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Unit 24 · Future

Will be doing and will have done

Study

A

These people are standing in a queue to get into the cinema.

Half an hour from now, the cinema will be full. Everyone will be watching the film.

Three hours from now, the cinema will be empty. The film will have finished. Everyone will have gone home.

B

I will be doing something (future continuous) = I will be in the middle of doing it:

›

This time next week I’ll be on holiday. I’ll be lying on the beach or swimming in the sea.

›

You have no chance of getting the job. You’ll be wasting your time if you apply.

Compare will be (do)ing and will (do):

›

Don’t phone between 7 and 8. We’ll be eating.

›

Let’s wait for Liz to arrive and then we’ll eat.

Compare:

›

At 10 o’clock yesterday, Tina was in her office. She was working. (past continuous)

›

It’s 10 o’clock now. She is in her office. She is working. (present continuous)

›

At 10 o’clock tomorrow, she will be in her office. She will be working. (future continuous)

C

We also use will be -ing to talk about complete actions in the future. For example:

›

The government will be making a statement about the crisis later today.

›

Later in the programme, I’ll be talking to the Minister of Education.

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The team’s star player is injured and won’t be playing in the game on Saturday.

When we use it in this way, will be (doing) is similar to will (do) and going to (do).

D

I will have done something (future perfect) = it will be complete before a time in the future. For example:

›

Sally always leaves for work at 8.30 in the morning. 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:

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Ted and Amy have been married for 24 years. (present perfect)

›

Next year they will have been married for 25 years. (future perfect)

›

When their son was born, they had been married for three years. (past perfect)

→ will ➜ Units 21–22 · by then / by the time ➜ Unit 120 · The future ➜ Appendix 3

Exercises (3)

0/3 exercises checked
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24.1

Read about Andy. Then tick (✓) the sentences which are true. In each group of sentences at least one is true.

  1. 1
    Andy 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.
    At 7.45: Which sentences are true? (a he’ll be leaving the house / b he’ll have left the house / c he’ll be at home / d he’ll be having breakfast)example
  2. 2
    At 8.15
    Which sentences are true? (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. 3
    At 9.15
    Which sentences are true? (a he’ll be working / b he’ll start work / c he’ll have started work / d he’ll be arriving at work)
  4. 4
    At 12.45
    Which sentences are true? (a he’ll have lunch / b he’ll be having lunch / c he’ll have finished his lunch / d he’ll have started his lunch)
  5. 5
    At 4 o’clock
    Which sentences are true? (a he’ll have finished work / b he’ll finish work / c he’ll be working / d he won’t have finished work)
  6. 6
    At 4.45
    Which sentences are true? (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

Complete the sentences. Choose from the box.

be watchingwill be landingwon’t be playingwill be startingwill you be votingwon’t be goingbe goingwill you be doing
  1. 1
    There’s an election next week. Who for?example
  2. 2
    I’ll shopping later. Can I get you anything?
  3. 3
    Emily is not well, so she volleyball tomorrow.
  4. 4
    Little Emma school soon. She’s growing up fast.
  5. 5
    The match is on TV tonight. Will you it?
  6. 6
    What in your new job? The same as before?
  7. 7
    I to the wedding. I’ll be away on holiday.
  8. 8
    Please fasten your seat belts. The plane in ten minutes.
24.3

Put the verb into the correct form, will be (do)ing or will have (done).

  1. 1
    Don’t phone between 7 and 8. then. (we / eat)example
  2. 2
    Tomorrow afternoon we’re going to play tennis from 3 o’clock until 4.30. So at 4 o’clock, tennis. (we / play)
  3. 3
    Sarah will meet you at the station. for you when you arrive. (she / wait)
  4. 4
    The meeting starts at 9.30 and won’t last longer than an hour. You can be sure that by 11 o’clock. (it / finish)
  5. 5
    Do you think in the same place in ten years’ time? (you / still / live)
  6. 6
    Lisa is travelling in Europe and so far she has travelled about 1,000 miles. By the end of the trip, more than 3,000 miles. (she / travel)
  7. 7
    If you need to contact me, at the Lion Hotel until Friday. (I / stay)
  8. 8
    Ben is on holiday and is spending his money very quickly. If he continues like this, all his money before the end of his holiday. (he / spend)
  9. 9
    I’m fed up with my job. I hope it much longer. (I / not / do)