Future Perfect Tense: Examples, Definition, Use, Formula, Structure, Rules and Exercises for English Learners

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What is the Definition and Meaning of Future Perfect Tense?

The future perfect tense is a verb tense used to describe an event that will have occurred or been completed by a certain point in the future. For example, “By six PM tonight, I will have finished my homework.”

The future perfect tense is made up of two parts: the auxiliary verb “will” plus the past participle of the main verb. In the example sentence above, the main verb is “finish” and the past participle is “finished.” The auxiliary verb “will” indicates that the action of finishing homework will take place before six PM tonight.

The future perfect tense can be used to describe both short-term and long-term events. It is often used in conjunction with other verb tenses, such as the present tense, to create a sense of anticipation or suspense. The future perfect tense can also be used to make predictions about the future. For example, “The sun will have set by the time we get home.” In this sentence, we are using the future perfect tense to predict that the sun will set before we arrive home. This usage is often seen in weather forecasts, where meteorologists use the future perfect tense to predict when a particular event will occur. For example, “The sun will have set by 6:00 PM tonight.”

As you can see, the future perfect tense is a versatile verb tense that can be used in a variety of ways. By understanding how to use it correctly, you can add nuance and depth to your writing and speaking.

How should English Learners best study and learn the proper usage of Future Perfect Tense Words?

English learners often struggle with verb tenses, particularly the future perfect tense. This tense is used to describe a sequence of events that will be completed before a specific time in the future. For example, “I will have finished my homework by six o’clock.” To use the future perfect tense correctly, it is important to first understand the various aspects of the tense, including when to use it and how to conjugate verbs. Once this foundation is in place, there are a number of strategies that English learners can use to study and learn the proper usage of future perfect tense words.

One effective way to learn the future perfect tense is to create a timeline of when certain actions will take place. For example, if someone is going to finish their homework at 6:00pm, they would draw a line on a piece of paper and label it 6:00pm. Then, they would write “finish homework” underneath 6:00pm. This strategy helps to visualize when actions need to be completed and makes it easier to remember how to conjugate verbs correctly.

Another helpful strategy is to create practice sentences using irregular verbs. This will help English learners to see how the different forms of the verb change in the future perfect tense. For example, the sentence “I will have gone to the store” uses the irregular verb “gone.” By creating practice sentences with irregular verbs, English learners can better understand how these verbs function in the future perfect tense.

Finally, English learners can also benefit from studying with a partner or group. This gives them an opportunity to practice using the future perfect tense in conversation and receive feedback from others. Additionally, studying with a group can make learning more enjoyable and motivating.

By using these strategies, English learners can improve their ability to use the future perfect tense correctly. While mastering all aspects of grammar can be challenging, strategies like these can make the process easier and more enjoyable.

TensesExamples
Simple Future TenseI will eat the salad.

I will escape this room.

I will cut the vegetables.
Future Continuous Tense.I will have been sitting here waiting.

The family will have been celebrating.

He will have been finishing his project.
Future Perfect TenseI will have eaten the grapes.

He will have taken the rest.

She will have cast the role.
Future Perfect Continuous TenseI will have been listening to the Beatles for 30 years.

My friend will have been enjoying time with his girlfriend today.

The baby will have been taking a nap this afternoon.

Here are a few more examples of sentences in the Future Perfect Tense:

  • By this time next year, I will have finished my degree.
  • By the end of the month, they will have completed the new library.
  • We will have visited every continent by 2025.
  • She will have retired by the time she turns 60.
  • They will have saved enough money to buy a house by next year.
  • I will have learned how to speak fluent French by the end of the year.
  • We will have driven to all 50 states by the time we turn 50.
  • He will have watched all of his favorite movies by next week.
  • She will have read all of the books on her list by 2025.
  • We will have gone on a trip to space by 2030.

What is the Future Perfect Tense formula?

[Subject + will + have + past participle]

What is the structure of the Future Perfect Tense?

Structure of Future Perfect Tense
PositiveNegativeInterrogativeNegative Interrogative
[will have + verb][will not have + verb][will + subject + have + verb?][will + subject + not have + verb?]
I will have called the police.

You will have called the police.

He will have called the police.

She will have called the police.

They will have called the police.
I will not have called the police.

You will not have called the police.

She will not have called the police.

They will not have called the police.
Will I have called the police?

Will you have called the police?

Will he have called the police?

Will she have called the police?

Will they have called the police?
Will I not have called the police?

Will you not have called the police?

Will he not have called the police?

Will she not have called the police?

Will they not have called the police?  
All English Tenses.

Future Perfect Tense Sentence Examples

Future Perfect Questions

1. Will you have finished your homework by the time I get home?

2. Will they have voted by the time the polls close?

3. Will the new restaurant have opened by next week?

4. Will we have received our tax refunds by April 15th?

5. Will you have quit your job by then?

Future Perfect Events

6. I will have finished my degree.

7. I will have gotten a job.

8. I will have moved out of my parent’s house.

9. I will have traveled to at least 10 countries.

10. I will have published a book.

Future Perfect Yes/No Questions

11.Will you have finished the project by next week?

12.Will they have arrived at the airport by 2pm?

13.Will you have eaten breakfast by 7am?

14.Will I have graduated from college by May?

15.Will we have gone on vacation by next month?

Future Perfect Statements

16. By next week, I will have completed my final project.

17. I will have finished studying for my exams by this time tomorrow.

18. My parents will have arrived home from their trip by evening.

19. We will have eaten dinner by the time they get here.

20. She will have graduated from college by the end of next month.

Future Perfect Phrases

21. They will have finished painting the house by tomorrow afternoon.

22. We will have left for our vacation by this time next week.

23. The company will have hired a new CEO by the end of the month.

24. I will have turned 18 years old by next month.

25. They will have completed their research by the time the conference starts.

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What are Common Mistakes English Students make when learning to use Future Perfect Verbs & Words?

1. One of the most common mistakes English students make when learning to use Future Perfect verbs is failing to use the correct verb tense. When referring to future events, it is important to use the present tense, as this indicates that the event has not yet occurred. For example, instead of saying “I will have finished my homework by six PM tonight”, you should say “I will finish my homework by six PM tonight”.

2. Another common mistake is using the wrong form of the verb. When using Future Perfect verbs, you need to ensure that you use the correct base form of the verb, as well as the correct auxiliary verb. For example, the sentence “I will have drank three cups of coffee by noon tomorrow” is incorrect, as the base verb “drink” should be in its past participle form “drunk”. The correct sentence would be “I will have drunk three cups of coffee by noon tomorrow”.

3. A third common mistake is misunderstanding when to use Future Perfect verbs. Many English students think that they can only be used to refer to future events, when in fact they can also be used to refer to past events that will have been completed by a specific point in the future. For example, the sentence “By next week, I will have read all of the Harry Potter books” correctly uses Future Perfect verbs to refer to a past event (reading the books) which will be completed at some point in the future (next week).

4. Another frequent error is forgetting to add the necessary words and phrases needed for forming Future Perfect sentences. In addition to using the correct verb forms, you also need to remember to include words such as “by” and “will have” in your sentences. For example, the sentence “I finished my homework six PM tonight” would be incorrect without the addition of these words, as it would simply be referring to a event that has already occurred (in the past). The correct sentence would be “I will have finished my homework by six PM tonight”.

5. Finally, many English students make the mistake of using Future Perfect verbs when there is no need to do so. In general, using simpler verb tenses such as “will finish” or “finished” are just as effective in communicating your meaning, and are often easier for others to understand. As such, there is no need to overcomplicate your sentences by unnecessarily adding extra verbs and auxiliaries.

How Can Language Learners Avoid Making Common Mistakes?

Here are five ways to avoid making common mistakes with future perfect verbs and words:

1. Pay attention to verb tense. When using future perfect verbs, be sure to use the correct tense. For example, if you’re describing an event that will happen in the future, you would use the present tense form of the verb (e.g., “I will have finished my work by 5pm”).

2. Pay attention to word order. When using future perfect verbs, be sure to put the verb before the subject (e.g., “By next week, I will have completed my project”).

3. Don’t use contractions. When using future perfect verbs, avoid using contractions (e.g., “I’ll have finished”). Instead, use the full form of the verb (e.g., “I will have finished”).

4. Use positive statements. When using future perfect verbs, make sure to use positive statements rather than negative ones (e.g., “I will have completed my work by 5pm” rather than “I won’t have finished my work until 5pm”).

5. Practice regularly. The best way to avoid making common mistakes with future perfect verbs is to practice regularly. Try reading or listening to material that uses these verbs frequently, and pay close attention to how they’re used. With time and practice, you’ll be able to use them correctly and confidently.

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Future Perfect Tense Exercises:

1. By next year, I _ _ _ my own food.

2. In two years, I _ _ _ to five new countries and tried their cuisine.

3. By 2025, governments _ _ _ healthy food widely available.

4. In 2030, I _ _ _ a cooking class in Italy.

5. By 2040, I _ _ _ from my job as a chef.

6. In 2050, I hope that we _ _ _ the food waste problem.

7. By 2100, I believe that _ _ _ landed on Mars and begun growing crops there.

8. In 2200, I predict that _ _ _ found a cure for famine.

9. By 2300, we _ _ _ every flavor of ice cream imaginable.

10. In 2400, I hope that _ _ _ finally achieved world peace… over a shared love of food!

Answers:

1. By next year, I will have grown my own food.

2. In two years, I will have flown to five new countries and tried their cuisine.

3. By 2025, governments will have made healthy food widely available.

4. In 2030, I will have taken a cooking class in Italy.

5. By 2040, I will have retired from my job as a chef.

6. In 2050, I hope that we will have solved the food waste problem.

7. By 2100, I believe that we will have landed on Mars and begun growing crops there.

8. In 2200, I predict that we will have found a cure for famine.

9. By 2300, we will have made every flavor of ice cream imaginable.

10. In 2400, I hope that we will have finally achieved world peace… over a shared love of food!

Here are 14 common verbs that are conjugated in the Future Perfect Tense:

  1. Will have finished
  2. Will have started
  3. Will have stopped
  4. Will have continued
  5. Will have liked
  6. Will have wanted
  7. Will have needed
  8. Will have asked
  9. Will have given
  10. Will have taken
  11. Will have seen
  12. Will have heard
  13. Will have taken
  14. Will have learned

Here are some more examples of Future Perfect verbs in action:

  • By the end of the year, everyone will have downloaded their favorite album onto their phones.
  • In five years’ time, live music concerts will have been a thing of the past.
  • Ten years from now, we will have been listening to music that is created by computers.
  • In fifteen years, all the music in the world will have made history.
  • Finally, in thirty years there we will have advanced in the music world.
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Frequently Asked Questions for Future Perfect Tense:

What are 5 examples of future tense?

Here are five future perfect examples referencing a plan or future period of time:

• I will be going to the store tomorrow.
• She will be singing at the concert tonight.
• They will be having a party next weekend.
• We will be seeing the new movie next Friday.
• I will not be coming to your house tonight.

What are future tense and its examples?

Future tense indicates an action that has not yet occurred and will occur at some point in the future. There are several ways to form the future tense, including using the tense verbs “will” or “shall,” as well as using the present tense of certain verbs, such as “going.”

For example, “I will call you tomorrow” and “I am going to call you tomorrow” both indicate that the speaker intends to call the person tomorrow.
In addition, there are a few irregular verbs that have special forms in the future tense, such as “will know” and “shall have.”

The future tense is often used when making plans or predicting what will happen, as in “I think it will rain tomorrow.” It can also be used to express certainty, as in “The sun will rise at 6:00am tomorrow.”

What are the 4 types of future tense?

For the future tense, there are four main types of verb tenses: future simple, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous.

Future simple tense is used to describe an action that will happen once and is not currently happening. For example, “I will call you tomorrow.”

Future continuous tense is used to describe an action that will be happening at a specific time in the future. For example, “I will be meeting with my boss at 3pm.”

The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will have been completed by a specific time in the future. For example, “The project will be finished by next week.”

Future perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that will have been happening for a certain amount of time by a specific time in the future. For example, “I will have been working on this project for two weeks by the time it’s due.” Each of these tenses has a specific purpose and can be used to communicate different information about the future.

What are the 4 types of tenses with examples?

There are four main types of tenses in English: past, present, future, and perfect. Each one expresses a different version of events.

The past tense is used to describe events that have already happened. For example, “I went to the store.” The present tense is used to describe events that are happening now or always happening. For example, “I am going to the store.” Future perfect tense rules are used to describe events that will happen in the future. For example, “I will go to the store.” And the perfect tense is used to describe events that have already happened or been completed. For example, “I have gone to the store.”

There are also a few other less common tenses, but these four are the most important and most commonly used. Tenses can be simple (just one word), progressive (a form of “to be” plus a present participle), or perfect (a form of “to have” plus a past participle). Each type has its own specific use and function.

10 examples of future perfect tense?

Here are 10 future perfect tense sentences:

-By next week, I will have finished writing my novel. (scheduled event)
-I will have left for work by the time you wake up. (future before past)
-By six PM tonight, they will have completed their project.
-We will have cleaned the entire house by noon tomorrow.
-The baby will have taken her first steps by her first birthday.
-She will have eaten dinner by the time her husband gets home from work.
-They will have gone to bed before midnight.
-I will have flown to New York by this time next week.

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Bethany MacDonald

Bethany MacDonald

Bethany MacDonald has contributed articles LillyPad.ai since 2020. As their Blog Lead, she specialises in informative pieces on culture, education, and language learning

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