Future Perfect Progressive

The future perfect progressive tense describes an action that will have started and is ongoing at some point in the future. It combines the perfect aspect with the continuous or progressive aspect. Hence, it’s also known as the future perfect continuous tense.

This article is an overview of the future perfect progressive tense and includes examples of how to use it in English. We will demystify the complex rules behind this advanced form of grammar and provide helpful tips for putting it into practice in everyday conversation.

What is Future Perfect Progressive Tense?

The future perfect progressive tense uses this formula: will + have + been + present participle of the verb or verb + ing. It shows actions that will have been in progress up to a certain point in the future.

For example:

By this time next week, Claire will have been studying for her final exams for two weeks.

In the sentence example above, the speaker projects that Claire will have been studying at a time in the future, and by next week, she will have studied for two weeks. Thus, showing the duration of future action.

Future Perfect Progressive Tense Rules

Learning the future perfect progressive tense is simple. It depicts action that will occur and be ongoing in the future. As such, always use action verbs or verbs that show a process instead of stative verbs or verbs that expresses a state of being.

Let’s examine the two sentences below:

(1) Incorrect: I will have been knowing how to code for a year next week.

(2) Correct: I will have known how to code for a year next week.

“Know” is a stative verb that does not fit the future perfect progressive tense. The correct sentence should use the future perfect tense instead.

Here are five examples of future perfect progressive tense:

1. Jessica will have been living in this city for five years next month.
2. We will have been studying Spanish for six months by the end of the year.
3. He will have been playing soccer for three hours at 5:00 pm.
4. In April, Miss Gale will have been teaching for ten years.
5. By the end of the summer, they will have been working on the project for two months.

Future Perfect Progressive Tense Sentence Structures

The future perfect progressive tense is used in declarative and interrogative sentences. Declarative sentences are statements that convey information. They usually end with a period. Meanwhile, interrogative sentences are questions that seek information or clarification.

The table below shows the formula for constructing declarative and interrogative sentences both in their positive and negative forms:

Form	Positive Declarative	Negative Declarative	Positive Interrogative	Negative Interrogative
Formula:	will + have + been + (verb + ing)	won’t + have + been + (verb + ing)	will + subject + have been + verb + ing)	won’t + subject + have been + verb + ing)
Examples:	Clara will have been traveling the world as a digital nomad for two years next week. After next month, Jules will have been working as a private chef for five years.	Clara won’t have been traveling the world as a digital nomad for two years next week. After next month, Jules won’t have been working as a private chef for five years.	Will Clara have been traveling the world as a digital nomad for two years next week? Will Jules have been working as a private chef for five years after next month?	Won’t Clara have been traveling the world as a digital nomad for two years next week? Won’t Jules have been working as a private chef for five years after next month?

*Note: The contraction of “will not” in negative form is “won’t.”

Examples of Future Perfect Progressive Tense

Here are fifteen examples of sentences in future perfect progressive tense:

1. On Friday, Jessica will have been creating art for three days.
2. George won’t have been building a tree house for two hours after lunch.
3. Will Ciara have been baking cupcakes for her child’s birthday party for two hours by 6:00 pm?
4. Won’t the police have been searching for the missing child for two days by tomorrow?
5. By the end of the summer, they will have been remodeling the house for two months.
6. Will you have been writing your novel for four months by December?
7. Won’t the basketball team have been losing the game twice if they don’t win this time?
8. By the end of the year, I will have been studying French for eight months.
9. Won’t Jeremy have been working on his project for two weeks by Wednesday?
10. The Aydins will have been living in their new house for six months next month.
11. Will they have been running a marathon for three hours by 5:00 pm?
12. The children won’t have been playing in the park for an hour when it starts to rain.
13. The hikers won’t have been walking on the trail for four hours when they reach the summit.
14. Will Sunny have been studying urban planning for two years by the end of next semester?
15. The students won’t have been writing their research papers for three days when the deadline arrives.

Future Perfect Progressive Tense Exercises with Answers

1. Will the team __________ the project for two weeks by next Friday? (monitor)

2. By the end of the year, I __________ Biochemistry for eight months. (study)

3. Won’t the students have been ___________ a robot for two months tomorrow? (construct)

4. Will the company __________ quarterly bonuses for three years by next month? (provide)

5. The team won’t __________ for the next season until next week. (train)

6. Will the engineers __________ the new software for four months by December? (develop)

7. Won’t the mechanics __________ the car for two hours by noon? (repair)

8. By next summer, we __________ our business plan for six months. (revise)

9. Won’t the scientists __________ for three weeks by tomorrow? (experiment)

10. Will the team __________ their presentation for four hours by 3:00 pm? (prepare)

Answers:

1. Will the team have been monitoring the project for two weeks by next Friday?

2. By the end of the year, I will have been studying Biochemistry for eight months.

3. Won’t the students have been constructing a robot for two months tomorrow?

4. Will the company have been providing quarterly bonuses for three years by next month?

5. The team won’t have been training for the next season until next week.

6. Will the engineers have been developing the new software for four months by December?

7. Won’t the mechanics have been repairing the car for two hours by noon?

8. By next summer, we will have been revising our business plan for six months.

9. Won’t the scientists have been experimenting for three weeks by tomorrow?

10. Will the accounting department have been preparing their report for four hours by 3:00 pm?

Future Perfect Progressive Tense List

Future Perfect Progressive Tense
will have been typing	will have been hiking
will have been camping	will have been cooking
will have been measuring	will have been flying
will have been earning	will have been talking
will have been designing	will have been supervising
will have been maintaining	will have been walking
will have been painting	will have been voting
will have been providing	will have been organizing
will have been mowing	will have been producing
will have been shopping	will have been running
will have been experimenting	will have been investing
will have been queuing	will have been jumping
will have been using	will have been sailing
will have been analyzing	will have been gardening
will have been guiding	will have been tutoring
will have been donating	will have been knitting
will have been leading	will have been revising
will have been repairing	will have been monitoring
will have been researching	will have been biking
will have been lifting	will have been developing

Advice for ESL Students & English Language Learners

English grammar, like any language, is a complex subject to study. Understanding and applying grammar rules can be challenging, especially for English language learners. However, your success in learning the language is dependent on your learning plan.

First, know that there are different levels of language proficiency. Knowing your status allows you to align it with your study materials and learning strategy. To keep your motivation, select beginner-friendly materials instead of university textbooks when starting. In doing so, you will feel less intimidated by the topics you should learn.

Second, focus on the basics: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Learn how to use them correctly in sentences and understand their meaning. It will help you build a strong foundation for your English language learning journey. Divide those topics into subtopics and learn each concept and rule one by one.

Third, find a reliable source of learning materials. Online resources such as websites, blogs, and YouTube videos are mostly free. LillyPad’s blog, for example, is a great resource for English language learning materials. Additionally, you can find books and other printed materials in your local library or bookstore.

Fourth, practice speaking the language with native speakers or other English learners. It will help you understand how to use the language correctly in conversations and improve your pronunciation.

Finally, be patient with yourself and don’t give up. Learning a language takes time and effort, so set realistic goals and celebrate your achievements along the way.

Additionally, it is important for learners to properly understand future perfect, present progressive and tenses of verbs.

Common Mistakes Made by English Learners

Learning a new language can be difficult, and English is no exception. Even experienced English learners make mistakes when speaking or writing in the language. Here are some of the most common mistakes made by English learners:

Common Mistake	Why it Happens	Correction	Examples
Tense switching	There are twelve tenses in English, and learners are prone to switch tenses when narrating. They might also find the future tense confusing.	Remember to use one tense in writing or speech to ensure the coherence of your statement. When setting future projections, stick to the future perfect progressive tense.	Tense Switching: The proctor will have been administering the college entrance exam for an hour. Gina was distributing snacks by then. Consistent Tense: The proctor will have been administering the college entrance exam for an hour. Gina will have been distributing snacks by then.
Using non-action verbs or stative verbs	Determining action and non-action verbs can be tricky, especially for beginners. It also contributes to the confusion that some non-action verbs function as action verbs depending on the sentence.	Learners must examine if the verb shows a process and implies that it would end to test if it’s an action verb. If the verb is stative, convert the sentence into future perfect tense.	Incorrect: Hess will have been feeling lonely for a month on Sunday. Correct: Hess will have felt lonely for a month on Sunday. (future perfect tense)

Learning Strategies and Best Practices for Future Perfect Progressive Tense

A holistic approach to learning a language makes it easier to understand and remember. The five macro skills, reading, listening, viewing, speaking, and writing, should be developed and used in the learning process for better language acquisition. The table below lists activities you can do when learning linking verbs:

Learning Strategies
Reading	– Use flashcards to know basic English sight words and their meaning. – Search for a material that contains a translation of common expressions from your native language to English. – Select study materials appropriate for your language proficiency.
Listening	– Listen to an audiobook or a song and write what you hear to improve your retention of English words. – Compare and contrast two audio materials like TV ads and a speech. – Summarize a podcast, movie, audiobook, and other English audio materials.
Viewing	– Observe how native speakers speak and try to mimic it. – Watch English movies, interviews, and tutorials. – Use pictographs to learn and remember new words.
Speaking	– Join a community of English language learners and communicate with them to improve and gain feedback. – Integrate the language into your daily life and try to speak using English. – Participate in speech organizations (e.g. debate clubs, theatre groups)
Writing	– Write a journal of your learning journey in English. – Answer practice tests and create your own sentences. – Create a reflection essay on the media you watch or listen to.

Future Perfect Progressive Tense Frequently Asked Questions