Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1The director's door is still closed, so by now she ............... the board on the revised merger proposal.
Wrong!
"will be briefing" is correct because "by now" and the inference from the closed door point to an assumed action in progress.
2If the audit team started at eight, they ............... the expense claims at this stage of the morning.
Wrong!
"will be going through" is correct because the speaker assumes the analysts are in the middle of the task at the specified time.
3Don't worry about arriving a few minutes late; Mariko ............... in reception when your taxi gets there.
Wrong!
"will be waiting" is correct because the sentence infers an ongoing state at the moment of arrival.
4The statement has not been released yet, so the legal team ............... with the final wording right now.
Wrong!
"will be dealing" is correct because "right now" and the contextual evidence signal an assumption about an activity in progress.
5Since the interview panel asked for another hour, they ............... the shortlisted candidates in detail.
Wrong!
"will be assessing" is correct because the speaker is inferring what is happening during the panel's closed session.
6I wouldn't interrupt the partners at one o'clock; they ............... the takeover over lunch.
Wrong!
"will be discussing" is correct because "over lunch" marks a period during which the speaker assumes the discussion is in progress.
7When the overnight figures come in, the risk desk ............... the currency exposure closely.
Wrong!
"will be monitoring" is correct because the sentence assumes an ongoing activity at a definite future reference point.
8Given his flight schedule, by Tuesday afternoon Dr Patel ............... from the Singapore office.
Wrong!
"will be working" is correct because the known itinerary supports an assumption about what is happening at that time.
9Don't call Elena before noon; after a twelve-hour shift, she ............... by then.
Wrong!
"will be sleeping" is correct because "after a twelve-hour shift" supports an assumption about the nurse's state at the time of calling.
10He hasn't answered any messages this morning, so I imagine he ............... the quarterly report.
Wrong!
"will be drafting" is correct because the absence of replies is used to infer an ongoing activity now.
11If their train left on time, they ............... the border at nine.
Wrong!
"will be crossing" is correct because the sentence assumes the journey will be in progress at the specified time.
12At this point in the conference, the chief economist ............... the inflation outlook as usual.
Wrong!
"will be presenting" is correct because "as usual" and the time cue express an assumption about the routine activity in progress then.
Answers
- The director’s door is still closed, so by now she will be briefing the board on the revised merger proposal.
- If the audit team started at eight, they will be going through the expense claims at this stage of the morning.
- Don’t worry about arriving a few minutes late; Mariko will be waiting in reception when your taxi gets there.
- The statement has not been released yet, so the legal team will be dealing with the final wording right now.
- Since the interview panel asked for another hour, they will be assessing the shortlisted candidates in detail.
- I wouldn’t interrupt the partners at one o’clock; they will be discussing the takeover over lunch.
- When the overnight figures come in, the risk desk will be monitoring the currency exposure closely.
- Given his flight schedule, by Tuesday afternoon Dr Patel will be working from the Singapore office.
- Don’t call Elena before noon; after a twelve-hour shift, she will be sleeping by then.
- He hasn’t answered any messages this morning, so I imagine he will be drafting the quarterly report.
- If their train left on time, they will be crossing the border at nine.
- At this point in the conference, the chief economist will be presenting the inflation outlook as usual.
