Look forward to August, then look back across the boat-restoration project. Two years measures its duration at that future point. The sentence does not promise that the boat will be finished then.
The idea
Use will have been + -ing for every subject. Negatives begin won't have been; questions put will before the subject. Give a future reference point and, usually, a duration with for or a beginning with since. How long asks for that accumulated duration.
Examples
- By August, I'll have been restoring this boat for two years.
- By ten, they will have been rehearsing for four hours.
- How long will you have been working there when you retire?
- We won't have been living here for a full month by then.
- By the time the school opens, the builders will have been working for six months.
- Next week, she will have been taking piano lessons for a year.
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Watch out
The reference point need not be the end of the activity. A year of piano lessons includes repeated sessions and breaks, not continuous playing every minute. State verbs normally use simple perfect forms: will have known, not will have been knowing.
Try it yourself
Choose the correct option. By August, I'll have ___ restoring this boat for two years. (be / been)
Show answer or example answer
been
Been is required after have in this continuous pattern: will have been restoring.
Choose the correct option. By ten, they will ___ been rehearsing for four hours. (have / has)
Show answer or example answer
have
After will, keep have unchanged for every subject. Do not write will has been.
Rehearsal starts at six and continues until ten. How long will they have been rehearsing by ten? (four hours / ten hours)
Show answer or example answer
four hours
From six to ten is four hours. The duration is measured at ten, not confused with the clock time itself.
Practice round
Answer questions and rebuild English sentences to practise. Your score is shown.
Choose the correct option. By August, I'll have ___ restoring this boat for two years. (be / been)
Choose the correct option. By ten, they will ___ been rehearsing for four hours. (have / has)
Rehearsal starts at six and continues until ten. How long will they have been rehearsing by ten? (four hours / ten hours)
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Choose a project with a clear start and a future milestone. Calculate the duration at that milestone and write a future perfect continuous sentence. Add a question and say whether the project will continue afterwards.