Casa ESL · B2 Upper Intermediate · Unit 3 of 20 · Step 1
Future Perfect & Future Continuous
Name
Date
Vocabulary
disruption
nounA radical change that transforms an industry or market by displacing established practices.
"The rise of streaming services caused major disruption in the entertainment industry."
prototype
nounAn early model of a product built to test and refine a concept.
"The engineering team unveiled the prototype at the annual conference."
autonomous
adjectiveOperating independently without human control.
"Autonomous vehicles are expected to transform urban transport."
obsolete
adjectiveNo longer useful or relevant because something better has replaced it.
"Smartphones made many traditional devices obsolete."
scalable
adjectiveCapable of being expanded or adapted to handle increased demand.
"Investors look for business models that are easily scalable."
patent
nounAn official right granted to an inventor to exclusively make or sell an invention.
"The company filed a patent for its new battery technology."
iterate
verbTo repeat a process with the aim of improving each version.
"Successful startups iterate quickly based on user feedback."
venture capital
nounFunding provided to early-stage companies with high growth potential.
"The startup secured ten million dollars in venture capital."
Grammar Focus
Future perfect and future continuous
The future perfect (will have + past participle) describes an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future: 'By 2030, scientists will have developed a vaccine.' The future continuous (will be + -ing) describes an action that will be in progress at a specific point in the future: 'This time next year, I will be working at a new company.' Use 'by' and 'by the time' with the future perfect, and time markers like 'at this time,' 'in five years,' or 'when' with the future continuous.
By the end of the decade, engineers will have built a fully autonomous public transport network.
In ten years' time, most people will be using AI assistants for everyday tasks.
By the time the patent expires, competitors will have developed alternative technologies.
This time next month, the team will be testing the third prototype.
Exercises
Exercise 1
Complete each sentence with the future perfect or future continuous form of the verb in brackets.
1. By 2030, the company (launch) over fifty products.
2. This time next year, they (test) the new prototype.
3. By the time we arrive, the keynote speaker (finish) her presentation.
4. In five years, most consumers (use) some form of wearable technology.
5. By the end of this quarter, the team (iterate) through at least four versions.
Exercise 2
Choose the correct tense to complete each sentence.
1. By the time electric cars become mainstream, manufacturers ___ billions in research.
2. This time tomorrow, the engineers ___ on the new software update.
3. By 2035, renewable energy ___ fossil fuels in most developed nations.
Reading
The Next Wave of Innovation
Technological disruption is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Experts predict that by 2035, autonomous vehicles will have replaced the majority of human-driven taxis in major cities. Meanwhile, in the field of medicine, researchers will be using AI-powered diagnostic tools as a matter of routine. The pharmaceutical industry will have developed personalised treatments based on individual genetic profiles. However, this wave of innovation also raises difficult questions. By the time regulations catch up with the technology, companies will have been operating in legal grey areas for years. Many traditional jobs will have disappeared, and workers will be retraining for roles that do not yet exist. The challenge for policymakers is to create frameworks that encourage innovation while protecting those who are most vulnerable to disruption. If history is any guide, the societies that adapt most quickly will be the ones that thrive.
1. What does the passage predict about autonomous vehicles by 2035?
2. What concern does the author raise about the pace of innovation?
Speaking
Discuss these questions with a partner or your teacher.
Writing
Write 5–8 sentences predicting how technology will change daily life by 2040. Use at least two examples of the future perfect and two of the future continuous.
Example: By 2040, most households will have adopted smart home systems that manage energy consumption automatically. People will be commuting in autonomous vehicles while working or relaxing. Scientists will have developed new materials that make buildings more energy-efficient. Students will be attending virtual classrooms that use holographic teachers. The way we live and work will have changed beyond recognition.
Answer Key — For Teacher Use
Exercise 1
1. will have launched · 2. will be testing · 3. will have finished · 4. will be using · 5. will have iterated
Exercise 2
1. will have invested · 2. will be working · 3. will have replaced
Reading Comprehension
1. The passage predicts that autonomous vehicles will have replaced the majority of human-driven taxis in major cities by 2035. · 2. The author is concerned that regulations will not keep up with technology, meaning companies will have been operating in legal grey areas, and many traditional jobs will have disappeared.