Future Perfect & Future Continuous – English Grammar Exercises for B2
You are the Lead Event Planner running a final logistics meeting with your production team before a massive corporate gala. Choose the correct tense (A, B, C, or D) to complete your script and ensure everyone coordinates perfectly.
1 “Alright team, let’s review the timeline. At exactly 4:00 PM tomorrow, the florists ______ the floral arches at the main entrance.”
(A) will have decorated
(B) will be decorating
(C) decorate
(D) will decorate
2 “By 5:30 PM, the catering staff ______ all the dining tables with the silverware and crystal glasses.”
(A) will be setting up
(B) will have set up
(C) will set up
(D) set up
3 “When the first VIP guests walk through the doors at 6:00 PM, the string quartet ______ classical background music.”
(A) will have played
(B) will play
(C) will be playing
(D) plays
4 “We cannot afford any technical issues. By the time the doors open, the lighting crew ______ all the stage spotlights.”
(A) will have tested
(B) will be testing
(C) will test
(D) test
5 “During the cocktail hour from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, our waitstaff ______ around the room with premium appetizers.”
(A) will have circulated
(B) will circulate
(C) circulate
(D) will be circulating
6 “Please coordinate with the ushers. I want to guarantee that by 7:15 PM, every single guest ______ their assigned seat.”
(A) will be taking
(B) will take
(C) will have taken
(D) takes
7 “At exactly 7:30 PM, the CEO ______ the opening keynote speech. I need absolute silence backstage during this.”
(A) will have delivered
(B) will deliver
(C) will be delivering
(D) delivers
8 “While the CEO is speaking on stage, the kitchen staff ______ the first course in the back.”
(A) will have plated
(B) will be plating
(C) plate
(D) will plate
9 “Our schedule is extremely tight. By 8:30 PM, the waiters ______ all the appetizer plates from the tables.”
(A) will be clearing
(B) will clear
(C) will have cleared
(D) clear
10 “Between 8:45 PM and 9:30 PM, the guests ______ the main course, so the technical team can take a short break.”
(A) will have eaten
(B) will be eating
(C) will eat
(D) eat
11 “Before the dessert is served at 9:45 PM, the production team ______ the projector screen for the anniversary video.”
(A) will have lowered
(B) will be lowering
(C) will lower
(D) lowers
12 “At 10:00 PM, the live band takes over. While they are performing, the event photographers ______ candid shots of the crowd.”
(A) will have captured
(B) will capture
(C) will be capturing
(D) capture
13 “By 11:00 PM, the formal part of the evening is over, and the guests ______ all the signature cocktails on the menu.”
(A) will be trying
(B) will have tried
(C) try
(D) will try
14 “Throughout the late-night dance party, our security personnel ______ all the venue exits continuously.”
(A) will have monitored
(B) will monitor
(C) will be monitoring
(D) monitor
15 “By midnight, the bar staff ______ the final round of drinks to signal the end of the party.”
(A) will be serving
(B) will serve
(C) will have served
(D) serve
16 “At 12:15 AM, as the guests walk out of the venue, we ______ gift bags to everyone at the door.”
(A) will have handed out
(B) will be handing out
(C) will hand out
(D) hand out
17 “Before the clock strikes 1:00 AM, all the hired shuttle buses ______ at the front gate to take the guests to their hotels.”
(A) will be arriving
(B) will arrive
(C) will have arrived
(D) arrive
18 “While the last few guests are leaving, the cleaning crew ______ the stage decorations in the main hall.”
(A) will have dismantled
(B) will be dismantling
(C) dismantle
(D) will dismantle
19 “It is going to be a very long night. By 3:00 AM, we ______ all the rented equipment into the delivery trucks.”
(A) will be loading
(B) will have loaded
(C) will load
(D) load
20 “I know you are tired, but just remember: this time tomorrow night, we ______ at home with a massive success behind us!”
(A) will be sleeping
(B) will have slept
(C) will sleep
(D) sleep
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) will be decorating
Why it is correct: “At exactly 4:00 PM tomorrow” points to a specific ongoing moment. The florists will be in the middle of decorating the arches at that exact time.
2 (B) will have set up
Why it is correct: “By 5:30 PM” is a hard deadline. The event planner needs this task 100% completed before the guests arrive. This requires the Future Perfect.
3 (C) will be playing
Why it is correct: “When the first VIP guests walk through the doors” sets a specific trigger moment. The string quartet will be in the process of playing background music to welcome them.
4 (A) will have tested
Why it is correct: “By the time the doors open” is the deadline. The lighting tests must be finished beforehand to ensure there are no technical issues.
5 (D) will be circulating
Why it is correct: “During the cocktail hour from 6:00 to 7:00 PM” specifies a continuous duration. The waitstaff will be in the middle of circulating the entire time.
6 (C) will have taken
Why it is correct: “By 7:15 PM” acts as a deadline. The planner wants the seating process to be fully completed before the program continues.
7 (C) will be delivering
Why it is correct: “At exactly 7:30 PM” is a precise time. The CEO will be in progress giving the speech.
8 (B) will be plating
Why it is correct: “While the CEO is speaking” sets up a simultaneous ongoing action. The kitchen staff will be in the middle of plating the food at the same time.
9 (C) will have cleared
Why it is correct: “By 8:30 PM” is a strict schedule deadline. The physical task of clearing the plates must be completely finished prior to this time.
10 (B) will be eating
Why it is correct: “Between 8:45 PM and 9:30 PM” indicates a block of time. The guests will be ongoingly engaged in eating their meals during this period.
11 (A) will have lowered
Why it is correct: “Before the dessert is served” sets the deadline. The screen must be fully lowered and ready prior to this moment.
12 (C) will be capturing
Why it is correct: “While they are performing” describes an ongoing background action. The photographers will be in the process of taking photos at the same time.
13 (B) will have tried
Why it is correct: “By 11:00 PM” acts as the deadline. The planner anticipates that the action of trying the cocktails will be an accomplished fact by this late hour.
14 (C) will be monitoring
Why it is correct: “Throughout the late-night dance party” highlights a continuous duration. The security team will be in the continuous state of monitoring.
15 (C) will have served
Why it is correct: “By midnight” is the cutoff point. The final round of drinks must be completely served and finished before this deadline.
16 (B) will be handing out
Why it is correct: “As the guests walk out” refers to an ongoing event. The staff will be in the middle of giving out the bags exactly when this happens.
17 (C) will have arrived
Why it is correct: “Before the clock strikes 1:00 AM” is a deadline. The buses must have completed their arrival and be waiting outside prior to that time.
18 (B) will be dismantling
Why it is correct: “While the last few guests are leaving” sets up a simultaneous future scenario. The crew will begin and be in progress of packing up.
19 (B) will have loaded
Why it is correct: “By 3:00 AM” is the final event deadline. The heavy labor of loading the trucks will be 100% completed before this time.
20 (A) will be sleeping
Why it is correct: “This time tomorrow night” points to an exact future moment. The planner imagines the team being in the middle of a deep sleep.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 The “Run-Down” Tense (Future Continuous):
- In event management, you need to visualize the venue at specific times. Use the Future Continuous (will be + V-ing) to describe the atmosphere or the ongoing tasks of different departments at a specific hour.
- Keywords: At exactly [time], during the cocktail hour, while the CEO speaks, throughout the party.
- Example: “At 6:00 PM, the band will be playing.” (Visualizing the specific action in progress).
2 The “Stage Transition” Tense (Future Perfect):
- A successful event relies on finishing one stage before starting the next. Use the Future Perfect (will have + V3/ed) to firmly establish the deadlines for when a task must be wrapped up.
- Keywords: By [time], by the time the doors open, before dessert is served.
- Example: “By 5:30 PM, we will have set up the tables.” (Confirming the completion of a logistical stage).
3 The Coordination Combo:
- Event planners often use both tenses in the same breath to coordinate teams: “By 7:00 PM, we will have cleared the room (Future Perfect), so at 7:15 PM, the VIPs will be walking in (Future Continuous).”