Future perfect continuous tense
Future perfect continuous
Meaning and use
We use the future perfect and the future perfect continuous tenses to talk about a future event or situation that will have happened or will have been going on for a period of time at some point in the future.
By next March, we will have been married for three years. (future perfect)
Next March, I will have been working here for six months. (future perfect continuous)
Future perfect
We use the future perfect to talk about events that will have happened or been completed by a particular time. These are usually plans or predictions.
This time next year, I’ll have finished my course.
Will you have finished the report by this afternoon?
Future perfect continuous
We use the future perfect continuous to talk about an on-going event or situation that will still be in progress at a particular time. It is often used with a for time phrase to say how long the activity will have been in progress for. In informal speaking and writing, you can leave out for.
On July 2nd I will have been living in Dubai for six months.
By the time the bus gets here, we’ll have been waiting (for) over an hour.
Sometimes you can use either the future perfect or the future perfect continuous. We use the future perfect continuous when we want to emphasis the continuous nature of an action.
In June I’ll have worked for this company for two years.
In June I’ll have been working for this company for two years.
We can use the future perfect continuous to show cause and effect in the future.
He’ll be tired when he gets back because he’ll have been playing tennis all afternoon.
Take note: time phrases with by
Both the future perfect and the future perfect continuous are used with time phrases when making predictions.
These often begin with by or in, for example by the summer, by the end of the week, (by) this time next week/month/year.
By this time next year, house prices will have doubled in the city.
In January, I’ll have been travelling for three months.
Take note: present simple in time phrases with future perfect and future perfect continuous
If the time phrase begins with when or by the time (that),then the verb that follows in the time phrase is in the present simple,not the future simple.
WRONG: Is he on his way? By the time he will get here, the party will have finished!
CORRECT: Is he on his way? By the time he gets here, the party will have finished!
WRONG: When you will come in the summer, we’ll have been living in this house for two years!
CORRECT: When you come in the summer, we’ll have been living in this house for two years!
Take note: future perfect and future perfect continuous for assumption
We can use both the future perfect and the future perfect continuous to say what we believe or imagine has/hasn’t happened or has/hasn’t been happening.
They won’t have arrived yet. They only left twenty minutes ago.
Sam didn’t come home last night. He’ll have been working all night to get his report finished in time.
Form
Future perfect positive
subject + will + have + past participle of main verb
We’ll have sold the house by Christmas, I’m sure.
Future perfect negative
subject + won’t + have + past participle of main verb
Natalie won’t have caught the train. She left the house too late.
Question
will / won’t + subject + have + past participle of main verb
Will they have heard the news do you think?
Future perfect continuous positive
subject + will + have + been + present participle of main verb
She’ll have been travelling all day.
Future perfect continuous negative
subject + won’t + have + been + present participle of main ver
They won’t have been watching the final. They went out.
Question
will / won’t + subject + have + been + present participle of main verb
Will she have been working there long when they relocate?