Intermediate Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous. 45 questions on both forms, contrast, and typical time markers.
What this test covers
- Future Perfect vs Future Continuous
- Future Perfect Continuous Form & Use
- By the Time & By + Duration
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1By the time the guests arrive, I ___ the house completely.
Answer: A. will have cleaned
The time marker 'By the time' indicates a deadline. We use the Future Perfect (will have cleaned) to show that an action will be completed before a specific point in the future. 'Will be cleaning' (Future Continuous) would mean the action is still in progress when the guests arrive, which contradicts the word 'completely'.
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Q2At 8:00 PM tonight, we ___ the movie, so don't call us then.
Answer: C. will be watching
The specific time 'At 8:00 PM' suggests a snapshot of an action in progress. We use the Future Continuous (will be watching) to describe an ongoing activity at a specific future moment. 'Will have watched' (Future Perfect) would mean the movie is already over by 8:00 PM, making the warning not to call unnecessary.
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Q3The contractors ___ the repairs on the roof by next Friday.
Answer: C. will have finished
The preposition 'by' followed by a time (next Friday) is a classic signal for the Future Perfect (will have finished). It emphasizes that the task will be completed no later than that day. 'Will be finishing' implies they are in the middle of finishing right at that moment, rather than the work being done.
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Q4Don't visit him at 10 AM tomorrow; he ___ for his final exam.
Answer: C. will be studying
We use the Future Continuous (will be studying) to describe an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. Since the speaker warns against visiting at 10 AM, it implies the person will be busy studying during that time. 'Will have studied' would mean he finished earlier and is now free.
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Q5I ___ all my emails by the time the meeting starts.
Answer: C. will have sent
The clause 'by the time the meeting starts' creates a future deadline. The Future Perfect (will have sent) is used to express that the action of sending emails will be finished before that deadline. 'Will be sending' would mean the person is still writing emails while the meeting is happening.
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Q6Which sentence correctly uses the Future Continuous tense?
Answer: C. At 6 PM, I will be eating dinner.
The Future Continuous (will be eating) describes an action in progress at a specific time (At 6 PM). 'Will have been eating' is Future Perfect Continuous and usually requires a duration like 'for an hour.' The options starting with 'By 6 PM' typically require the Future Perfect (will have eaten) to show completion.
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Q7At this time next week, we ___ on the beach in Spain.
Answer: C. will be relaxing
The phrase 'At this time next week' refers to a specific moment in the future. The Future Continuous (will be relaxing) is used to describe an action that will be ongoing at that moment. 'Will have relaxed' would imply the holiday is already over, which doesn't fit the context of being on the beach.
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Q8Choose the grammatically correct version: By tomorrow morning, I will be finishing the report.
Answer: D. By tomorrow morning, I will have finished the report.
When we use 'by' to set a completion deadline, the Future Perfect (will have finished) is the most natural choice. It shows the action is completed before the deadline. 'Will be finishing' suggests the person is still in the middle of the final steps exactly at that time, rather than having it ready.
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Q9By the end of the day, the company ___ ten new employees.
Answer: A. will have hired
The time marker 'By the end of the day' points to a result or completion. The Future Perfect (will have hired) is used to look back from a future point at a finished achievement. 'Will be hiring' would focus on the ongoing process of interviewing, rather than the total count of hires completed.
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Q10At 7 PM, while you are cooking, I ___ the table.
Answer: B. will be setting
When two actions happen simultaneously in the future, we use the Future Continuous (will be setting). This shows that while one person is busy cooking, the other will be in the middle of setting the table. 'Will have set' would mean the table was already prepared before the cooking even started.
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Q11By noon, the chef ___ all the meals for the banquet.
Answer: A. will have prepared
The word 'By' indicates a deadline. Future Perfect (will have prepared) shows that the meals will be finished and ready by noon. 'Will be preparing' would mean the chef is still working on the meals at noon, which might be too late for a banquet.
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Q12What will you be doing at 9 PM tonight?
Answer: D. I will be studying.
The question uses the Future Continuous ('will you be doing') to ask about an action in progress at a specific time. The answer must match this tense. 'I will be studying' describes the ongoing activity. 'I will have studied' (Future Perfect) would mean the studying is already finished by 9 PM.
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Q13By the time we get to the cinema, the film ___.
Answer: A. will have started
This is a classic 'earlier future' scenario. 'By the time we get there' is a future point; the film starting happens even earlier than that point. Therefore, we use the Future Perfect (will have started). 'Will be starting' would mean it starts exactly when you walk in.
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Q14Don't call me at midnight; I ___.
Answer: A. will be sleeping
Midnight is a specific point in time. To say you will be in the middle of an action at that time, use the Future Continuous (will be sleeping). 'Will have slept' would mean you already finished sleeping and are now awake, which doesn't explain why someone shouldn't call.
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Q15By next month, she ___ her degree.
Answer: A. will have received
The word 'By' indicates that the action of receiving the degree will be completed before next month starts. This requires the Future Perfect (will have received). Simple future 'will receive' is a prediction, but 'by' emphasizes the completion before a specific date.
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Q16By next year, I ___ here for five years.
Answer: C. will have been living
When we want to show the duration ('for five years') of an action up to a specific point in the future ('By next year'), we use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been living). This tense combines the 'future' with the 'duration' and 'continuation' of the action.
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Q17By 6 PM, they ___ for three hours straight.
Answer: D. will have been working
The time marker 'for three hours' indicates duration. Because this duration is measured up to a future point ('By 6 PM'), we use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been working). 'Will be working' (Future Continuous) only tells us they are working at 6 PM, but it doesn't account for the duration.
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Q18When I finish this task, I ___ on this project for a month.
Answer: D. will have been working
The sentence describes the duration of an activity ('for a month') that leads up to a future event ('When I finish'). This requires the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been working). 'Will be working' doesn't emphasize how long the activity has been going on.
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Q19By the time he retires, he ___ for this bank for forty years.
Answer: B. will have been working
We use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been working) to express the total duration of an activity ('for forty years') leading up to a specific future event ('By the time he retires'). 'Has worked' is Present Perfect and doesn't reach into the future context.
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Q20Choose the correct sentence:
Answer: B. By 2026, I will have been teaching for a decade.
The Future Perfect Continuous is formed using will have been + verb-ing. It is used here to show the duration ('for a decade') reaching up to a future point ('By 2026'). 'Will have teaching' is grammatically incorrect because it misses the auxiliary 'been'.
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Q21By next week, she ___ on her diet for two months.
Answer: B. will have been dieting
To show an ongoing duration ('for two months') up to a future date ('By next week'), the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been dieting) is the correct choice. 'Will have dieted' focuses on a single completed action, whereas 'will have been dieting' emphasizes the continuous, uninterrupted nature of the state.
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Q22How long ___ you ___ by the time you graduate?
Answer: D. will / have been studying
When asking about the length of time (duration) leading up to a future event (graduation), we use the Future Perfect Continuous. The correct form is 'will you have been studying'. 'Will you be studying' would ask what you are doing at the exact moment of graduation, not the total duration.
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Q23By next July, they ___ in this house for ten years.
Answer: B. will have been living
The Future Perfect Continuous (will have been living) is used for an action that starts in the past (or present) and continues up to a specific point in the future ('By next July'), especially when a duration like 'for ten years' is mentioned.
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Q24Choose the grammatically correct version: By next month, she will have been train for the race for six weeks.
Answer: C. By next month, she will have been training for the race for six weeks.
The Future Perfect Continuous requires will + have + been + present participle (-ing). The phrase 'will have been training' is correct. The version with 'train' is incorrect because it uses the base form instead of the -ing form required for continuous tenses.
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Q25By the time you wake up, I ___ for an hour.
Answer: D. will have been jogging
This sentence combines a future point ('By the time you wake up') with a duration ('for an hour'). This requires the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been jogging). 'Will be jogging' would mean the person is in the middle of jogging at that moment, but doesn't emphasize the one-hour duration.
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Q26By 10 PM, the band ___ for two hours.
Answer: B. will have been playing
To describe the length of time an ongoing activity has lasted by a certain point in the future, we use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been playing). 'Will be playing' tells us what they are doing at 10 PM, but 'will have been playing' focuses on the 'two hours' of time elapsed.
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Q27By next May, my parents ___ married for thirty years.
Answer: D. will have been
The verb 'be' is a state/feeling verb, meaning it is rarely used in continuous (-ing) forms. Therefore, even though we are talking about a duration ('for thirty years'), we use the Future Perfect (will have been) instead of the Future Perfect Continuous. 'Will have being' is not a valid grammatical structure.
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Q28Choose the correct sentence:
Answer: D. By next month, I will have been learning English for a year.
The sentence 'will have been learning' correctly uses the Future Perfect Continuous to describe the duration ('for a year') up to a future point ('By next month'). 'Will learning' is missing auxiliary verbs, and 'have been learning' is Present Perfect, which doesn't match the future 'By next month' marker.
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Q29By the time the sun sets, the farmers ___ in the field all day.
Answer: B. will have been working
The phrase 'all day' indicates duration. Since this duration leads up to a future event ('the sun sets'), we use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been working). This tense highlights the effort and time spent on the activity.
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Q30By tomorrow, I ___ this book for a week.
Answer: C. will have been reading
The duration 'for a week' measured against the future point 'By tomorrow' requires the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been reading). 'Will be reading' suggests I am in the middle of reading tomorrow, but doesn't account for the total time spent.
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Q31By the time she arrives, we ___ for her for an hour.
Answer: D. will have been waiting
We use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been waiting) because there is a duration ('for an hour') leading up to a specific event in the future ('she arrives'). This tense emphasizes how long the activity will have been going on by that point.
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Q32By next year, I ___ this car for five years.
Answer: A. will have owned
The verb 'own' is a state/feeling verb (expressing possession), so it cannot be used in continuous forms like 'will be owning' or 'will have been owning'. Instead, we use the Future Perfect (will have owned) to show duration with state-describing verbs.
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Q33By the time the concert ends, they ___ for three hours.
Answer: B. will have been performing
The mention of duration ('for three hours') combined with a future endpoint ('the concert ends') signals the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been performing). It describes how long the performance will have lasted by the time it stops.
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Q34Choose the correct sentence:
Answer: A. By the time he finishes, he will have been driving for 6 hours.
The Future Perfect Continuous (will have been driving) is the correct choice to show the duration of an activity ('for 6 hours') leading up to a future completion point ('finishes'). 'Will have driving' is missing 'been,' which is required for this tense.
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Q35By next summer, I ___ my own business for ten years.
Answer: A. will have been running
In this context, 'run' (meaning to manage) is a dynamic action that can show duration. 'Will have been running' is the Future Perfect Continuous, which correctly links the duration ('for ten years') to the future date ('By next summer').
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Q36By the time you get home, the dinner ___ for two hours.
Answer: D. will have been cooking
The Future Perfect Continuous (will have been cooking) is used here to emphasize the length of time ('for two hours') the food will have been on the stove before the future event of 'getting home' occurs.
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Q37Choose the grammatically correct version: By the time we meet, I will be waiting for you for two hours.
Answer: A. By the time we meet, I will have been waiting for you for two hours.
The Future Perfect Continuous (will have been waiting) is the only tense that correctly expresses a duration ('for two hours') leading up to a specific future point ('By the time we meet'). 'Will be waiting' (Future Continuous) is for actions in progress but doesn't typically take a 'for [duration]' phrase.
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Q38By 9 AM, the students ___ for an hour.
Answer: C. will have been testing
The time marker 'for an hour' specifies a duration of time. When this duration ends at a future time ('By 9 AM'), we use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been testing). 'Will be testing' would simply mean they are in the middle of a test at 9 AM, without emphasizing how long it has lasted.
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Q39By next month, I ___ in this city for six months.
Answer: B. will have been living
To show how long an ongoing state ('living in this city') has lasted by a certain point in the future ('By next month'), the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been living) is used. It bridges the past, present, and future.
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Q40Choose the correct sentence:
Answer: C. By the time he calls, I will have been sleeping for hours.
The duration 'for hours' combined with the future trigger 'By the time he calls' requires the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been sleeping). 'Will be sleeping for hours' is sometimes heard in informal speech, but 'will have been sleeping' is the correct grammatical choice for duration leading up to a point.
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Q41By next December, we ___ in this house for a decade.
Answer: C. will have been living
The Future Perfect Continuous (will have been living) is used to show the duration of an ongoing action ('for a decade') relative to a specific future time ('By next December'). 'Will live' is a simple prediction and doesn't capture the length of residency.
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Q42Choose the grammatically correct version: By next week, I will have been know him for five years.
Answer: A. By next week, I will have known him for five years.
The verb 'know' is a state/feeling verb, meaning it cannot be used in continuous (-ing) forms. Therefore, instead of the Future Perfect Continuous, we must use the Future Perfect (will have known) to express duration. 'Will have been know' is grammatically impossible.
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Q43By the time the race ends, the winner ___ for two hours.
Answer: B. will have been running
Because we are measuring a duration of time ('for two hours') that finishes at a future moment ('the race ends'), the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been running) is the correct form. It focuses on the activity leading up to the finish line.
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Q44By midnight, the party ___ for six hours.
Answer: A. will have been going on
The duration 'for six hours' leading up to 'midnight' requires the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been going on). This tense effectively shows how long the event has been in progress by that late hour. 'Will be going on' only tells us the party is happening at midnight.
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Q45By the time you finish, I ___ on this for hours.
Answer: C. will have been working
The phrase 'for hours' indicates duration. Since this duration is completed or measured at the point when the other person 'finishes' (a future event), we use the Future Perfect Continuous (will have been working).
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