In three years' time, I'll be studying medicine.

[Alice Chu]

Please tell me if my understanding is correct.
1) In five years' time, I'll have finished studying medicine.
→ It means I will finish studying medicine at any time in/within five years.

2) In three years' time, I'll be studying medicine.
→ It means “studying” will be in progress in the period of three years and the action is temporary.

 

[GoesStation]

Correct.

 

[kadioguy]

Doesn't "in" mean "after a particular length of time" in the two sentences in post #1?

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https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/in_1?q=in

to return in a few minutes/hours/days/months.

It will be ready in a week's time (= one week from now).

She learnt to drive in three weeks (= after three weeks she could drive).

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes.

 

[5jj]

She learnt to drive in three weeks (= after three weeks she could drive).

It is true that she could drive after three weeks. However, the thought behind the sentence is that the length of her learning period was three weeks.

 

[kadioguy]

Please tell me if my understanding is correct.
1) In five years' time, I'll have finished studying medicine.
→ It means I will finish studying medicine at any time in/within five years.

It could mean that the duration of the studying medicine time will have been five years. If that starts now, you will be able to graduate five years from now.

2) In three years' time, I'll be studying medicine.
→ It means “studying” will be in progress in the period of three years and the action is temporary.

It could mean “studying medicine” will start at the end of three years.
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Are these right?

 

[GoesStation]

Yes. Could, but not necessarily.