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Difficulty: MediumVerbs, Tenses, and Aspect

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct form of the verb in the blank space.

Answer:By the time the annual migration of the endangered storks ends next week, the conservation team 【will have been tracking】 their movement along the river basin for three consecutive months.

Answer

The correct verb form is 'will have been tracking' (or 'will have tracked'), which uses the future perfect / future perfect continuous tense.
The sentence features a time clause introduced by 'By the time' referencing a future event ('ends next week') alongside a phrase denoting duration ('for three consecutive months'). In English grammar, an action that will continue up to or be completed before a specified future time is expressed using the future perfect continuous ('will have been tracking') or future perfect ('will have tracked') tense.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the temporal markers in the sentence.
The time expression 'By the time... next week' establishes a future point of reference, while 'for three consecutive months' specifies the duration of the action.
Combining a future deadline with a period of ongoing duration requires a tense that conveys completion or continuous activity prior to that future moment.
2
Select the correct tense and aspect.
The future perfect continuous form ('will have been tracking') or future perfect form ('will have tracked') accurately aligns with both time markers.
Other tenses fail to bridge the duration of three months with the future point of completion next week.

Key Concept

Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous Tenses
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Verbs, Tenses, and Aspect

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