Both tenses look at the future from a point further ahead. The future perfect says what will be finished by then, or how many. The future perfect continuous says how long an activity will have been going on at that point. Look at the table first. The exercises below explain every answer, so you can see where you went wrong.
| Future perfect | Future perfect continuous | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | will have + past participle I will have finished. Will you have finished? | will have been + -ing I will have been working. Will you have been working? |
| Focus | completed by a future time; how many / how much | duration of an activity up to a future time |
| Typical words | by Friday, by then, by the time…, before | for two hours, for ten years, by then + for… |
| Example | By June, she will have written three books. | By June, she will have been writing for ten years. |
Future perfect vs future perfect continuous exercises
Four sets of 20 questions: start with Basics (B1) and move up to Advanced (C1), or try the At work set with business situations. Choose an option or type the verb in the correct form. Prefer to check everything at the end? Switch to Exam mode.
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By 6 pm, I all my work.
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We the house by the end of the month.
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By next summer, she (graduate) from university.
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Will you the book by Monday?
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The film by the time we get to the cinema.
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I (not / finish) the essay by tomorrow. Can I have more time?
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In July, they married for 25 years.
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By 2030, I here for twenty years.
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By the time you arrive, we (eat) all the pizza!
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the builders have finished by Friday?
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Next year, I English for ten years.
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At 10 pm, they (play) for three hours.
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By the end of the day, I 20,000 steps.
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He to Australia by the time you get this letter.
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By the time the guests arrive, I (clean) the whole flat.
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By 8 o’clock, she for twelve hours without a break.
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Before you wake up, we in Rome.
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By December, I (save) €2,000 for my trip.
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They won’t the bridge by next year.
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By the time I’m 30, I my own business.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
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By the end of this month, I here for a year.
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By the end of this month, I three big projects.
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In ten minutes, the children (watch) TV for two hours. That’s enough!
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By the time we get to Paris, we 800 kilometres.
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By the time we get to Paris, we for nine hours.
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By the end of the course, you (write) twelve essays.
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When she retires, she at the school for forty years.
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When she retires, she over 5,000 students.
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By the time you finish reading this, I (leave) the country.
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How long by the time you finish your PhD?
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How many books by the end of the year?
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By Friday, I (know) my new colleagues for a week.
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Tomorrow at noon, we for exactly 24 hours.
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I hope they the road works by the time the tourist season starts.
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Next month, my grandparents (be) married for 60 years.
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She’ll be exhausted tonight because she meetings all day.
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By the end of the game, he three goals.
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By the time the plane lands, we (fly) for 14 hours.
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By next week, the company 500 new laptops to schools.
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By the time the concert starts, the fans outside for six hours.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
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Don’t call Anna now. She to bed by now.
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You the news, I suppose. Everyone’s talking about it.
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By the time the report is published, all the data (check) twice.
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This time tomorrow, I on the beach.
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This time tomorrow, I my last exam. I’ll be free!
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We can’t start the meeting until everyone (arrive).
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By the time you read this email, the decision .
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He by the time we get there. He never waits for anyone.
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I’ll call you as soon as I (finish) the presentation.
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In 2040, people electric cars for decades.
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By then, the old system completely.
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“Is Mark at the hotel yet?” “His plane landed at 3, so he (arrive) by now.”
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By the time the investigation ends, the police more than 200 people.
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Next June, she the company for ten years, and she still loves it.
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(you / finish) the translation by the time I get back?
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Most of the guests by midnight, so we can start cleaning then.
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By the end of the decade, sea levels significantly.
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She (not / sleep) for 36 hours by the time her shift ends.
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Hopefully, the rain by the time the match starts.
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“Shall I call you at 7?” “No, I dinner then. Call at 8.”
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
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By the end of the year, we 50 new staff.
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By the time the client calls, I the proposal.
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In March, I (work) on this project for two years.
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you have finished the presentation by Thursday?
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By the time I retire, I for the same company for 35 years.
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The new office (not / open) by May, so we’ll stay here a bit longer.
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By Friday, the team all the customer feedback.
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By next quarter, our sales by 20%.
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Don’t call the CEO now. The meeting (start) by now.
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At 5 pm, we for eight hours straight. We need a break!
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By the deadline, every department its budget.
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By the end of the month, we (deliver) over 10,000 orders.
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The contract by the time you arrive.
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I can’t meet at 10. I a training session then.
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By the time we launch, we (test) the app for six months.
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Hopefully, IT the problem by tomorrow morning.
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How many clients by the end of the trip?
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Please don’t send the invoice until the client (approve) the work.
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Next month, she the sales team for five years.
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By the time the investors arrive, we the demo three times.
Teachers: download these questions as a printable worksheet with an answer key. It’s free to use in class.
How many or how long?
This is the quickest way to choose. A number or amount of finished things → future perfect simple. A length of time → future perfect continuous.
- By the time we get to Paris, we will have driven 800 kilometres. (how much)
- By the time we get to Paris, we will have been driving for nine hours. (how long)
Stative verbs like be, know, have (= own) don’t use the continuous, so for duration we use the simple form: In July they will have been married for 25 years.
Two extra uses worth knowing
- Assumptions about now: His plane landed at 3, so he will have arrived by now. (= I’m sure he has arrived)
- Passive: By Monday, the decision will have been made.
Common mistakes
- ❌ By Friday I will finish the report. → ✅ By Friday I will have finished the report.
- ❌ I’ll call you when I will have finished. → ✅ I’ll call you when I have finished. (no will after when)
- ❌ By June I will have been knowing her for a year. → ✅ …I will have known her for a year.
- ❌ By the end of the day, I will have been sending 50 emails. → ✅ …I will have sent 50 emails. (a number)
FAQ
What is the difference between the future continuous and the future perfect?
The future continuous (will be doing) describes an action in progress at a future time: At 8 tonight I’ll be having dinner. The future perfect (will have done) describes an action finished before that time: By 8 tonight I’ll have had dinner.
What level are these exercises?
There are four sets: Basics (B1), Intermediate (B2), Advanced (C1) and At work (B2). For a wider review of will, going to and other future forms, see our future tenses exercises.