by then?Meaning decides.
Form reminder

Future continuous forms.

AffirmativeI will be working.
They will be playing.will be + verb-ing
NegativeI won't be working.
She won't be reading.won't be + verb-ing
QuestionWill you be waiting?
Will they be playing?Will + subject + be + verb-ing?
Form reminder

Future perfect continuous forms.

AffirmativeI will have been working.
They will have been playing.will have been + verb-ing
NegativeI won't have been working.
She won't have been reading.won't have been + verb-ing
QuestionWill you have been waiting?
Will they have been playing?Will + subject + have been + verb-ing?
Compare

Same verb, different meaning.

I will be working at 8.The activity is happening at 8.Future continuous.
I will have been working for two hours by 8.The activity has duration up to 8.Future perfect continuous.
Why?Will be working = happening then.
Will have been working = duration by then.Choose from meaning.
Common mistake

Keep the two forms separate.

CorrectShe will be writing at 8.Future continuous.
CorrectShe will have been writing for two hours by 8.Future perfect continuous.
Not correctShe will have writing.
She will be been writing.Use the complete form.
Sentence completion 1

Choose the correct form.

I ___ at 8 tonight.

Sentence completion 2

Choose the correct form.

Maha ___ since 7 before we arrive.

Sentence completion 3

Choose the correct question.

___ you be working at noon?

MCQ 1

Which sentence shows duration up to a future time?

Choose the best sentence.

MCQ 2

Which negative sentence is correct?

Choose the best sentence.

Paragraph completion 1

Fill five blanks.

Choose future continuous or future perfect continuous. Think about why.

This time tomorrow, we to Muscat.
Ali since 4.
Maha at noon.
you have been reading all morning by lunch?
We for three weeks by then.
Test 1

Mixed question types of 5

Answer all five. Then tap Finish test to see your result sheet.

1. Sentence completion

At 9 tonight, Sara ___.

2. MCQ

Which sentence shows duration up to a future time?

3. Type the answer

___ they be working when we arrive?

4. Type the answer

I ___ for long by noon.

5. MCQ

Which question is correct?

Cumulative result sheet

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