Future Perfect Tense: Definition, Types, Examples, Rules, Practice Questions with Solutions

The future perfect tense is used when expressing an action or event that will have been completed at a specific future time. The event/ action being referred to in the future perfect tense has a set deadline. Future perfect tense follows the following structure:

Let’s understand this structure better by looking at some future perfect tense examples:

• By noon tomorrow, he will have completed his work.
• They will have finished doing their chores by the time Jane arrives.

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Cambridge dictionary defines future perfect tense as “the form of the verb that is used to show that an action will have been performed by a particular time. In English, it is formed by ‘will have’ or ‘shall have’ and a past participle.”

As per the Oxford dictionary, future perfect tense is defined as “the form of verb that expresses an action completed before a particular time in the future, formed in English with will have or shall have and the past participle.”

Pronunciation: ðə ˌfjuːtʃər ˈpɜːrfɪkt/. 

Future Perfect Tense Definition

The future perfect tense is used when talking about actions that will be completed prior to a specified time or event in the future. Let us have a look at some case where the future perfect tense is used correctly in a sentence:

1. When Referring to Completed Actions Before a Future Time

One of the most common future perfect tense usage is when someone wants to say that an event or action will be done before a certain future moment.

Example: By next winter, I will have learnt to crochet.

2. To showcase Expectations or Predictions

Another instance to use the future perfect tense in a sentence is when someone is either expecting something or predicting a future event.

Example: Janice will have left for home by now.

3. While Putting Emphasis on the Duration Before a Future Point

Oftentimes, one combines the future perfect with “for” or “by” when talking about the duration an event has lasted.

Example: By next year, the Cooper family will have lived in Nottingham for ten years.

Common Time Expressions for Future Perfect Tense

Some common time expressions used when making a sentence using future perfect tense are as follows:

• By + time (day/ week/ year, etc.)
• Before + subject + verb
• By the time + subject + verb
• In + time (in three months)
• Within + time duration (within the next week)

Check out the table below to know about some examples of each of the commonly used time expressions in future perfect tense:

Future perfect tense follows a rather simple sentence structure, similar to other future tenses. Check out the future perfect tense structure explained below with the help of rules and examples:

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While the future perfect sentence structure is commonly seen in a positive and affirmative sense, it is not uncommon to witness negative and question forms of the tense. Take a look at the following points to understand the future perfect tense formula better:

• Negative form: will not have + past participle

Example: They will not have reached Paris by night as the flight had multiple layovers.

• Question form: will + subject + have + past participle?

Example: Will you have finished this task by tomorrow EOD?

In total, the future perfect tense has four forms; affirmative, negative, interrogative, and interrogative negative. Each of these forms aids in expressing the completion of the future event differently according to the context. Check out the table below to know more:

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Often mistaken for how similar they sound, the simple future tense and the future perfect tense are not in fact the same. Let’s take a look at the following table to know about the key difference between future perfect tense and simple future tense:

A quick tip to differentiate between these two tenses is as follows:

• If you’re simply stating what will happen, use the simple future tense.
• When talking about what will have already happened by a specific time, use the future perfect tense.

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There are certain cases and scenarios in which one can make errors while using future perfect tense in a sentence. Find below some such cases:

Using the Correct Time Clauses

It is important that one uses the correct time clauses while constructing the sentence. The sentences that start with time clauses, such as when, by, before, as soon as, after, etc., remember to use present simple tense. As the future meaning is already told in the main clause, the time clause stays in the present tense only.

Example:

Incorrect: He will have left before Jane will arrive.

Correct: He will have left before Jane arrives.

Use of Stative Verbs

Stative verbs, aka state verbs, are used to refer to a state or condition instead of an action. Some common uses of state verbs are while discussing thoughts, opinions, emotions, feelings, etc. In future perfect, state verbs are used when representing a completed state.

Example: By 2039, I will have known Janice for three decades. (Showing the duration of the state).

Omission of the Time Expression

Usually, time markers or expressions are required to specify the time period (e.g., by 2029) to make the future perfect tense clear. However, if the context is already clear, then it can also be dropped.

Example: By next month, she will have finished this project can be rephrased as Don’t worry, she will have finished this project by then.

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