What is Future Perfect Tense?
As you read through this blog, you will uncover all the concepts governing the future perfect verb tense. A future perfect tense chart will help you grasp its definition, rules, and usage examples of this tense. But first, let’s go to the basics and define what is future perfect tense.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that the definition of future perfect tense is an English grammar verb tense that shows the completion of action by a specified time in the future. Additionally, the Collins Dictionary states that future perfect tense structure includes “will have” or “shall have” and the past participle verb form.
Other grammarians might argue with the simplified but limited definition above. To expound, future perfect tense also conveys occurrences happening before a specified future event or condition. Moreover, it helps speakers talk about the duration of a condition in the future. It answers the question, “how long will something have remained as it is by this time in the future?”
What’s the Difference Between Simple Future Tense and Future Perfect Tense?
English language learners may confuse future perfect tense with simple future tense. It’s because modal verbs “will” and “shall” also forms part of the simple future tense. More than that, both tenses are used when stating future events.
However, the difference lies between the change in meaning depending on which tense is used. Let’s study the sentences below:
(1) Simple Future Tense: I will arrive home by 3:00 in the afternoon.
(2) Future Perfect Tense: I will have arrived home by 3:00 in the afternoon.
The simple future tense implies that the arrival will happen by three in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the second example entails that the act of arriving would have been done or finished by 3:00 p.m.
The above example shows that the future perfect tense is suitable for communicating actions to be completed before sometime in the future.
General Formula for Future Perfect Tense:
The future perfect tense formula for affirmative or positive sentences always starts with a subject followed by the modal verbs “will have” or “shall have”. The past participle form of the verb or V3 is used to express the perfect tense.
| Sentence General Formula |
| Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + rest of the sentence |
Future Perfect Tense Rules and Uses in English Grammar
The three future perfect tense uses are explained below:
1. State action in a specified future time
We use the future perfect form to set intentions with a deadline or exact time. Examples of time expressions or phrases to use are:
- tomorrow
- at noon
- 1:00 pm / 10 in the morning
- this morning/afternoon/evening
- this week/month/ year
- by end of the day
- by summer/spring/fall/winter
- by the second quarter of the month
- by next month
- by March
2. Express action in a specified future event or condition
Additionally, the timeline of action in the future perfect tense can be set to happen before a future event. This future event functions as the condition for the action to be perfected or completed.
3. Talk about future conditions
Lastly, it is used to talk about future conditions. This means it states the duration or state of something in the future. As such, stative verbs are used to express these events. Stative verbs convey emotion (like, love), possession (own, possess), and mental state (know, believe) among others.
Future Perfect Tense Examples in Sentences
Here are fifteen future perfect tense examples you can study to practice your grammar.
1. State action in a specified future time
- Daisy will have finished reading the pocketbooks tomorrow afternoon.
- I will have cleaned the house by the end of the day.
- He shall have submitted his project by the last week of this month.
- The kitchen staff will have prepared the food for the wedding at noon.
- They shall have served the meals for the guests by lunchtime.
2. Express action in a specified future event or condition
- I will have finished my homework before my parents arrive home from work.
- The teacher shall have graded her students’ projects by the end of the week.
- Kevin will have slept before the movie ends.
- We shall have closed the store by the time earth hour starts.
- She will have talked to her parents before the principal calls them.
3. Talk about the duration of conditions
- Matilda will have owned her house for two years this Christmas.
- I will have loved him for a decade since we met.
- He will have known her for three years now.
- Bryce will have liked eating garlic bread every meal for a year by next week.
- She will have had the same haircut for six months.
Future Perfect Tense Chart with Rules, Formula, and Examples
| Future Perfect Tense Chart | |
| Future Perfect Tense Formula: | Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + rest of the sentence |
| Future Perfect Tense Usage / Rules | Future Perfect Tense Examples |
| State action in a specified future time | The two companies will have merged next fiscal year. They shall have collected the survey forms at nine o’clock. |
| Express action in a specified future event or condition | I will have decorated the Christmas tree before my children wake up this morning. Mary shall have sold her 100th piece of art as soon as someone buys it. |
| Talk about duration of conditions | The group of friends will have owned a rental property for five years next month. He will have been in the same town for six years on February 10. |
Future Perfect Tense Different Sentence Structures
1. Negative Sentences
Negative sentences negate the future perfect statement by adding the word “not”. You use negative sentences when you express actions that will not be completed in the future timeline.
2. Yes/No Questions
Yes or no questions seek confirmation for a future perfect action. To ask a yes or no question, start the interrogative statement with the modal auxiliary verbs “will” or “shall”. It is followed by the subject and the auxiliary verb “have,”. Lastly, it is completed by the past participle of the main verb and the rest of the question.
3. Negative Interrogative
Like negative sentences, negative interrogatives are yes or no questions but with the word “not”. It is formed by placing the adverb “not” between the subject and the helping verb “have”.
Future Perfect Tense Formula, Rules, and Examples Table
Study the future perfect tense formula chart with examples below to learn how to use this tense.
| Future Perfect Tense Formula Chart for Other Sentence Structures | ||
| Use of Future Perfect Tense | Formula or Structure of Future Perfect Tense | Examples of Future Perfect Tense Sentences |
| Negative Sentences | Subject + will /shall + not + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence | He will not have labeled the boxes when the truck arrives. Claire shall not have gone to school by eight in the morning. |
| Yes/No Questions | Will/Shall + subject + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence | Will the shipping company have delivered the package by now? Shall Derek have made a casserole for Thanksgiving? |
| Negative Interrogative | Will + subject + not + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence OR Won’t + subject + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence | Will the business owner not have filed his taxes by April? Won’t she have forgiven him for his mistakes after all those years? |
More Examples of Future Perfect Tense in Different Sentence Structures
1. Examples of Negative Sentences in Future Perfect Tense
| Formula for Negative Sentences |
| Subject + will /shall + not + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence |
- He shall not have returned by dinnertime due to heavy traffic.
- The plumber will not have traced the source of the leak in thirty minutes.
- After lunch, the conference meeting will not have ended.
- She shall not have told him the good news in the next two days.
- I will not have awoken by 7:00 a.m. for the yoga class.
2. Examples of Yes/No Questions in Future Perfect Tense
| Formula for Yes/No Questions |
| Will/Shall + subject + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence |
- Will the store have closed after office hours?
- Shall Diana have published her novel in the next two years?
- Will we have provided for our families when we graduate?
- Shall he have brought you flowers on Valentine’s?
- Will you have done fixing my internet connection issues before this day ends?
3. Examples of Negative Interrogative in Future Perfect Tense
| Formula for Negative Interrogative |
| Will + subject + not + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence OR Won’t + subject + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence |
- Will he not have written a letter of explanation had you not requested it?
- Won’t he have written a letter of explanation had you not requested it?
- Will the assistant manager not have reported the incident to the branch manager?
- Won’t the assistant manager have reported the incident to the branch manager?
- Will Janice not have found the truth even when you hide it?
- Won’t Janice have found the truth even when you hide it?
- Will your mother have not paid for your art materials by next week?
- Won’t your mother have paid for your art materials by next week?
- Will the insurance company have not reviewed all your expenses for reimbursement by the end of the month?
- Won’t the insurance company have reviewed all your expenses for reimbursement by the end of the month?
Best Practices for English Learners to Understand Future Perfect Tense
Learning the future perfect tense can be a fun activity for English learners. Provided, we use and find the appropriate exercises. You can start studying by reading English grammar textbooks. Moreover, reading future perfect examples on the internet.
Another practice learners must do, is to try and summarize the information they read. It will help solidify their knowledge. A graphic organizer and future tense chart or table are the best way to do this. Through a tense or verb chart, English learners will have an organized reviewer of rules, sentence structure, formula, and examples of future perfect tense.
Visualizing the timeline of events contributes to learning the future perfect tense definition. To do this, use the adverb “now” as a time reference. See the figure below:
Future Perfect Tense Timeline
In addition, writing sentences using writing prompts, especially when journaling, helps learners remember its rules and concepts. For example, your new year’s resolution can look like this:
By next year…
- I will have decluttered my room and repainted it.
- I will have traveled to Thailand.
- I will have saved 30% of my annual salary.
- I shall have bought a brand new phone.
- I shall have started my master’s degree.
English learners can train their eyes by pointing to the future perfect tense they read in English novels. They can underline sentences that they identified have used the future perfect form of the verb. Finally, answering quizzes trains their retention of the sentence formula of the future perfect tense.
Conclusion
Wrapping up, we learned that the future perfect tense expresses actions that have started and been completed before a specified time, event, or condition in the future. The are three other sentence constructions for future perfect tense: negative statements, yes or no questions, and negative interrogative.
Learning the future perfect tense in English grammar can be confusing. Therefore, to simplify your study, use the future perfect tense chart and the different sentence structures discussed above.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, future perfect tense in English grammar verb tense shows the completion of action by a specified time in the future. It also expresses perfected or finished actions before a future condition, time, or event.
We use the future perfect tense to: (1) state action in a specified future time, (2) express action in a specified future event or condition, and (3) talk about the duration of conditions.
It can be used to express an action that will have been completed by a certain time in the future. For example, Ann will have finished her homework before lunchtime ends. It implies that Ann started her homework at some point and will finish it before the end of lunchtime.
There are five future perfect tense formulas depending on the sentence structure.
Affirmative or positive sentences: Subject + will have/shall have + V3 + rest of the sentence
Negative sentences: Subject + will /shall + not + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence
Yes/No questions: Will/Shall + subject + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence
Negative interrogative first formula: Will + subject + not + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence
Negative interrogative second formula: Won’t + subject + have + V3 + the rest of the sentence
1. Sonny will have graduated college by the time his sister finishes senior high school.
2. He will have applied to a finance company by next week.
3. By next month, I shall have refurbished my kitchen.
4. At midnight, Denis shall have finished reviewing for his examination.
5. I will have collected enough funds for graduate school as soon as I receive my salary.
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