Future Perfect Continuous vs Future Continuous

Question

Hi,can you please suggest why Future Continuous is used in this sentence, not Future Perfect Continuous?The sentence goes:"... By that time I will have finished my studies, and, who knows, perhaps I will have found a good job. And I will probably be going out with the same friends too."Similarly:".. by the time I am 35, say, I will have made my fortune. By then I will have been running my own company for about ten years, and I will have almost certainly become a millionaire. So I will be driving an expensive sports car."Why is the Future Continuous used in these two examples, and not Future Perfect Contunuous? I can't understand it.Thank you

GPY · Accepted Answer

"will probably be going out with" and "will be driving" describe activity that is ongoing or continuing at the time of "by that/the time".

"will have finished", "will have found", "will have made" and "will have become" describe activity that is complete.at the time of "by that/the time".

The activity of running the company is probably also ongoing, but the "will have been running" tense is dictated by the phrase "for about ten years".

Hotmale · Answer

Thank you, GPY <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/> It's clear now.

Grammarfreak · Answer

HotmaleSimilarly:".. by the time I am 35, say, I will have made my fortune. By then I will have been running my own company for about ten years, and I will have almost certainly become a millionaire. So I will be driving an expensive sports car."

This is my observation.
Future perfect continuous is in my opinion is the most conceptually difficult tense to grasp, although it seems esay. For that reason, learners often use it incorrectly.
Personally, I wouldn't call this example a good one for illustration purpose. When the phrase " by the time " is used, we are obligated to reference everything we talk about in the future which is assumed. So, the " I will have made my fortune .." is a dream if you will. So to me, the following sentence in pink semantically has flaws looking from a chronological perspective. Here is my suggestion for the purpose of using future perfect and future continuous coherently with the "by the time " phrase. The important and the most difficult thing to do is to use the tense in a coherently semantic fashion.

At the pace I am going, I am hoping that by the time I reach 35, I will have made my first million, and will have owned my own company. Maybe I will be driving a Ferrari 550 and living in a 6 bedroom mansion.

Hotmale · Answer

grammarfreakand will have owned my own company.

Thank you for your post, Grammarfreak.

I don't really understand your use of Future Perfect in the sentece I am quoting above. I understand that you are not focusing on a result, but on an ongoing activity up to a specific point in the future.

Grammarfreak · Answer

Hotmaledon't really understand your use of Future Perfect in the sentece I am quoting above. I understand that you are not focusing on a result, but on an ongoing activity up to a specific point in the future.

The context of my example illustrates a "planned", or "dreamed" future, assuming that he works hard and perhaps taking classes at night to improve himself so that he can climb up in position and make more money. With all that in mind, I had built a context based on this line which is syntactically and semantically coherent in the use of future perfect and future continuous. Is this making sensing to you.

GPY · Answer

grammarfreakSo to me, the following sentence in pink semantically has flaws looking from a chronological perspective.

I'm afraid I must once again disagree with you. I honestly do not see anything wrong with it. Obviously the future is unknown, but we understand it as a statement of ambition or intent.

GPY · Answer

Hotmale grammarfreakand will have owned my own company.Thank you for your post, Grammarfreak.I don't really understand your use of Future Perfect in the sentece I am quoting above. I understand that you are not focusing on a result, but on an ongoing activity up to a specific point in the future.

Without the "for about ten years" part, it implies that that the speaker will no longer own the company, which is different from the original.

Hotmale · Answer

GPY Hotmale grammarfreakand will have owned my own company.Thank you for your post, Grammarfreak.I don't really understand your use of Future Perfect in the sentece I am quoting above. I understand that you are not focusing on a result, but on an ongoing activity up to a specific point in the future.Without the "for about ten years" part, it implies that that the speaker will no longer own the company, which is different from the original.

Thanks, GPY. I think I understand it now

Hotmale · Answer

Hello

I've got one more question concerning Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous.
Today at school we were doing an exercise, and this sentence is a part of it:

In December, I _____________ here for two and a half years.
a) will be working b) have been working c) will have worked

I really don't uderstand why "c" is correct here. Shouldn't it be "will have been working" instead?
I understand it that the expression "for two and a half years" emphasizes duration.

Thank you

GPY · Answer

I would accept both "will have been working" and "will have worked", but I would more naturally choose the former. However, of the options given, the only possible answer is (c).

Future Perfect Continuous vs Future Continuous

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions