Future perfect tense

1. Concept of the Future Perfect Tense

The Future Perfect Tense is used to describe an action or event that will be completed before a specific point in the future. It can also be used to describe an action or event that will be completed before another action or event in the future.

Examples of the Future Perfect Tense

2. Structure of the Future Perfect Tense

Where:

- S (subject): The subject of the sentence

- Will & have: Auxiliary verbs

- VpII: Past participle of the verb

2.1. Affirmative Sentences

S + will + have + VpII

✎ Note: "have" always follows "will"

Examples:

- I will have finished my homework this weekend.

- He will have completed his report by the end of this month.

2.2. Negative Sentences

S + will + not + have + VpII

✎ Note: In negative sentences, add "not" after "will". "Will not" can be contracted to "won't".

Examples:

- I won't have finished my work this week.

- She will not have discharged from the hospital until the end of next month.

2.3. Interrogative Sentences

Will + S + have + VpII ?

Answers:

- Yes, S + will

- No, S + won't

✎ Note:

- In interrogative sentences, move the auxiliary verb "will" to the beginning.

- Questions with "what, how, when, why,..." follow the structure: Wh-word + will + S + have + VpII ? (Example: How will you have finished your essay this weekend? => How will you have completed your essay this weekend?)

Examples:

- Will you have graduated later this year?

- Will they have finished their homework in the next 2 hours?

3. Usage of the Future Perfect Tense

➣ Used to describe an action or event that will be completed before a specific time in the future or before another action or event in the future. The action or event that is completed first uses the Future Perfect Tense, while the subsequent action or event uses the Simple Present Tense.

Examples:

- I will have finished my homework before 11 o’clock this evening.

-> Here, “11 PM tonight” is a future time point, and the “homework” will be completed before this time, so the Future Perfect Tense is used.

- When you come back, I will have typed this email.

- I will have made the meal ready before the time you come tomorrow.

4. Signs of the Future Perfect Tense

4.1. Sentences containing the following phrases:

- by + future time

- by the end of + future time

- by the time …

- before + future time

Examples:

- By the end of this month, I will have taken an English course.

- I will have finished my homework before 9 o’clock this evening.

-> Here, “9 PM tonight” is a future time point, and the “homework” will be completed before this time, so the Future Perfect Tense is used.

4.2. Used to express actions

➣ Used to describe an action or event that will be completed before another action or event in the future.

- The action or event completed first uses the Future Perfect Tense. The subsequent action or event uses the Simple Present Tense.

Examples:

- I will have made the meal ready before the time you come tomorrow.

-> There are two future events: “preparing the meal” and “you arriving”. Since “preparing the meal” will be completed before “you arriving”, the Future Perfect Tense is used. The later event, “you arriving”, uses the Simple Present Tense.