Pick a future day. An activity started earlier and keeps going. Count how long it has lasted by that day. Use will have been + the -ing form.

Lesson 65: a length of time	This lesson: the activity
By June, I will have worked here for ten years.	By June, I will have been working here for ten years.
By 2030, she will have taught for ten years.	By 2030, she will have been teaching for ten years.

With an activity verb, both are correct. The second one puts the focus on the activity. This lesson practices that form.

Use will have been with every subject. Then add the -ing form.

Ask one question. How long did the activity last? Or how many things are done?

How many? A result → will have + past participle	How long? An activity → will have been + -ing
By noon, she will have read two books.	By noon, she will have been reading for three hours.
By 6, he will have run ten miles.	By 6, he will have been running for two hours.
By 5, we will have cleaned the house.	By 5, we will have been cleaning all day.
By May, they will have built ten houses.	By May, they will have been building the bridge for a year.
By Friday, I will have written five reports.	By Friday, I will have been writing reports for six hours.

Left: a number or a finished thing. Right: the activity and the time it takes.

Use by for the future day. Use for or all day for the length.

State verbs such as know, be, own, and have do not use -ing. Use will have known, not will have been knowing.

Read the situation. Click the form you need.

• 1
  You say how many pages you will read by noon.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — A result or a number. Use will have + past participle.
• 2
  You say how long you will be reading by noon.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — The activity and how long. Use will have been + -ing.
• 3
  You say how many miles he will run by 6.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — A result or a number. Use will have + past participle.
• 4
  You say the house will be clean by 5.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — A result or a number. Use will have + past participle.
• 5
  You say how long he will be running by 6.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — The activity and how long. Use will have been + -ing.
• 6
  You say they will be cleaning all day by 5.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — The activity and how long. Use will have been + -ing.
• 7
  You say how many books she will write by 2030.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — A result or a number. Use will have + past participle.
• 8
  You say how long she will be writing books by 2030.

  will have + past participle will have been + -ing

  ✓ Correct — The activity and how long. Use will have been + -ing.

Type the correct form of will have been + -ing for the verb given.

• 1
  By June, I here for ten years. (work)
• 2
  By noon, she for three hours. (read)
• 3
  By 6, he for two hours. (run)
• 4
  By 5, we all day. (clean)
• 5
  By May, they the bridge for a year. (build)
• 6
  By 2030, she English for ten years. (teach)
• 7
  By next month, I Spanish for a year. (learn)
• 8
  By 8 p.m., they for six hours. (drive)

Type the negative form with won’t have been + -ing for the verb given.

• 1
  By June, I here for ten years. I started late. (not work)
• 2
  By noon, she for three hours. She starts at 11. (not read)
• 3
  By 6, he for two hours. He starts at 5. (not run)
• 4
  By 5, we all day. We start at 3. (not clean)
• 5
  By May, they the bridge for a year. They start in April. (not build)
• 6
  By 2030, she for ten years. She quits in 2025. (not teach)
• 7
  By next month, I Spanish for a year. I stop today. (not learn)
• 8
  By 8 p.m., they for six hours. They leave at 5. (not drive)

Type the missing words of speaker B’s question. Use the words given.

• 1
  A: I start work at 9.
  B: How long by noon? (you / work)
• 2
  A: Tom runs in the park.
  B: How long by 6? (he / run)
• 3
  A: Mia reads all morning.
  B: for three hours by noon? (she / read)
• 4
  A: We learn Spanish.
  B: How long it by the summer? (you / learn)
• 5
  A: They build the bridge.
  B: it for a year by May? (they / build)
• 6
  A: The kids play outside.
  B: How long by dinner? (they / play)
• 7
  A: Anna drives to Boston.
  B: How long by 8? (she / drive)
• 8
  A: Sam cleans the garage.
  B: all day by 5? (he / clean)

Click the form that completes the sentence.

• 1
  By June, I here for ten years.

  will have been working will have been work

  ✓ Correct — After will have been, use the -ing form.
• 2
  By noon, she for three hours.

  will have reading will have been reading

  ✓ Correct — Do not forget been: will have been + -ing.
• 3
  By Friday, I five reports.

  will have written will have been writing

  ✓ Correct — A number is a result. Use will have + past participle.
• 4
  By May, I her for ten years.

  will have known will have been knowing

  ✓ Correct — Know is a state verb. Do not use -ing.
• 5
  you have been working for six hours by noon?

  Do Will

  ✓ Correct — Make the question with will. Put will before the subject.
• 6
  By 6, he for two hours.

  will have been run will have been running

  ✓ Correct — After will have been, use the -ing form.
• 7
  By 5, we all day.

  will be cleaning will have been cleaning

  ✓ Correct — Count from the past to a future time. Use will have been + -ing.
• 8
  By June, I here for ten years. I started late.

  won’t have been working won’t have working

  ✓ Correct — Keep been in the negative: won’t have been + -ing.

Read each question. Choose the sentence that matches.

• Idea: an activity started earlier. Count how long it has lasted by a future day.
• Form: will have been + verb-ing. Negative: won’t have been + verb-ing.
• Question: How long will you have been working?
• How long? Activity → will have been + -ing. How many? Result → will have + past participle.
• Time words: by June, by noon + for three hours, all day.
• State verbs (know, be, own, have) do not use -ing.

✓ Mark this lesson complete