The Future Perfect Continuous Tense.

Pattern I

They will have been playing chess for two hours when you come.

It denotes an action which will begin before a definite moment in the future, will continue up to that moment and will be going on at that moment. This tense is very rarely used.

Exercise 1. Agree to the statements according to the model:

Model

T.: He will have been working for an hour when the telephone rings.

St.: Yes, you are right. He will have been working for an hour when the telephone rings.

1. Mary will have been waiting for half an hour when the car stops.

2. They will have been walking for an hour when they see Mary.

3. Ted will have been reading a magazine for quite a time when his friend calls on him.

4. Ann and Tom will have been playing tennis for about an hour when their mother comes up to them.

5. The girls will have been lying in the sun for 20 minutes when Ann joins them.

6. Dick will have been skating for some hours before he feels tired.

7. The boys will have been playing chess for half an hour when their father comes home.

8. Mary will have been sewing for an hour and a half when her child begins to cry.

9. Mr. Brown will have been working in the garden for some hours before it begins to rain.

10. John will have been drawing for some time when his sister comes in.

Exercise 2. Make the sentences negative according to the model:

Model

T.: Mary will have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops.

St.: No, you are not right. Mary will not have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops.

Use the sentences from ex. 1.

Exercise 3. Ask general questions according to the model:

Model

T.: Mary will have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops.

St.: Will Mary have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops?

Use the sentences from ex. 1.

Exercise 4. Ask disjunctive questions using the model:

Model

T.: Mary will have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops.

St.: Mary will have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops, won’t she?

Use the sentences from ex. 1.

Exercise 5. Ask special questions to the sentences:

Model

T.: Mary will have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops. (who?)

St.: Who will have been waiting for 10 minutes when the car stops?

Use the sentences from ex. 1.

1. How long? 5. What? 8. How long?

2. Who? 6. Who? 9. Where?

3. What? 7. What? 10. Who?

Exercise 6. Complete the following sentences

1. The girls will have been walking for 2 hours when… (begin to rain)

2. The students will have been writing a composition for an hour when… (the teacher to come in)

3. The performance will have been lasting for 2 hours when… (appear on the stage)

4. They will have been driving for forty minutes when … (feel hungry)

5. The train will have been staying at the junction for half an hour when… (catch it)

6. The guests will have been speaking for some time before… (join them)

7. The lecture will have been lasting for an hour and a half when… (the bell to ring)

8. They will have been hunting for some days before… (shoot a deer)

9. The boy will have been playing tennis for some hours before… (feel tired)

10. The child will have been crying for some minutes when… (calm down)

11. They will have been walking for an hour when… (begin to snow)

Exercise 7. Change the sentences according to the model

Model

T.: She will be having dinner when you phone her. (for 10 minutes)

St.: She will have been having dinner for 10 minutes when you phone her.

1. The girl will be walking with her dog when you see her. (for an hour)

2. Jane will be doing her rooms when her pal comes to see her. (for 40 minutes)

3. They will be playing golf when a policeman appears. (for quite a time)

4. They will be flying in the plane when they see the ocean. (for 2 hours)

5. The children will be sleeping when their parents decorate the fir-tree. (for an hour)

6. The guide will be showing them round the city when you join them. (for several hours)

7. The child will be walking when you take it home. (for 3 hours)

8. They will be having supper when you appear. (for half an hour)

9. They will be having a rest when you join them. (for 5 days)

10. The students will be discussing a problem when you come. (for some minutes)

11. The girls will be playing chess when Pete comes. (for quite a time)

12. They will be studying English when John visits them. (for some time)

Exercise 8. Answer the questions.

1. How long will you have been reading this book when your friend brings you another one?

2. What will you have been doing for the whole evening when Ted phones you?

3. What will you have been playing for some hours when you feel tired?

4. What will they have been watching on TV for quite a time when the guests come to them?

5. How long will the footballers have been playing when it begins to rain?

6. Who will have been playing the piano for some time when she feels tired?

7. Before what will the girls have been doing the rooms?

8. How long will your sister have been sleeping when the alarm-clock wakes her up?

9. Who will have been fishing for several hours before they get cold?

Exercise 9. Listen to the following stories, answer the questions and retell them. Make up your own stories on the analogy.

1. Tom is going to take part in a long-distance bicycle race across the country. They are going set out from Hull at 9 a.m. tomorrow. This will be Tom’s third competition and he hopes to set up a new record. He has been training for some years and his coach feels that Tom will succeed. Tomorrow the coach will be following Tom in a car. Most of Tom’s friends and fans will be waiting for him at the finish. They will have been waiting for Tom for some hours before Tom comes. Among them will be Tom’s father who took part in this sort of race when he was young.

Questions:

1. What kind of race will begin tomorrow?

2. Where will the sportsman start from?

3. Is Tom an experienced sportsman?

4. For how long has he been training with his coach?

5. What does his coach think of the future results?

6. Where will his coach be tomorrow?

7. Who will be waiting for Tom at the finish?

8. Why will Tom’s father be among his friends and fans?

2. A youth festival will be held in our town next summer. As many people will be visiting the town, a new hotel and a youth centre will have been built? They will also be building a new stadium a fine swimming pool and laying out a big park. The builders will have completed the youth centre by the end of March. By May they will have finished work on the new stadium. All young people in our town will take part in the construction. Many of my friends will be taking part in discussions, meetings, sports events and concerts.

Questions:

1. What is the town preparing for?

2. Is the festival an important event for the town?

3. Why do you think so?

4. Why will they be building a new hotel and a youth centre?

5. By when will they have completed the construction of the youth centre?

6. Why will they be building a new stadium and a swimming pool?

7. Will all young people in the town take part in the construction?

8. Who will be taking part in discussions, meetings, sports events and concerts?