Ch 3

Advanced Tenses

Future continuous · future perfect · FPC

Future continuous and future perfect

Two advanced future tenses for talking about ongoing future actions and completed-by-then future actions.

Future continuous
will be + -ing — This time tomorrow, I will be flying to Tokyo.
Future perfect
will have + PP — By 2030, she will have finished her degree.
Future perfect continuous
will have been + -ing — By June, I will have been working here for 10 years.

Future continuous: will be + -ing

An action in progress at a specific future time

subject + will be + verb-ing
In progress
At 8pm tonight, I will be watching the match.
Polite enquiry
Will you be using the car tomorrow?
Scheduled future
I will be travelling all next week.
Predicting based on routine
She will be sleeping at this hour — don't call.

Future perfect: will have + PP

An action completed BEFORE a specific future point

subject + will have + past participle
By time
By 7pm, we will have eaten.
By the time
By the time you arrive, I will have finished.
In + time
In two months, she will have graduated.
With negative
By Friday, they won't have completed the project.

Future perfect continuous: will have been + -ing

subject + will have been + verb-ing
Duration up to future point
By next year, I will have been studying Spanish for 5 years.
Emphasis on activity
When she retires, she will have been working here for 40 years.
Reason/explanation
By 9pm, I will have been driving for 6 hours — I need a break!

Three futures compared

will + base
general future fact: I will leave at 6.
will be + -ing
in progress at future time: At 7, I will be driving.
will have + PP
completed before future time: By 8, I will have arrived.
will have been + -ing
duration up to future time: By 8, I will have been travelling for 2 hours.

Common mistakes

By tomorrow, I will finish the report.
By tomorrow, I will have finished the report.
"by" + future point → future perfect
This time next week, I will travel.
This time next week, I will be travelling.
"this time" + future → future continuous
When you arrive, I will already eat.
When you arrive, I will already have eaten.
"already" + future completion → future perfect

Recap

Future continuous
will be + -ing
at 8 I will be working
Future perfect
will have + PP
by 8 I will have finished
Future perfect cont
will have been + -ing
by June I will have been working 10 years
Signals
at + time / by + future point / for + duration
at 8 / by 2030 / for 5 years
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