LoginFuture Perfect
This detailed lesson explores the Future Perfect Tense in English, featuring comprehensive examples and a quiz to test your knowledge.
What Is Future Perfect Tense?
The future perfect tense is used to talk about an action that will be completed before a specific future time or event. It refers to the future from another point in the future, indicating that the action will be completed by that time.
Future Perfect: Structure
The future perfect is composed of the modal verb 'will,' followed by the auxiliary verb 'have' and the past participle of the main verb.
Modal Verb | Auxiliary Verb | Past Participle of Main Verb | |
|---|---|---|---|
All subjects | will | have | walked |
When we use the future perfect tense in speech, we often contract the modal verb 'will.' Check out these examples:
She will have finished her homework by six o'clock. → She'll have finished her homework by six o'clock.
We will have been in this house for a year on February 2nd. → We'll have been in this house for a year on February 2nd.
Future Perfect: Negation
To make negative sentences, 'not' is added between 'will' and the auxiliary verb 'have.' Look at the examples:
She will have gone to college. → She will not have gone to college.
They will have arrived. → They will not have arrived.
In negative sentences, we can contract the modal verb 'will' and the negative marker 'not' into 'won't.' See the examples:
They will not have had their lunch by then. → They won't have had their lunch by then.
They will not have arrived. → They won't have arrived.
Future Perfect: Questions
To form yes/no questions, we invert the subject and the modal 'will.' Look at these example sentences with the future perfect tense:
They will have arrived. → Will they have arrived?
You will have sent it. → Will you have sent it?
To make wh-questions, add the proper wh-word at the beginning of the sentence and then invert the subject and 'will.' For example:
They will have sent the letter. → What will they have sent?
Future Perfect: Uses
The future perfect tense is used to talk about:
Completed Action Before a Future Time
Duration Before a Future Moment
Predictions About the Future
Completed Action Before a Future Time
We use the 'future perfect tense' to talk about an action that will be completed before a certain time in the future. In this case, the exact time is not clear. So, there is not a specific time for the particular action to finish, but a deadline before which it will finish. The deadline is commonly specified using the preposition 'by.' Check out the examples:
By midnight, I will have finished my report.
It means the speaker will finish his report some time before midnight, but we do not know the exact time.
You can call me at my office at 10:00. I will have arrived at the office by then.
It means the speaker will arrive at the office before 10, but we do not know the exact time.
Duration Before a Future Moment
We can also use the 'future perfect tense' to indicate the duration of an action that starts before and continues up to another action or time in the future. The duration is typically specified using the preposition 'for.' Here are the examples:
When they get married, she'll have known her husband for two years.
At 6:00, I'll have been in the office for a whole day.
Predictions About the Future
We use the 'future perfect tense' to talk about an action that is expected to be completed before another event takes place. It predicts what will already be true or have happened before a future event. The future event is commonly specified using the preposition 'before.' For example:
We will have cooked the dinner before they arrive.
Sam will have finished his class before we leave for the party.
Review
Future perfect tense, as its name suggests, talks about an action that will be completed in the future. The table below summarizes the structure of the future perfect tense in affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences:
structure | subject + will + have + past participle |
|---|---|
affirmative | I will have had lunch by 5:00. |
negative | I will not have had lunch by 5:00. |
contraction | I'll not have had lunch by 5:00./ I won't have had lunch by 5:00. |
yes/no question | Will you have had lunch by 5:00? |
-wh question | When will you have had lunch? |
The future perfect tense is used to talk about:
an action that will finish before a certain time in the future
the duration of an action or event before a specific time in the future
actions that are expected to be completed before a specific event in the future
Quiz:
Which of the following sentences correctly uses the future perfect tense?
By next year, Sarah will has finished her degree.
By next year, Sarah will finished her degree.
By next year, Sarah will have finishing her degree.
By next year, Sarah will have finished her degree.
Sort the words to form a correct negative sentence using the future perfect tense.
Which option is NOT grammatically correct?
Will he have written the report by the time we get there?
Will have he written the report by the time we get there?
When will he have written the report?
What will he have written by the time we get there?
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.
By next week, she
(complete) her project.
I
(not finish) my work by 6:00 PM.
(you, clean) the house by the time we get back?
When
(we, arrive) at the airport?
Match the sentences to their correct uses of Future Perfect.
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