Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense is used to discuss the past in the future. When it is used correctly it is easy to understand. When we speak or write in the future perfect tense, many times we contract the subject with the word will. Occasionally we combine the subject with will and have in the future perfect tense. Also, we use shall in place of will. This often occurs with “I” or “we” subjects.
How do we make the Future Perfect Tense?
Below is the structure of the future perfect tense:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | main verb |
| invariable | invariable | past participle | ||||
| will | have | V3 |
Below are some examples:
| subject | auxiliary verb | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
| + | They | will | have | practiced | all afternoon. | |
| + | He | will | have | left | at 2pm. | |
| – | We | will | not | have | sewed | with the sewing machine. |
| – | She | will | not | have | expected | your call. |
| ? | Will (auxiliary verb) |
they (subject) |
have | watched | the baby? | |
| ? | Will (auxiliary verb) |
she (subject) |
have | cooked | dinner? |
In using the future perfect tense in conversation, we will contract the subject and auxiliary verb:
| I will have | I’ll have |
| you will have | you’ll have |
| he will have | he’ll have |
| she will have | she’ll have |
| it will have | it’ll have |
| we will have | we’ll have |
| they will have | they’ll have |
How do we use the Future Perfect Tense?
The future perfect tense is used to discuss certain actions in the future that occur before another action in the future. Essentially this means that it shows the past in the future. For example:
- The school bus will be here at 7:00am. When you leave the house at 7:10, you will have missed the bus.
| The bus will have gone when you leave the house. | ||
| past | present | future |
| Bus arrives in the future at 7:00am. | ||
| 7 7.10 | ||
| You leave the house in the future at 7:10am. | ||
Here are a few more examples using future perfect tense:
- Text me at noon to meet for lunch. I will have left the office by then.
- By the time you will have arrived, I will already have been at work for hours.
- What time will you have left tonight, in order to get there on time?
The future perfect tense can be explained by thinking of the present perfect tense, with a point of view that is in the future.
| present perfect tense | future perfect tense | ||||
| have done > |
will have done > |
||||
| ___________ | __________ | ||||
| past | now | future | past | now | future |