Study this example situation:
Kevin loves football and this evening there is a big football match on television. The match begins at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. Paul wants to see Kevin the same evening and wants to know what time to come to his house.
PAUL: Is it all right if I come at about 8.30?
KEVIN: No, I'll be watching the football then.
PAUL: Well, what about 9.30?
KEVIN: Fine. The match will have finished by then.
'I will be doing something' (future continuous) = I will be in the middle of doing something. The football match begins at 7.30 and ends at 9.15. So during this time, for example at 8.30, Kevin will be watching the match. Another example:
* I'm going on holiday on Saturday. This time next week I'll be lying on a beach or
swimming in the sea. Compare will be (do)ing and will (do):
* Don't phone me between 7 and 8. We'll be having dinner then.
* Let's wait for Mary to arrive and then we'll have dinner.
Compare will be ~ing with other continuous forms:
* At 10 o'clock yesterday, Sally was in her office. She was working. (past)
It's 10 o'clock now. She is in her office. She is working. (present)
At 10 o'clock tomorrow, she will be in her office. She will be working.
We also use will be doing in a different way: to talk about complete actions in the future:
* A: If you see Sally, can you ask her to phone me?
B: Sure. I'll be seeing her this evening, so I'll tell her then.
* What time will your friends be arriving tomorrow?
In these examples will be ~ing is similar to the present continuous for the future.
You can use Will you be ~ing ...? to ask about somebody's plans, especially if you want something or want them to do something. For example:
* A: Will you be passing the post office when you're out?
B: Probably. Why?
A: I need some stamps. Could you get me some?
* A: Will you be using your bicycle this evening?
B: No. Do you want to borrow it?
We use will have (done) (future perfect) to say that something will already be complete. Kevin's football match ends at 9.15. So after this time, for example at 9.30, the match will have finished. Some more examples:
* Sally always leaves for work at 8.30 in the morning, so she won't be at home at 9
o'clock. She'll have gone to work.
* We're late. The film will already have started by the time we get to the cinema.
Compare will have (done) with other perfect forms:
* Ted and Amy have been married for 24 years. (present perfect)
Next year they will have been married for 25 years. When their first child was born, they had been married for three years. (past perfect)
EXERCISES
24.1 Read about Colin. Then you have to tick (V) the sentences which are true. In each group of sentences at least one is true. Colin goes to work every day. He leaves home at 8 o'clock and arrives at work at about 8.45. He starts work immediately and continues until 12.30 when he has lunch (which takes about half an hour). He starts work again at 1.15 and goes home at exactly 4.30. Every day he follows the same routine and tomorrow will be no exception.
1. At 7.45
a. he'll be leaving the house
b. he'll have left the house
c. he'll be at home (V)
d. he'll be having breakfast (V)
2. At 8.15
a. he'll be leaving the house
b. he'll have left the house
c. he'll have arrived at work
d. he'll be arriving at work
3. At 9.15
a. he'll be working
b. he'll start work
c. he'll have started work
d. he'll be arriving at work
4. At 12.45
a. he'll have lunch
b. he'll behaving lunch
c. he'll have finished his lunch
d. he'll have started his lunch
5. At 4 o'clock
a. he'll have finished work
b. he'll finish work
c. he'll be working
d. he won't have finished work
6. At 4.45
a. he'll leave work
b. he'll be leaving work
c. he'll have left work
d. he'll have arrived home
24.2 Put the verb into the correct form, will be (do)ing or will have (done).
1. Don't phone me between 7 and 8. We'll be having (we/have) dinner then.
2. Phone me after 8 o'clock. --- (we/finish) dinner by then.
3. Tomorrow afternoon we're going to play tennis from 3 o'clock until 4.30. So at 4 o'clock, --- (we/play) tennis.
4. A: Can we meet tomorrow afternoon?
B: Not in the afternoon. --- (I/work).
5. B has to go to a meeting which begins at 10 o'clock. It will last about an hour.
A: Will you be free at 11.30?
B: Yes, --- (the meeting/finish) by that time.
6. Tom is on holiday and he is spending his money very quickly. If he continues like this, --- (he/spend) all his money before the end of his holiday.
7. Chuck came to Britain from the USA nearly three years ago. Next Monday it will be exactly three years. So on Monday, --- (he/be) in Britain for exactly three years.
8. Do you think --- (you/still/do) the same job in ten years' time?
9. Jane is from New Zealand. She is travelling around Europe at the moment. So far she has travelled about 1,000 miles. By the end of the trip, --- (she/travel) more than 3,000 miles.
10. If you need to contact me, --- (I/stay) at the Lion Hotel until Friday.
11. A: --- (you/see) Laura tomorrow?
B: Yes, probably. Why?
A: I borrowed this book from her. Can you give it back to her?
24.1
2 b is true
3 a and c are true
4 b and d are true
5 c and d are true
6 c is true
24.2
2 We'll have finished
3 we'll be playing
4 I'll be working
5 the meeting will have finished
6 he'll have spent
7 he'll have been
8 you'll still be doing
9 she'll have travelled
10 I'll be staying
11 Will you be seeing
