Future Perfect Tense

by Yogi P - October 1, 2023

Future Perfect Tense: Definition, Structure, and Examples

Let’s talk about the Future Perfect Tense. We use it to talk about actions that will finish at a specific time in the future. This guide will help you understand it better with easy definitions, structure, and examples.

What Is the Future Perfect Tense?

The Future Perfect Tense is used to say that an action will be completed by a certain future time. It tells us that an action will end before a moment in the future.

Definitions of the Future Perfect Tense

Cambridge Dictionary: Used to show that an action will have been performed by a particular time.
Collins Dictionary: Describes an action that will have been done by a certain time.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Formed with will have and shall have, expressing completion of an action by a future time.
Britannica Dictionary: Refers to an action that will be done by a specified future time.

Structure and Formula of the Future Perfect Tense

Formula:

Subject + will have + Past Participle form of Main Verb + Rest of the Sentence

Structure of the Future Perfect Tense:

Positive	Negative	Interrogative	Negative Interrogative
Subject + will have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence	Subject + will not have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence	Will + Subject + have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence?	Will + Subject + not have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence? OR Won’t + Subject + have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence?
I will have dressed up by the time you reach home.	I will not have dressed up by the time you reach home.	Will I have dressed up by the time you reach home?	Will I not have dressed up by the time you reach home? Won’t I have dressed up by the time you reach home?
Maria will have finished her assignment by tomorrow. They will have traveled to Paris by next year. The gardener will have planted the flowers by the afternoon. The company will have launched the new product by December.	Maria will not have finished her assignment by tomorrow. They will not have traveled to Paris by next year. The gardener will not have planted the flowers by the afternoon. The company will not have launched the new product by December.	Will Maria have finished her assignment by tomorrow? Will they have traveled to Paris by next year? Will the gardener have planted the flowers by the afternoon? Will the company have launched the new product by December?	Will Maria not have finished her assignment by tomorrow? Will they not have traveled to Paris by next year? *(or using “won’t”)* Won’t the gardener have planted the flowers by the afternoon? Won’t the company have launched the new product by December?

Positive

Negative

Interrogative

Negative Interrogative

Subject + will have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence

Subject + will not have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence

Will + Subject + have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence?

Will + Subject + not have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence?
OR
Won’t + Subject + have + Past Participle + Rest of the Sentence?

I will have dressed up by the time you reach home.

I will not have dressed up by the time you reach home.

Will I have dressed up by the time you reach home?

Will I not have dressed up by the time you reach home?
Won’t I have dressed up by the time you reach home?

Maria will have finished her assignment by tomorrow.

They will have traveled to Paris by next year.

The gardener will have planted the flowers by the afternoon.

The company will have launched the new product by December.

Maria will not have finished her assignment by tomorrow.

They will not have traveled to Paris by next year.

The gardener will not have planted the flowers by the afternoon.

The company will not have launched the new product by December.

Will Maria have finished her assignment by tomorrow?

Will they have traveled to Paris by next year?

Will the gardener have planted the flowers by the afternoon?

Will the company have launched the new product by December?

Will Maria not have finished her assignment by tomorrow?

Will they not have traveled to Paris by next year?

(or using “won’t”)

Won’t the gardener have planted the flowers by the afternoon?

Won’t the company have launched the new product by December?

Points to Remember:

Formed using “will” and “have” followed by the past participle of the main verb.
Past participle often ends in ‘ed’ but irregular verbs have different forms.

Adverbs Suitable for the Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense always operates within a time context. To clearly specify this time frame, certain adverbs are employed. Below is a list of adverbs that can be effectively used with the future perfect tense to denote the timing of an action:

Before	By the time
By (a specific time/date/year)	When
After	By then
Until	By the end of
Till	By the year 2023

These adverbs help to indicate the completion time of an action in the future perfect tense, making your sentences more clear and understandable.

Uses:

Use the Future Perfect Tense to talk about:

An action that will finish before a certain future time.
An action that will complete before another future action.

Simple Future Tense Vs Future Perfect Tense:

Aspect	Simple Future Tense	Future Perfect Tense
Purpose	Used when you want to talk about an action or event that will happen in the future.	Used when talking about an action or event that will be completed before a certain time or another event in the future.
Structure	Subject + will/shall + Base form of the verb	Subject + will have + Past participle form of the verb
Adverbs Used	Generally does not require specific adverbs	Uses specific adverbs related to time such as before, by the time, by, when, after, by then, until, by the end of, till, etc.
Example	Diana will reach home on Monday.	Diana will have reached home by Monday.
Explanation	Indicates actions that will happen in the future without relation to other events or times.	Indicates actions that will be finished before a certain time or event in the future.

Examples:

Action or Event Over Within a Certain Time in the Future:

Harry will have planted all the saplings in the garden by 4 p.m.
Lakshmi will have arrived by then.

Action or Event Happening Before Another Action or Event in the Future:

The train will have left by the time you reach the station.
The children will have learned how to do it by themselves before we appoint someone else to teach them.

Making a Conviction About Something in the Future:

I don’t think Mina will have cleaned the house completely by the time we reach.
Karina and her friends will not have finished their work by Monday.

Frequently Asked Questions on Future Perfect Tense

Q1. What is the Future Perfect Tense?

The Future Perfect Tense is used to express actions that will be completed by a specific time in the future. It helps to describe events that have not yet occurred but are expected to be finished at a particular time later on.

Q2. How is the Future Perfect Tense structured?

The structure for the Future Perfect Tense is: Subject + will have + past participle of the verb + the rest of the sentence.

For example: ” They will have finished the project by next week. ”

Q3. Can you provide some examples of adverbs that can be used with the Future Perfect Tense?

Absolutely, some adverbs that can be used with the Future Perfect Tense include: “before,” “by the time,” “until,” “by (a specific date/year),” and “by then.”

These adverbs help clarify the time frame in which the action will be completed.

Q4. What is the difference between Simple Future Tense and Future Perfect Tense?

Simple Future Tense is used to talk about actions that will happen in the future, without specifying completion. For example: “She will travel to Paris.” Future Perfect Tense, on the other hand, is used for actions that will be completed by a certain time in the future.

For example: ” She will have arrived in Paris by tomorrow. ”

Q5. Can the Future Perfect Tense be used in negative and interrogative sentences?

Yes, the Future Perfect Tense can be used in negative and interrogative sentences.

For example, negative: “He will not have completed the assignment by Friday.” Interrogative: “Will she have completed the assignment by Friday?”

MCQs on Future Perfect Tense

Q1. What does the Future Perfect Tense represent?

a) Actions in the past
b) Actions in the present
c) Actions completed by a specific time in the future
d) Continuous actions

Answer: c) Actions completed by a specific time in the future

Q2. Which helping verbs are used in the Future Perfect Tense?

a) is/am
b) was/were
c) will have
d) has/have

Answer: c) will have

Q3. What is the correct structure of the Future Perfect Tense?

a) Subject + will + verb
b) Subject + has + past participle
c) Subject + will have + past participle + rest of the sentence
d) Subject + will be + verb + ing

Answer: c) Subject + will have + past participle + rest of the sentence

Q4. What is the past participle form of the main verb in the sentence: “She will have finished her homework by evening.”?

a) finish
b) finished
c) finishing
d) will finish

Answer: b) finished

Q5. Which adverb cannot be used with Future Perfect Tense?

a) By
b) Until
c) Afterwards
d) Before

Answer: c) Afterwards

Q6. How is the negative form of Future Perfect Tense structured?

a) Subject + will not + have + past participle
b) Subject + will + not have + verb
c) Subject + will + have + not verb
d) Subject + not + will have + verb

Answer: a) Subject + will not + have + past participle

Q7. Which sentence is in the Future Perfect Tense?

a) They will go to the market.
b) They will have gone to the market.
c) They go to the market.
d) They have gone to the market.

Answer: b) They will have gone to the market.

Q8. In the sentence, “Will you have eaten by the time I arrive?”, what type of Future Perfect Tense is used?

a) Positive
b) Negative
c) Interrogative
d) Negative Interrogative

Answer: c) Interrogative

Q9. Can the Future Perfect Tense be used to express a conviction about something that will happen at a certain time in the future?

a) Yes
b) No

Answer: a) Yes

Q10. What form of the main verb is used in the Future Perfect Tense?

a) Base form
b) Present participle
c) Past participle
d) Past simple

Answer: c) Past participle

Fill in the Blanks on Future Perfect Tense

1. The Future Perfect Tense is used to describe actions that will be _________ by a specific time in the future.

2. The structure of a positive sentence in Future Perfect Tense is: Subject + _______ + have + past participle + the rest of the sentence.

3. In the sentence, “They will have arrived by 5 o’clock”, “arrived” is the _________ form of the main verb.

4. The Future Perfect Tense can also be used to express a _________ about something that will happen at a certain time in the future.

5. To form a negative sentence in Future Perfect Tense, we add the word “not” after “will”. For example: Subject + will + _______ + have + past participle.

6. The sentence “She will have finished her project by next week” is in _________ tense.

7. In the question, “Will they have reached home by evening?”, “reached” is the _________ form of the verb.

8. The sentence “I will not have traveled to Paris by summer” is in the _________ form of the Future Perfect Tense.

9. An adverb that can be used with the Future Perfect Tense to indicate time frame is “by _______” (a specific time).

10. The Future Perfect Tense can be used to talk about an action or event that will be over before _________ event in the future.

Answers: 1. completed, 2. will, 3. past participle, 4. conviction, 5. not, 6. Future Perfect, 7. past participle, 8. negative, 9. (a specific time), 10. another