i will have finished my homework

How to Use the Future Perfect Tense

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• When we get married, I'll have known Robert for four years.
• At 4 o'clock, I'll have been in this office for 24 hours.
• I've lived here for 11 months and three weeks. (This is correct, but the time is not an easy number.)
• On Tuesday, I will have lived here for one year. (A much easier number.)
• By 10 o'clock, I will have finished my homework. (= I will finish my homework some time before 10, but we don't know exactly when.)
• By the time I'm sixty, I will have retired. (= I will retire sometime before I'm sixty. Maybe when I'm fifty-nine, maybe when I'm fifty-two.)

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Future Perfect Sentences With Examples

Published by

Olivia Drake

The Future Perfect tense is used to describe actions that will be completed before a specific point in the future. It emphasizes the completion of an activity rather than its duration. The structure of a Future Perfect sentence is:

Subject + Will Have + Past Participle

Let’s explore some examples to understand this better:

I will have finished my homework by 8 PM. This sentence indicates that the speaker will complete their homework before 8 PM. The action is finished before the specified future time.

She will have left by the time you arrive. This example shows that her action of leaving will be completed before your arrival. The action is already done when another event occurs.

They will have traveled to Japan by next month. This sentence describes an action that will be completed before a specified future time. Traveling to Japan is finished by next month.

We will not have eaten by the time the movie starts. This sentence expresses a negative completed action. The speaker and their companions will not have finished eating before the movie starts.

If you visit her at noon, she will have finished her lunch. This is an example of the Future Perfect used to describe an action that will be completed before another action occurs. Finishing lunch is done before noon.

The Future Perfect is formed by using “will have” followed by the past participle of the verb. It’s important to maintain the correct structure to convey the completion of the action in the future.

Incorrect: She will have finish her homework by 6 PM.

We can see that the Future Perfect is often used to talk about actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future.

The words “ by ,” “ before ,” and “ by the time ” are commonly used with the Future Perfect to add context about the timing of the completed action.

Future Perfect Sentence Examples

• I will have completed the report by the end of the day. (The action of completing the report is done before the end of the day.)
• She will have written the essay before the deadline. (She will complete writing the essay before the deadline.)
• They will have built the house by next summer. (Building the house will be completed by next summer.)
• We will not have finished the project by next week. (The project will not be completed before next week.)
• He will have learned all the vocabulary by the exam. (He will complete learning all the vocabulary before the exam.)
• The sun will have set by 7 PM. (The action of the sun setting will be completed before 7 PM.)
• Birds will have migrated south before winter starts. (The migration of birds will be completed before winter starts.)
• Water will have boiled by the time you pour it out. (Boiling the water will be completed before pouring it out.)
• The plane will have taken off by the time you reach the airport. (Taking off will be completed before you reach the airport.)
• She will have worked at the company for ten years by next year. (Her action of working at the company will be completed by next year.)
• He will have mastered French by the end of the course. (He will complete mastering French before the course ends.)
• The Earth will have completed another orbit by the end of the year. (The Earth’s orbit will be completed by the end of the year.)
• Cats will have caught all the mice by morning. (Catching the mice will be completed before morning.)
• We will have celebrated New Year’s Eve by the time you arrive. (Celebrating New Year’s Eve will be completed before you arrive.)
• She will have always remembered her keys by the time she leaves. (Remembering her keys will be a completed action before she leaves.)
• They will have played the game by the time you join. (Playing the game will be completed before you join.)
• He will not have drunk coffee before noon. (The action of not drinking coffee will be completed before noon.)
• The store will have closed by the time you get there. (Closing the store will be completed before you get there.)
• I will have traveled to five countries by next year. (Traveling to five countries will be completed by next year.)
• She will have taught English for ten years by next summer. (Her action of teaching English will be completed by next summer.)

The Future Perfect tense is essential for describing actions that will be completed before specific times in the future. Using this tense allows for clear communication about activities that will be finished, emphasizing their completion. Mastering the Future Perfect helps in expressing future actions with precision and clarity.

Feel free to leave comments or ask questions if you need further clarification on any of the points discussed. Happy learning!

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Future Perfect Tense With Examples, Rules, Usage

Table of Contents

The Future Perfect Tense is a verb tense used to describe an action that will be completed at some point in the future before another action or time. In this tense, we combine “will have” with the past participle of the main verb. It emphasizes the completion of an action before a specific point or event in the future.

• She will have finished her homework by 8 PM.
• They will have left for the airport by the time you arrive.
• I won’t have completed the puzzle by lunchtime.
• They won’t have fixed the car before the mechanic arrives.
• Will you have submitted your report by tomorrow?
• By Friday, will they have chosen a new team captain?

Usages of the Future Perfect Tense

Completed Action Before a Point in the Future

The future perfect tense describes an action that will be finished before a specific time or event.

• She will have completed her chores before dinner.
• By the time you arrive, I will have finished writing the report.
• They will have built the new playground before the school year starts.
• I won’t have finished my homework before the movie begins.
• They won’t have completed the project by the deadline.
• She won’t have cooked dinner before the guests arrive.
• Will you have completed the assignment by tomorrow?
• By the time they get here, will you have finished cleaning?
• Will they have renovated the kitchen by the end of the month?

Emphasizing Duration

The future perfect tense can be used to emphasize the duration of an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.

• She will have lived in the city for a decade by next year.
• By the time I graduate, I will have studied engineering for five years.
• They will have known each other for twenty years by their anniversary.
• I won’t have worked at this job for more than a year by the time I leave.
• By next month, she won’t have lived in the neighborhood for even a year.
• They won’t have known each other for a decade by their reunion.
• Will you have worked here for five years by the end of the contract?
• By next summer, will she have lived in the city for ten years?
• Will they have been married for twenty years by their anniversary?

 Hypothetical Situations

The future perfect tense can be used to discuss hypothetical situations or possibilities that may be completed by a certain time in the future.

• If she practices every day, she will have become a skilled pianist by the end of the year.
• If you save money regularly, you will have enough for a vacation by next summer.
• If they start now, they will have planted a beautiful garden by the time of the party.
• If she doesn’t water the flowers, they won’t have bloomed by the wedding.
• If you miss the bus, you won’t have arrived at the event on time.
• If they don’t practice, they won’t have memorized the lines for the play.
• If you study hard, will you have completed the assignment by tomorrow?
• If we start early, will we have reached the summit by noon?
• If they work together, will they have finished the project by the deadline?

Future Perfect Tense Chart

Signal Words

Signal words are words or phrases that indicate the use of the future perfect tense. They often help identify when an action will be completed or its relationship to other events.

• By (specific time): By tomorrow, By the end of the week, By next year.
• Before (specific time): Before the party starts, Before the deadline, Before the meeting .
• By the time (specific time): By the time you arrive, By the time the movie starts.
• At (specific time): At 6 PM, At the concert.
• In (period of time): In a month, In a year.
• She will have completed her project by tomorrow.
• They will have fixed the car before the weekend.
• We will have arrived at the destination by noon.
• He will have finished his homework by the time you call.
• I will have graduated from school by next year.
• I won’t have received the package by the end of the day.
• They won’t have cleaned the house before the guests arrive.
• She won’t have cooked dinner by the time you get home.
• He won’t have fixed the computer by tomorrow morning.
• We won’t have completed the puzzle before bedtime.
• By next month, will you have finished the book?
• Before the meeting, will they have prepared the presentation?
• By the end of the week, will she have visited all the museums?
• By the time of the event, will he have learned the dance?
• Before the deadline, will we have completed the project?

Time Expressions

Time expressions in the future perfect tense are phrases or words that indicate when an action is expected to be completed. These expressions help provide context and specify the point in the future when the action will be finished.

Here are some common time expressions:

By + specific time, Before + specific time, By the time + specific time, At + specific time, In + period of time.

• By next Sunday, she will have finished reading the book.
• They will have completed the renovation before the end of the month.
• By the time the movie starts, we will have bought our tickets.
• He will have graduated from college by the year 2025.
• By the end of the day, she will have written five articles.
• Before the exam, I won’t have studied the entire syllabus.
• They won’t have painted the house by next weekend.
• Before the presentation, he won’t have prepared the slides.
• By the time the party begins, she won’t have baked the cake.
• Before the trip, they won’t have packed their bags.
• By next month, will you have completed the project?
• Before the concert, will they have rehearsed all the songs?
• By the time we arrive, will she have set up the decorations?
• By the end of the week, will he have submitted the report?
• Before the deadline, will they have finalized the proposal?

Forming the Future Perfect Tense

Affirmative Sentences

Affirmative sentences in the future perfect tense are statements that express actions or events that will be completed or finished before a specific point in the future. These sentences typically use the auxiliary verb “will” or shall followed by have  and the past participle of the main verb, forming the structure:

Subject + will /shall + have + verb(3rd form) + object.

• She will have finished her book by next Sunday.
• By the end of the day, they will have completed the puzzle.
• He will have fixed the computer before dinner.
• By next month, I will have learned to swim.
• They will have visited all the museums by the time they leave the city.
• She will have written five letters by tomorrow.
• By the time you wake up, the sun will have risen.
• We will have planted flowers in the garden by the weekend.
• By next year, he will have saved enough money for a car.
• They will have finished the construction before the rainy season.
• She will have graduated from college by the year 2024.

The sentences given above are broken down according to their grammatical structure.

Negative Sentences

Negative sentences in the future perfect tense are statements that express actions or events that will not be completed or finished before a specific point in the future. These sentences typically use the negative form of the auxiliary verb will (will not) or the contraction won’t, followed by have and the past participle of the main verb. The structure for negative sentences in the future perfect tense is:

Subject + will /shall +not + have + verb(3rd form) + object.

• I won’t have completed the assignment by tomorrow.
• By the end of the week, they won’t have fixed the broken window.
• He won’t have learned to ride a bike by next month.
• By next year, she won’t have finished writing her novel.
• They won’t have visited the new museum before it closes.
• I won’t have cooked dinner by the time you come home.
• By the weekend, we won’t have planted flowers in the garden.
• He won’t have saved enough money for the vacation by the end of the year.
• They won’t have completed the renovation before the holiday season.
• She won’t have graduated from college by the year 2025.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences in the future perfect tense are questions that inquire about actions or events expected to be completed before a specific point in the future. These questions typically use the auxiliary verb will or shall, followed by the subject, have,  the past participle of the main verb, and additional elements. The structure for interrogative sentences in the future perfect tense is:

Will /Shall + subject + have + verb(3rd form) + object.

• By tomorrow, will you have finished the assignment?
• Will they have repaired the broken window by the end of the week?
• By next month, will he have mastered riding a bike?
• Will she have completed her novel by next year?
• Will they have visited the new museum before it closes?
• Will you have cooked dinner by the time you come home?
• By the weekend, will we have planted flowers in the garden?
• Will he have saved enough money for the vacation by the end of the year?
• Will they have finished the renovation before the holiday season?
• By the year 2025, will she have graduated from college?

Spelling Rules

Spelling rules in the future perfect tense are generally consistent with the regular rules for forming past participles .

Here are some key spelling rules to keep in mind:

Regular Verbs

Verbs Ending in -e

One-Syllable Verbs with a Single Vowel Followed by a Single Consonant:

Irregular Verbs

Verbs Ending in -y

Future Perfect vs. Simple Future Tense

The future perfect tense and the simple future tense are two distinct verb tenses in English, each used to convey different aspects of time and completion.

Let’s compare these two tenses:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

To avoid common mistakes in the future perfect tense, consider the following tips:

• Use of “Will Have” or “Shall Have”:

Ensure that the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” is used correctly with “have” to form the future perfect tense.

• Incorrect: “I have finished my work by tomorrow.”
• Correct: “I will have finished my work by tomorrow.”
• Correct Placement of “Not” in Negative Sentences:

Place “not” after “will” or use the contraction “won’t” for negative sentences.

• Incorrect: “I will not have completed the assignment.”
• Correct: “I will not have completed the assignment.” or “I won’t have completed the assignment.”
• Accurate Use of Past Participles :

Ensure that the past participles are used correctly, especially for irregular verbs.

• Incorrect: “She will have went to the store.”
• Correct: “She will have gone to the store.”
• Proper Use of Time Expressions:

Use appropriate time expressions to indicate when the action will be completed.

• Incorrect: “I will have finished the project tomorrow.”
• Correct: “I will have finished the project by tomorrow.”
• Consistent Use of Time Frames:

Ensure consistency in expressing different actions in relation to each other within a sentence.

• Incorrect: “He will have finished his work before he will go to the meeting.”
• Correct: “He will have finished his work before he goes to the meeting.”
• Avoiding Redundancy:

Be cautious not to use unnecessary words that may make the sentence redundant.

• Incorrect : “By next month, I will have completed the task and finished it.”
• Correct : “By next month, I will have completed the task.”
• Understanding the Concept of Completion:

Remember that the future perfect tense emphasizes completion before a specific point in the future.

• Incorrect: “By the end of the day, I will have started my assignment.”
• Correct: “By the end of the day, I will have completed my assignment.”
• Future Perfect Tense Example Sentences
• Our teacher will have taught us lesson.
• I shall have finished my homework.
• You will have received the money order.
• Good players will have got prizes.
• The cook will have cooked food before the sun rises.
• They will have read the newspaper.
• We shall have taken rest.
• By next week, I will have memorized all the lines.
• He will have completed the marathon by the time you finish breakfast.
• By the time you return, I will have cleaned the entire house.
• They will have cooked dinner before the guests arrive.
• By the end of the concert, she will have sung all her favorite songs.
• We will have learned a new language by the end of the course.
• By next spring, he will have grown a beautiful garden.
• She will have bought a birthday present by the weekend.
• By the time the meeting starts, I will have prepared the presentation.
• They will have finished the project before the deadline.
• By the end of the day, he will have read three books.
• By next month, they will have adopted a new pet.
• The postman will not have brought my letter.
• He will not have made this mistake.
• The hunter will not have caught any bird.
• They will not have waited for us.
• We shall not have taken tea before you come.
• I shall not have opened your letter.
• The sun will not have risen when the train comes.
• He won’t have completed the marathon by the time you finish breakfast.
• By the time you return, I won’t have cleaned the entire house.
• They won’t have cooked any dinner before the guests arrive.
• By the end of the concert, she won’t have sung any songs.
• We won’t have learned a new language by the end of the course.
• By next spring, he won’t have grown any plants in the garden.
• She won’t have bought a birthday present by the weekend.
• By the time the meeting starts, I won’t have prepared any presentation.
• They won’t have finished any project before the deadline.
• By the end of the day, he won’t have read any books.
• She won’t have fixed any leaky faucets before they cause damage.
• By next month, they won’t have adopted any new pets.
• I won’t have painted any pictures by the end of the week.
• Why will he have forgiven you?
• Who will have locked the door?
• Will the passengers have bought tickets?
• Will she have boiled eggs?
• Will the guests have come?
• Will the peon have rung the bell when reach school?
• By the time you finish breakfast, will he have completed the marathon?
• Will I have tidied up the entire house by the time you return?
• Will they have prepared any dinner before the guests arrive?
• By the end of the concert, will she have sung any songs?
• Will we have acquired a new language by the end of the course?
• By next spring, will he have cultivated any plants in the garden?
• Will she have purchased a birthday present by the weekend?
• By the time the meeting starts, will I have formulated any presentation?
• Will they have completed any project before the deadline?
• By the end of the day, will he have perused any books?
• Will she have repaired any leaky faucets before they cause damage?
• By next month, will they have adopted any new pets?
• Will you have crafted any pictures by the end of the week?
• Will they have organized the house before the guests arrive?
• a) will have completed
• b) completed
• a) will have finished
• b) finished
• a) will have read
• a) will have submitted
• b) submitted
• a) will have built
• a) will have earned
• a) will have sold

1. What is the future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense is a verb tense that expresses an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.

2. How is the future perfect tense formed?

It is formed using the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” + “have” + the past participle of the main verb.

3. When do we use the future perfect tense?

We use the future perfect tense to indicate that an action will be completed before another action or a specific point in the future.

5. What are the signal words for the future perfect tense?

Signal words often associated with the future perfect tense include “by,” “before,” “by the time,” and specific time expressions.

7. Can you use “shall” instead of “will” in the future perfect tense?

Yes, “shall” can be used instead of “will” in the future perfect tense, although “will” is more commonly used in modern English.

8. What is the difference between the future perfect and future perfect continuous tense?

The future perfect tense focuses on the completion of an action by a specific point in the future, while the future perfect continuous tense emphasizes the duration of an action leading up to that point.

9. Are there irregular verbs in the future perfect tense?

Yes, irregular verbs have irregular past participles . For example, “eat” becomes “eaten,” and “go” becomes “gone.” Regular verbs form the past participle by adding “-ed.”

Free Grammar and Vocabulary Worksheets Resources

• Worksheet Tenses
• English Worksheets
• Action Verbs Worksheets
• Future Perfect Tense Worksheets
• Future Perfect Continuous Worksheets

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• Verb Tense Intro.
• Types of Verbs
• Active/Passive
• Simple Present
• Present Continuous
• Simple Past
• Past Continuous
• Present Perfect
• Present Perf. Cont.
• Past Perfect
• Past Perfect Cont.
• Simple Future
• Future Continuous

Future Perfect

• Future Perfect Cont.
• Would Always
• Future in the Past

Future perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have done." Unlike simple future forms, future perfect forms are usually interchangeable.

FORM Future Perfect with "Will"

[will have + past participle]

• You will have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
• Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
• You will not have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.

FORM Future Perfect with "Be Going To"

[am/is/are + going to have + past participle]

• You are going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
• Are you going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
• You are not going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.

NOTE: It is possible to use either "will" or "be going to" to create the future perfect with little or no difference in meaning.

USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future

The future perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another action in the future. It can also show that something will happen before a specific time in the future.

• By next November, I will have received my promotion.
• By the time he gets home, she is going to have cleaned the entire house.
• I am not going to have finished this test by 3 o'clock.
• Will she have learned enough Chinese to communicate before she moves to Beijing?
• Sam is probably going to have completed the proposal by the time he leaves this afternoon.
• By the time I finish this course, I will have taken ten tests.
• How many countries are you going to have visited by the time you turn 50?

Notice in the examples above that the reference points ( marked in italics ) are in simple present rather than simple future . This is because the interruptions are in time clauses , and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.

USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With non-continuous verbs and some non-continuous uses of mixed verbs , we use the future perfect to show that something will continue up until another action in the future.

• I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.
• By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.

Although the above use of future perfect is normally limited to non-continuous verbs and non-continuous uses of mixed verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT non-continuous verbs.

REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses

Like all future forms, the future perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of future perfect, present perfect is used.

• I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct
• I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

• You will only have learned a few words.
• Will you only have learned a few words?
• You are only going to have learned a few words.
• Are you only going to have learned a few words?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

• They will have completed the project before the deadline. Active
• The project will have been completed before the deadline. Passive
• They are going to have completed the project before the deadline. Active
• The project is going to have been completed before the deadline. Passive

More About Active / Passive Forms

Future Perfect Exercises

• Verb Tense Exercise 25 Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous
• Verb Tense Exercise 26 Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous
• Verb Tense Exercise 27 Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous
• Verb Tense Exercise 28 Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous
• Verb Tense Practice Test Cumulative Verb Tense Review
• Verb Tense Final Test Cumulative Verb Tense Review
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The Future Perfect Tense

• Passive Voice
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• Preposition

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• By this time next year we will have been married for 30 years.
• If all goes well, by June 2012, I will have finished my university degree.

Yes/No Questions - Future Perfect Simple

• Will she have gotten her passport by then?
• Won't you have sent the documents by Thursday?

Future Perfect Progressive

• By the time you get here, we will have been building the house for a year.
• By 2008, Adam will have been selling sports equipment for 10 years.

Exercises – Future Perfect Simple and Future Perfect Progressive

• Tamara will have completed her Bachelor's Degree by June. (complete)
• The customer service department will have been operating for 2 years by then. (operate)
• By the time I start my shift, Dr. Frazier _________ for 18 hours straight. (work)
• Sheila ____ the scholarship by the time she starts school in September. (get)
• By this time next month, I hope they ____building the community center. (finish)
• Professor Adams ______ at this university for 25 years by the time he retires in June. (teach)
• By this time tomorrow night we ______ in Australia. (arrive)
• ______ he ______ the message by the time your flight takes off? (receive)
• Dana _____ the night shift by the time you get up in the morning. (not finish)
• The team _____ at the exhibition for five hours by the time I arrive there. (work)
• By the time we get on the plane, they ____already _____ the luggage. (load)
• By 2025, I hope researchers ______ a cure for cancer. (find)
• will have been working
• will have gotten
• will not have seen
• will have been teaching
• will have arrived
• Will/have received
• won't have finished
• will/have loaded
• will have found

Future Tense: A Guide to Understanding and Using Future Tense in English Grammar

By: Author English Study Online

Posted on Last updated: November 13, 2023

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Future tense is an essential aspect of the English language. It is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. As such, it is a crucial aspect of English grammar that learners must master. In this article, we will explore the future tense in detail, including its definition, usage, and examples.

Table of Contents

Understanding Future Tense

The future tense is used to describe actions that will occur in the future. It is one of the three main verb tenses in English, along with the past tense and the present tense.

To form the future tense, we typically use the auxiliary verb “ will ” followed by the base form of the main verb. For example, “ I will go to the store .” In some cases, we can also use “ going to ” to indicate future events. For example, “ I am going to study for my exam tomorrow .”

There are four main future tenses in English: simple future, future continuous, future perfect, and future perfect continuous. Each tense has a specific use and is formed differently.

The simple future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future.

• For example, “I will go to the gym tomorrow.”

The future continuous tense is used to describe actions that will be ongoing in the future.

• For example, “I will be studying for my exam all night.”

The future perfect tense is used to describe actions that will be completed by a certain point in the future.

• For example, “I will have finished my project by Friday.”

The future perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions that will have been ongoing for a certain amount of time before a specific point in the future.

• For example, “I will have been working on this project for three weeks by the time it is due.”

Types of Future Tense

In English grammar, there are four types of future tense. These are Simple Future Tense, Future Continuous Tense, Future Perfect Tense, and Future Perfect Continuous Tense.

Simple Future Tense

Simple Future Tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by adding the auxiliary verbs “will” or “shall” to the base form of the verb.

• For example, “ I will eat breakfast tomorrow” or “She shall graduate next year.”

Future Continuous Tense

Future Continuous Tense is used to describe actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “will” with the present participle (-ing) form of the verb.

• For example, “ I will be studying at 9 PM tomorrow ” or “ They will be playing soccer at noon .”

Future Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Tense is used to describe actions that will be completed at a specific time in the future. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “will” with the past participle form of the verb.

• For example, “ I will have finished my homework by 10 PM ” or “ She will have graduated by next summer .”

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense is used to describe actions that will have been in progress for a certain amount of time before a specific time in the future. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “will” with “have been” and the present participle (-ing) form of the verb.

• For example, “ I will have been studying for three hours by 9 PM tomorrow ” or “ They will have been playing soccer for two hours by noon .”

Formation of Future Tense Sentences

In English grammar, the future tense is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. To form a sentence in the future tense, we need to use auxiliary verbs such as “will” or “shall” followed by the base form of the verb. Here’s how to form sentences in the future tense:

The simple future tense is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. To form a sentence in the simple future tense, use the auxiliary verb “ will ” or “ shall ” followed by the base form of the verb. For example:

• I will go to the gym tomorrow.
• She will finish her homework before dinner.
• They will travel to Europe next summer.

The future continuous tense is used to describe actions or events that will be in progress at a certain time in the future. To form a sentence in the future continuous tense, use the auxiliary verb “ will ” or “ shall ” followed by “ be ” and the present participle (-ing form) of the verb. For example:

• I will be studying for my exam at this time tomorrow.
• She will be cooking dinner when we arrive.
• They will be playing soccer at 4 pm tomorrow.

The future perfect tense is used to describe actions or events that will be completed by a certain time in the future. To form a sentence in the future perfect tense, use the auxiliary verb “ will ” or “ shall ” followed by “ have ” and the past participle of the verb. For example:

• I will have finished my work by 5 pm.
• She will have graduated from college in two years.
• They will have traveled to six different countries by the end of next year.

The future perfect continuous tense is used to describe actions or events that will have been in progress for a certain amount of time by a certain time in the future. To form a sentence in the future perfect continuous tense, use the auxiliary verb “ will ” or “ shall ” followed by “ have been ” and the present participle (-ing form) of the verb. For example:

• I will have been working on this project for three hours by the time you arrive.
• She will have been living in New York for five years next month.
• They will have been studying English for six months by the end of this year.

Usage of Future Tense

In English, the future tense is used to talk about events or actions that will happen in the future. It is one of the twelve verb tenses in English and is used to convey information about events that have not yet occurred. In this section, we will cover the different ways the future tense is used.

Predictions

The future tense is often used to make predictions about the future. We can use the word “will” followed by the base form of the verb to make these predictions.

• For example, “ It will rain tomorrow ,” or “ The stock market will go up next week. “

The future tense is also used to make promises or commitments about the future. We can use the word “will” followed by the base form of the verb to make these promises.

• For example, “ I will meet you at the restaurant at 7 pm ,” or “ We will finish the project by Friday .”

The future tense is used to make offers or suggestions about the future. We can use the word “will” followed by the base form of the verb to make these offers.

• For example, “ I will help you with your homework, ” or “ We will go to the beach next weekend .”

The future tense is used to talk about decisions that will be made in the future. We can use the word “will” followed by the base form of the verb to talk about these decisions.

• For example, “ I will apply for the job ,” or “ We will buy a new car next year. “

Practice Exercises with Answers

In order to master the future tense in English, it is important to practice using it in various contexts. Here are some exercises with answers to help you hone your skills:

Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentence.

• By this time next year, I ___________ (graduate/ will graduate) from college.
• She ___________ (will be/ is) very happy when she hears the news.
• They ___________ (will have/ have) been married for 10 years next month.
• We ___________ (will go/ are going) to the beach this weekend.
• I am sure he ___________ (will pass/ passes) the exam.
• will graduate

Choose the correct verb tense to complete the sentence.

• By the time we arrive, the movie ___________ (will start/ will have started).
• If it rains, we ___________ (will stay/ stay) at home.
• He ___________ (will be/ is) tired after working all day.
• I ___________ (will call/ call) you as soon as I get home.
• They ___________ (will have/ have) finished their project by tomorrow.
• will have started
• We ___________ (will visit/ are visiting) Paris next month.
• She ___________ (will have/ has) a baby in December.
• If I have time, I ___________ (will go/ go) to the gym.
• They ___________ (will be/ are) here in 10 minutes.
• I am sure he ___________ (will like/ likes) the gift.
• are visiting

Practice makes perfect, so keep practicing and using the future tense in different situations. With time and effort, you will become more comfortable and confident in your use of this important tense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four types of future tense in English grammar?

In English grammar, there are four types of future tense. The first one is the simple future tense, which is used to describe an action that will happen in the future. The second one is the future continuous tense, which is used to describe an action that will be ongoing in the future. The third one is the future perfect tense, which is used to describe an action that will have been completed in the future. The fourth one is the future perfect continuous tense, which is used to describe an action that will have been ongoing and completed in the future.

What are some examples of future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will have been completed in the future. For example, “By the time we arrive, they will have finished their dinner.” or “I will have completed my work by Friday.”

What is the difference between future continuous and future perfect tense?

The future continuous tense is used to describe an action that will be ongoing in the future, while the future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will have been completed in the future. For example, “She will be sleeping at a hotel tonight” is an example of future continuous tense, while “They will have eaten dinner by 8:00 PM” is an example of future perfect tense.

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English tenses.

• Sentence structure exercises with answers
• Types of tenses in English with examples
• Simple present tense exercise with answers
• Simple Past Tense exercise with answers
• Future simple tense: Rules And Examples
• Past continuous tense: Rules And Examples
• Present continuous tense: Rules And Examples
• Future continuous tense: Rules And Examples
• Past perfect tense: Rules And Examples
• Present perfect tense: Rules And Examples

Future perfect tense: Rules And Examples

• Frequently asked questions about English Grammar

Writing Correction

IELTS Vocabulary Builder Series

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In this lesson from the free English grammar course from Simply IELTS, you will learn the structure and formula of the future perfect tense and how to use it in the IELTS exam .

What is the formula of the Future perfect tense?

The future perfect tense is used to describe an action or event that will be completed at a specific time in the future, before another action or event takes place. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” followed by the verb “have” and the past participle form of the main verb.

Here are a few rules for using the future perfect tense:

• Use the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” followed by the verb “have” and the past participle form of the main verb. The past participle form of a verb is typically the base form of the verb plus -ed, but there are many irregular verbs with different past participle forms. For example: “I will have finished,” “she will have studied,” “they will have eaten.”
• Use the future perfect tense to describe an action or event that will be completed at a specific time in the future, before another action or event takes place. For example: “I will have finished my homework before 6:00,” “she will have studied for her exams before 7:00,” “they will have eaten lunch before 8:00.”

Examples of the future simple tense

Here are a few examples of the future perfect tense in action :

• I will have finished my homework before the phone rings.
• She will have studied for her exams before I see her.
• They will have eaten lunch before the storm starts.

In the negative form , the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” is followed by “not” and the verb “have” and the past participle form of the main verb. For example:

• I will not have finished my homework before the phone rings.
• She will not have studied for her exams before I see her.
• They will not have eaten lunch before the storm starts.

In the question form , the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” is placed before the subject and the verb “have” and the past participle form of the main verb is placed after the subject. For example:

• Will I have finished my homework before the phone rings?
• Will she have studied for her exams before I see her?
• Will they have eaten lunch before the storm starts?

How to use future perfect tense in IELTS exam?

To use the future perfect tense in the IELTS exam, it is important to use it correctly and consistently in your writing and speaking tasks. Make sure to use the correct form of the auxiliary verb “will” or “shall” and the verb “have” and the past participle form of the main verb.

Use the future perfect tense to describe an action or event that will be completed at a specific time in the future, before another action or event takes place. Make sure not to mix tenses within a sentence or paragraph.

Examples of using future perfect tense in IELTS exam

Here are a few examples of how you might use the present perfect tense in the IELTS exam:

Writing Task 1:

“By the time I start cooking dinner at 6:00 tomorrow evening, I will have finished all of my errands for the day. My husband will also have finished his work and will be ready to relax on the couch.”

Speaking part 2 ( cue cards ):

“By the time I go on my trip to the countryside next weekend, I will have visited my parents several times. They will have shown me around their new house and we will have spent some quality time together.”

Writing Task 2:

“Many people believe that technology will have taken over our lives in the future. While it is true that technology has become more prevalent in recent years, I do not think it will have completely taken over. There will still be many people who will have lived simple lives and will not have relied on technology as much as others.”

Recent IELTS exams:

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• Countries should try to produce all the food IELTS 7 band Essay
• Many countries spend a lot of money on major sports competitions IELTS 7 band essay
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Future Perfect Tense: Rules And Examples

• What Is Future Perfect Tense?
• When To Use It
• How To Form It
• How To Make It Negative
• Use Grammar Coach!

By the time you’re done reading this article, you will have improved your grammar knowledge immensely. … Wait, what’s going on in that last sentence? Is it talking about the future as if it were the past? Are we about to enter a time machine? No, we are going to learn about an interesting way that we use verbs to talk about the future. By the time we are finished, you will have learned a lot more about a cool bit of English verb usage: the future perfect tense.

What is future perfect tense ?

Verbs are words that we use to refer to actions or states of being. English, as with other languages, uses several different types of verb tenses when we place verbs into sentences. The tense of the verb, generally speaking, tells you when in time an event is happening. The verb tense we will look at now is the future perfect tense . The future perfect tense refers to an action or state that will finish sometime in the future before some other event in the future.

The following sentence uses the future perfect tense:

• I will have cleaned my room before my parents come home.

If we look closer at the name of this verb tense, it actually tells us how we use it:

• Future: The verb tense refers to an action or state that will happen in the future.
• Perfect: Generally speaking, perfect verb tenses refer to completed actions/states. While this may seem odd when referring to the future, the f uture perfect tense is typically used to say that a likely future event will be completed before another one begins.

Take a look at the part that participles play in verb tenses and more.

When do you use future perfect tense?

Typically, we use the future perfect tense to say that an event was finished before a certain time or before another event. This is how the future perfect tense differs from simple future tense . Look at the following two sentences and see if you can tell the difference between their meanings:

Simple future tense: When the sun rises, we will leave. Future perfect tense: When the sun rises, we will have left.

Can you see the difference? The first sentence says that we will wait until the sun rises and then leave at that exact moment. The second sentence says we will leave before the sun rises at all.

This comparison shows the most common reason that we use the future perfect tense: to indicate that one future event will happen before another. You can see the future perfect tense used for this reason in the following sentences.

• I expect I will have finished my painting before the art collector arrives.
• According to Katie, she will have bought a dog house by the time we bring the puppy home.
• The workers will have finished  all the repairs when we return from our vacation.

When we use prepositions like by or before or the prepositional phrase by the time , we can often use the future perfect tense and simple future tense interchangeably because it is clear which event is happening before the other. The following pairs of sentences have the exact same meanings:

Future perfect: I will have built the shed by Saturday. Simple future: I will build the shed by Saturday.

Future perfect: Ideally, Chris will have cooked the turkey before his sister arrives. Simple future: Ideally, Chris will cook the turkey before his sister arrives.

Future perfect: By the time winter comes, we will have stocked up on enough food. Simple future: By the time winter comes, we will stock up on enough food.

Keep in mind that we do not use the future perfect tense if there is no stated deadline or if we aren’t comparing future events. Instead, we use the simple future tense. For example:

❌ Incorrect: I will have become a famous musician someday. ✅ Correct: I will become a famous musician someday.

Lastly, we only use the future perfect tense to refer to actions or states that will be completely finished in the future. If an action or state is not finished or is in progress, we use the future continuous tense or future perfect continuous tense. You can see the an example of this in the following sentences:

Future perfect tense: By sunset, I will have worked on my homework. (You will be done working by sunset.) Future continuous tense: By sunset, I will be working on my homework. (You will be in the middle of work by sunset.) Future perfect continuous tense: By sunset, I will have been working on my homework for two hours. (When sunset comes, you will have finished two hours of work, but you will still continue to work after sunset as well.)

The learning keeps going and going with this primer on the future continuous tense!

How to form future perfect tense

To form the future perfect tense, we use the phrase will have followed by the past participle of the verb. For regular verbs , the past participle is a form of the verb that ends in -ed or -d. For example, the past participle of walk is walked. Some verbs also have a -t variant in the past participle where the verb ends in – t rather than -ed. For example, the past participle of dream is dreamt and the past participle of spill is spilt.

However, there are many irregular verbs whose past participle doesn’t follow this rule. You will need to learn these verbs or search for them in our incredible dictionary . Some examples of irregular verbs include:

• got → gotten
• speak → spoken
• catch → caught
• choose → chosen
• learn → learnt
• hear → heard

The following sentences include examples of regular and irregular verbs in the future perfect tense:

• She will have jogged two miles before reaching the post office.
• Hopefully, I will have won the championship by the next time we speak.
• I am pretty sure this meat will have spoiled by the time the cookout starts.
• The lazy lions will have slept for hours when the zookeepers come to feed them.

How to make future perfect tense negative

It is a piece of cake to make the future perfect tense negative. All you need to do is put the word not between the words will and have:

• I will not have painted the whole garage by the time you get here.
• Based on past experience, my cat will not have enjoyed her time at the vet when I pick her up.

You can also use the contraction won’t (not “willn’t”):

• At his current pace, Ryan will not have completed all the exercises by the time the personal trainer returns.
• At his current pace, Ryan won’t have completed all the exercises by the time the personal trainer returns.
• Based on the rate we are going, we won’t have used up all the laundry detergent before our next shopping trip.
• Based on the rate we are going, we will not have used up all the laundry detergent before our next shopping trip.

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Perfect tenses worksheet

The perfect tenses are used to talk about actions that are completed at the time of speaking.

The three forms of the perfect tenses are:

The present perfect tense, the past perfect tense and the future perfect tense

• I have finished my homework. (Present perfect tense)
• I had finished my homework before the guests arrived. (Past perfect tense)
• I will have finished my homework by the time the guests arrive. (Future perfect tense)

Formation of the perfect tenses

The perfect tenses are formed by putting has, have or had before the past participle form of the verb.

Complete the following sentences using the perfect tense form of the verb.

1. Where could he .....................?

2. they ..................... before i reached their place., 3. a few years ago, circumstances ……………… me to leave school., 4. he heard that a tragedy ………………… at another site., 5. many writers ………………… kabir’s poems into different languages., 6. joanna ....................... up her mind that she was going to die., 7. he forgave his enemies who ……………….. him..

1. Where could he have gone ?

2. They had left before I reached their place.

3. A few years ago, circumstances had forced me to leave school.

4. He heard that a tragedy had occurred at another site.

5. Many writers have translated Kabir’s poems into different languages.

6. Joanna had made up her mind that she was going to die.

7. He forgave his enemies who had wronged him.

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"I am finished" vs "I have finished"

What is the difference between "I am finished" and "I have finished"?

For example, when finishing a task, should I say "I have finished" or "I am finished". Is there a difference in meaning?

• perfect-constructions
• participial-adjectives

8 Answers 8

Depending on context they could have the same or slightly different meanings

I have finished

would be said after completing a task either very recently or some time in the recent past

I am finished

would be said after very recently completing a task.

It can also have the meaning of hopelessness as a person faces impending doom

I've lost everything, I'm finished.

or drawing a dramatic end to a relationship

She said she was finished with her boyfriend.

• I would say that they are nearly identical except that "I have finished" cannot signify your second (dramatic) version of "I am finished". As a response to the "are you finished?", they are identical. when reporting back after a task, I think people are more likely to use "I am finished". It's just a choice for all uses except the dramatic one. –  Bill K Commented Oct 18, 2016 at 23:06
• 1 @BillK Out of context "I am finished" is much more likely to be interpreted as despair. If someone asks you " Are you finished?" the natural response is "I am finished". If you are asked " Have you finished?" the natural response is "I have finished" to match the verb in the question. –  CJ Dennis Commented Oct 18, 2016 at 23:31

You could say either one, but things get more complicated when you elaborate and mention what you've finished:

I have finished this task. I am finished with this task.

• 1 It's true that for the sense I have completed the activity I was engaged in you could actually use either of OP's two 3-word statements. But in practice I think although very young children might be more likely to say I am finished (because of how pre-adolescent / infantile self-awareness and perception work), I'd be pretty certain that the vast majority of adult native speakers would say I have finished (you tell people what you've done, rather than explicitly describing your current state). –  FumbleFingers Commented Oct 18, 2016 at 15:35
• (As in: children say I'm scared! where adults are more likely to say This is scary! ) –  FumbleFingers Commented Oct 18, 2016 at 15:37
• 3 @Fumble I'd be more likely to say I finished (no have ) or I'm done . –  user230 Commented Oct 18, 2016 at 15:45
• 1 @snailplane: I'd be more likely to just sit quietly and wait for others to catch up, if there were several of us doing whatever it was. Unless it was a competition , in which case I'd just yell " Finished! " and expect them all to gasp in amazement. Or facetiously, "Finished, Miss!". It's not that easy to imagine actually saying all and only the three words in OP's examples. –  FumbleFingers Commented Oct 18, 2016 at 16:42

Both are grammatically correct.

The speaker is in the state of being finished with a task.

This describes the completion of the task in the very recent past. ( present perfect tense )

I think there are actually three factors we're discussing here:

• "To Be Finished ", where " Finished " is an adjective meaning 'completed' or 'over'
• The prepositional phrase "To Be Finished With Something" which means the speaker is no longer interested or involved with Something
• "To Have Finished (Something)", meaning something has been completed.

Here are some examples:

• "You are finished ! You will never work in this city again!"
• "I have finished my homework. My homework is finished ."
• "I can't take another step, I'm finished , I'm through."
• "Sir, you haven't finished your steak."
• "No, I'm finished with this steak, waiter. You can clear my plate."

I relate it to French, where "Je suis fini" (I am finished/dead/over) has a much different meaning than "J'ai fini" (I have finished / I'm done).

Also, this is just grammatically speaking. I live in western Canada, and we certainly don't speak this way colloquially.

You should probably not say "I am finished" in most situations as this implies that your life is at an end. It is the "I" that is finished - i.e. close to death or some sort of catastrophic failure.

• That's a bit harsh. Usage in my experience is more of a temporary issue, like when completing IronMan "I have finished; I am finished!" –  MikeP Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 2:51

Grammatically, both are correct, but they are linguistically different.

The first sentence does, in fact describe the speaker as in the state or condition of being finished, specifically with the task of washing the dishes. This construction is the more passive of the two.

The second version describes more accurately the completion of the task as the point of reference for the listener.

To put it another way, the first sentence commands the listener to wait until the speaker is in the condition of being finished, the second says to wait until the action is completed.

The example I'm using is the following:

'Wait until I am finished washing the dishes' vs. 'Wait until I have finished washing the dishes'

I am finished is generally used to describe a situation where I am done and want to put an end(or there is no hope for me for that action or thing or person or anything like that.) to life or any action like I am finished with my life. or I am finished with you. while I have finished is used to say that I have completed an action like I have finished that book.

Here is an example... I am finished with the classes means I do not want to attend the classes anymore due to the teacher or I don't understand that subject.

I have finished the classes means there is a confirmation that I have completed the classes.

"I am finished." Here 'finished' is an adjective. "I have finished." Here 'finished' is the past participle form of the verb 'finish'.

Former one explains the state of being finished. It talks about the subject "I". It usually comes with a preposition like "With".

E.g., I am finished with homework.

Note: "I am finished" (without object) means you're fed up with your life, and you don't have a reason to live your life.

Later one is a sentence in present perfect tense. It may take an object as a complement to the sentence.

E.g., I have finished homework.

Note: Here there is no preposition before the object.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged difference perfect-constructions participial-adjectives ..

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Verb Tenses

Today we’re going to be talking about the difference between present perfect , past perfect , and future perfect verb tenses.

Remember that verbs are words that describe an action, occurrence, or state of being. The tense of a verb refers to the time of the action or state of being. The perfect form is the verb tense used to talk about a completed action or condition and always uses a form of “have” or “had,” plus the past participle.

Participles are words made out of verbs but used as adjectives. In English, participles are also sometimes used to form compound words like “is going.” A past participle, in the context we’re using it today, is the second part of a compound verb that’s used to form perfect and passive tenses. Past participles usually end in -ed .

Verbs can appear in any one of three perfect tenses: present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.

Present Perfect

Let’s start by talking about present perfect verbs. The present perfect tense expresses an action that began in the past and is now completed in the present. Take a look at this equation:

Present Perfect Tense Example

We can put those elements into practice in the following sentence.

  We know this sentence is written in the perfect tense for two reasons. First, we see that it is talking about a completed action: “I have finished my homework.” There’s our -ed past participle, and it’s telling us that the job is completed. The second hint we have that it’s the perfect tense is the word have . Remember, the perfect form is a verb tense that uses a form of have or had plus a past participle.

In this sentence, have finished tells us that the finishing action began in the past but is now completed in the present. We can see that the sentence used have instead of had, so we know it’s present perfect tense, not past perfect.

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense expresses an action that began in the past and was completed in the past before something else occurred. The past perfect equation looks like this:

Past Perfect Example

Here’s a sentence with past perfect tense.

  Right away, our eyes should be drawn to the past perfect phrase had broken . There’s our past tense had and our past participle. You may notice that broken is not an -ed verb, but it’s still a past participle; it just conjugates differently than the -ed verbs we’ve looked at so far. This also happens with words like ate and shaken . The sentence is describing something that began in the past and was completed before something else occurred. Paul broke the vase. The action is complete, therefore the tense is perfect, and it happened in the past, therefore the word had appears in our equation.

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense expresses an action that will be completed by some specified point in the future. This equation is a little more exciting.

Future Perfect Tense Example

Here’s a sentence with future perfect tense.

  First, we notice the two elements we’ve learned to expect from the perfect tense: a version of have or had , and a past participle, in this case, the -ed verb cooked . You might be tempted to think this was present perfect tense based on our earlier equation, but be careful to look first in front of the word have to make sure it’s not future perfect. Sure enough, the entirety of the phrase reads will have cooked .

This tells us that we’re talking about an action that’s not done yet, but will be done in the future at a specific time. Take, for example, the following phrases:

In two years, I will have saved $2,000.

  In both these examples, the reader is standing in the present without evidence of a completed action, but we can be sure that both of those things will be done in the future, thus the past participles danced and saved .

It may sound complicated, but if you remember these three grammar equations and acquaint yourself with common past participles, you’ll have a solid understanding of present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses.

I hope this overview was helpful!

See you next time!

Verb Tense Practice Questions

  Which verb tense is being used in the following sentence?

My sister has read that book at least 20 times.

Past perfect

Present perfect

Future perfect

The present perfect tense is formed by combining the word have/has with the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and is now completed in the present. In this case, the word has is paired with the past participle read , creating a sentence that uses the present perfect tense.

Caleb will have finished all of his chores before dinner.

The future perfect tense is formed by combining the word will , the word have , and the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and will be completed before some point in the future. In this case, the words will and have are combined with the past participle finished , creating a sentence that uses the future perfect tense.

Because of the cold temperatures, she had decided to stay indoors.

The past perfect tense is formed by combining the word had and the past participle in order to express an action that began in the past and was completed in the past before something else occurred. In this case, the word had is combined with the past participle decided , creating a sentence that uses the past perfect tense.

  Which of the following sentences is written in the present perfect tense?

I will have finished all of my homework by then.

I had finished all of my homework by then.

I have finished all of my homework.

In this case, the words have and finished are the clues that tell you this sentence is written in the present perfect tense. The homework is something that was started in the past, but is completed now.

  How would you change the following sentence so that it is written in the past perfect tense:

Jim will have taught school for 15 years by then.

Change will have taught to did teach

Change will have taught to had taught

Change will have taught to will teach

Changing will have taught to had taught will change the sentence to be written in the past perfect tense: Jim had taught school for 15 years by then. This is saying that Jim taught school for 15 years in the past, which happened before something else.

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by Mometrix Test Preparation | Last Updated: August 30, 2024

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Learn English Tenses: FUTURE PERFECT

Test your understanding of this English lesson

183 comments.

Could i say,Tomorrow I’ll have slept by 8:PM and I’ll wake up at 7: AM? Thank you.

I would rather use form “I’m going to” because it’s more about your plans. You have some tentative plans.

tomorrow i,ll have slept at 8:PM and I,ll have waked up at 7am.

I had been waiting for this lesson since last week. I had learned new tense today which is the future perfect tense. By the end of July, I will have completed learning all the English tenses that you have been teaching us. Thank you Ms. Rebecca

Hi Rebecca. Thank you for this wonderful lesson. I got 9/10 but still improving my English. Thank you once again and stay safe!

By next year, I will have improved my English with engVid learning everyday.

It’s fascinating. Today i have just learned an exciting lesson. I absolutely needed to use my daily activities and conversations. “By this time next year I’ll have finished all your grammar courses, if God says. Thank you Rebecca, i love you and I ask my God to guide you the right path.

Sorry! It’s shame on me to make error after learning. I made one error, i forget “comma” in the sentence. Let me correct.

By this time next year, I’ll have finished all your grammar courses. If God says.

I’m going to concentrate grammar courses. Rebecca’s the best class teacher to assist me.

Rebecca I have picked up you from other lecturers.

Thanks for the really useful lesson, Rebecca. I’ve gor 9 of 10 points in quiz. First it seems not too easy for understanding, but i believe that practice will help me to fix this problem in the future

Rebecca Mam,

You’re doing a great job.. I don’t know how i’m get 10 out of 9 because its a new lesson. Yes. I did… I think it’s fluke…However all the credits goes to you. Tks Mam…..

Do we use it while speaking ? I have never seen people using ‘future perfect’ that much in sentence.

Because it’s not common. If so, it’s for writing. But the vast majority of even native speaker do not use it. I would say it’s more for academic purposes. But it’s only me. I’m not a native, though.

All the best :)

Thank-you so much for letting me know :)

I think that learning the subject of the future perfect seems easier than understand the use of the preposition of time “by” but the lesson was very well explained and came at a good moment, helping to understand both cases. Thank you!

Hi, I’ve been waiting for this lesson in ages. And finally. It has appeared in the last day of June 2020. Without further ado let’s go to the lesson.

All the best. :)

Yes, I made a mistake I suppose to say: “It appeared in the last day of June 2020” because it’s specific time :)

It was a useful presentation, I liked it very much. Thank you.

Rebecca Thank you so much for your lesson.

Rebecca, thank you so much !

100% coorect.I will not have failed now.

I would not say that Is is a correct use of that tense.

Excellent! tks

Is the answer to question five correct?

A very good class. Thank you very much!

Hi my quiz got 9/10， im happy for this~ Just wanna check with the question on no.5 By this time next year, she ___ a doctor. Why the answer not using past tense? Sorry for my broken english, im improving with u guys too, thank you

Become is 3rd verb form of Become. Become, Became, Become.

lakshami thanks for the explanation;even me i was confusing this quiz,now iv’e understood

You are fabulous teacher, Mam can you release one more series for Passive voice if u can so please do.

Thank you, Rebecca! I have been struggling with Future Perfect tenses until today. Thank you so much for teaching us such a difficult concept in such a meaningful way.

Dear Rebecca. I’d absolutely appreciate your practical and helpful lesson. I wonder if you could explain and clarified this confusion that is it possible to use the other modal verbs rather than will such as “should, would, may, might, shall”? It would be your sincere kindness if you will have answered this question ASAP

many many thanks for this lesson, we need also the lesson of Active and passive voice, the lesson of if and model verbs

By the evening I will have finished my work and we can go to walk. Will you have finished your business at that time?

by the way I got 10 out of 10.

I have been so delighted to listen to your videos and truly think you are a sensational teacher. Thanks

thank you so much for this lesson

90/100 Thank you again ???

A very thankful mam for your wonderful lesson!It’s helped a lot,very clear and more informative.By next year,I will have learned english language.I really like your lesson as always.you explain every lesson with great fluency and very clearly.

Thank you so much Teacher Rebecca :)

Thals teacher very interesant.

It was a very interesant lesson. Thank you so much Rebecca.

thank you so much

Thanks Rebecca you are a great teacher!

I got 9/10 , thanks for this class Rebecca .

What is the formula for negetive question?

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Thank you. You are a good teacher.be blessed.

thank you very much

you are an excellent teacher Rebeca :)

Thank you!!! I got 90/100.

exa from me _

i will have mastered 2 more language

tnx for that

by next year ,**

THANK YOU MS REBECCA

Thanks for the informations about the future tenes

It’s always wonderful to listen to you, Rebecca

Has the next tense, Future perfect continuous tense, been uploaded?

Thank you Madam, I have small doubt, In your example number 1, By the time he gets to the airport, the flight will have arrived. If it’s possible to use the present simple and future perfect Kindly request to explain me

yeah, i got scored 100

Dear Rebecca, I appreciate you for your interesting lessons. By this time next year, I will have attended to TOEFL exam.

Thank you a lot, this is my frist lessons in Engvid <3

I cant really find a lesson for future perfect continuous. please send the link or do something about it. hope to get a reply as soon as possible.

In the comment section of this video in YouTube I have noticed some people commented that they don’t find the video about future perfect continuous tense. So I hope by some days you Will have made a video on that above mentioned tense.

Very useful lesson. Thanks:)

Thank you Rebeca, you,re a good teacher that I have never seen before. You have a good explanation and clear.

Sincerely yours

Amélia Fernandes

thanks teacher

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Excellent chapter got 10/10/score in quiz.

The chapter is Excellent got 10/10/score in quiz.

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10/10 in quiz, thanks rebeca

i got 9/10, but i don’t understand why I’ve got wrong quiz NO:5 By this time next year ,she will have became a doctor . pleas explain it .

thanks my favourite teacher.

I love this lesson. THANK YOU

Thank you very much Rebecca.

Could I say “Will you have cooked the dinner before they arrive?”

very useful quizz

Thank you Rebecca great class

Hello thank you for your class, it is useful for me, I will have perfected my english when i finish your class.

I got the idea behind of future perfect, Thanks a lot.

yes…I got 10/10

Thank you Rebecca

Thank you so much Rebecca!

By the next year, I will have learned English with teacher Rebecca.

After this, I will have finished all the 12 tenses in English. Thank you Rebecca. I have been improving since the day I started learning in Engvid.

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By 9:00 PM , I’ll have done all my homework

By next year, I will have completed my english course, thank you Ms. Rebecca.

Rebecca! very good!

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By the next days,I will have improved my English language with teacher Rebecca.

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100% THAHKS

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you’re amazing very simple and very instructive Thanks a lot

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Amazing lesson, teacher Rebecca. Thanks a lot. (Azores islands, 30Jan2021);

thanks Rebecca

Thanks miss Rebecca

Thank you, Rebecca. I really enjoyed your teaching.

I am confused with BECOME and BECAME, I thought we have to use past tense after WILL HAVE?

We have to use Past participle

Well, correct me if am wrong, but I think the past participle of “Become” is “Become”. Simple past of the verb “Become” is “Became”. Also, We need to use not the “past tense” but past participle :)

I will have learned all tenses, by the end of classes.

Thanks you so much,Teacher !

What is the difference between the future perfect tense and the future perfect continuous tense?

Thank you all

Thank you, Mom.

Thanks Rebecca.

Thank you very much, Rebecca So long, but now after waching your lecture, I can understand how to use this kind of tense and also in which situation in the future, the tense is used. In the quiz test, I got 10/10.

By next week I will have finished tenses classes.

Turkmenistan ?????

I got 10 correct out of 10. Now I know how to use this form of tense. Previously, I don’t think I will use this type of tense Thank you so much Rebecca and engvid.com

This is a really useful web site. Congratulations

I have got 100

i will have watched your videos by next week

thank you madam..i watch your lessons daily

and i’m happy to say before tomorrow i will have finished all these 12 tenses

The third form of Become is not Became?

5. By this time next year, she __________ a doctor. X will have became have become V will have become

I’m so happy to learn this I got 70%clear and I do exercise got 70 im so excited to learn this lesson

Thank you again for this lesson, Ms Rebecca. I’ve learned a lot. :)

Thank you very much for your lesson.

Thank you, I need to pass Toefl exam within 2 months could you help me ?

God bless you, Rebecca ??You are simply gorgeous teacher ?

9 / 10, that ‘become’ and ‘became’ I choose ‘became’, it is wrong.

Hello dear teacher! Thank you again for your useful lessons. I’ve learned a lot and I got 9 correct out of 10. :) Respectfully

Dear Rebecca mam you are great teacher.By the end of the month I will have learnt properly all the tenses by watching your videos.

You got 10 correct out of 10.

I watched this video twice on August 17, 2021, and took the quiz after watching it. I got ten out of 10.

Thank you, by the end of this year, I will have learnt all the English tenses, and will hopefully use them properly:=)

Hi Rebecca. Thank you for this wonderful lesson. I scored 10/10

100. Rebecca, you are an excellent teacher. Thank you so much

Thank you teacher Rebecca I got 90%

Thanks you, Rebecca I got 10/10

By de next year, I will have learned english. Thank you

9/10 Thank you Rebecca,hugs. (Kazakhstan, 08 october2021) Excellent explanation as usual

100. Thank you for this perfect lesson.

Hi Rebecca, I have a question: in this Example: before you arrive, we will have eaten dinner, and the kid will have gone to the bed, why in the first part do we use simple tense? aren’t we talking about the future?

Thank you dear teacher I learned, and I will learn a lot with you, you are so kind, I wish you all the best

It was an amazing lesson, I have learned a lot of things by watching this video. I did the test, and I have got 90 out of 100. I did one mistake and my mistake was

Become- became- become

I didn’t remember during the quiz past participle of Become but it is okay. I will keep going, I am sure one day I will be perfect at English.

Today I learned Future Perfect Tense very well, so glad about it.

By this time next year, I will have lived in Canada.

By that time, I will have started my master’s degree in Construction Management.

Before I go to Canada, I will have learned English own country.

Thanks for your great efforts, Rebecca .

I am greatly impressed with you Ma’am. I really love the way you present and discuss each topic. You discuss it clearly, concisely, and comprehensively. Thank you, Teacher Rebecca. I learned a lot from you which I haven’t done during my school days. You’re the best. ❤❤❤.

Dear teacher Rebecca ,actually I have to inform you that the quize of this lesson wasn’t so easy to answer them correctly ,but upon your effective method of teaching which obliges us to think what to be the correct answer ,I answered all10 correct thanks again of your teaching.

Thank you, Rebecca. By next year, I will have improved my English language to stronger than this year. Therefore, I will have been studying with engvid.com every day, Thank you so much.

I really appreciate your lesson

you are really good at teaching

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by this year I will have completed ,bachelor degree.Also by the end of this series of classes I will have become perfect in all tenses of English.Thank you so much Rebecca.

Rebecca, thank you so much for your lesson.

Thanks a lot. Rebecca, I got 10 out of 10? ?

I have finished the quiz, 10/10

Hi Rebecca, thanks for this useful lesson. I would like to ask, does next June mean “June in this year” or “June in next year” thanks in advance

Thank you, Ms Rebecca.

Hi Rebecca. Thank you for this wonderful lesson. I got 10/10.Thank you once again and stay safe!

Thank you very much Rebecca!!! Take care! My score is 10/10.

Also, thank you for this lesson.

Thank you 9/10

Thanks so much

when you are teaching, I am feeling English is easy.thank you very much.

Become is the past participle of the verb become, damn, it’s really prank hahaha

Thank you 😊

thank you for your teaching

Thank you very much Teacher Rebecca. Every time I learn many things with you.

Again and again 10/10

It’s interesting lesson

thank you teacher Rebecca for this lesson. you are a excelent teacher, I´m learning very well English.

become-became-become

Hi Rebecca, I got 10/10 it is a great job and a great lesson I would like to thank you very much

Thank you Rebecca. The lesson is awesome

This lesson is awesome. I was so confused but now I have some clarity of the tense.

Rebecca is my favorite teacher.

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The English Compound Tenses Grammar Guide

English compound tenses allow you to discuss very specific moments in time, from the past through the future. They allow you to discuss events that were finished ages ago, or events that will be continuing for years and years.

Whether you’re telling stories, making plans or just chatting about your day, you’ll need English compound tenses to communicate like a native speaker would.

Fortunately, understanding compound tenses isn’t too complicated.

In this post, we’ll walk you through what English compound tenses are, the nine English compound tenses and how to practice them.

What Are the Compound Tenses in English?

1. present continuous, 2. present perfect, 3. present perfect continuous, 4. past continuous, 5. past perfect, 6. past perfect continuous, 7. future continuous, 8. future perfect, 9. future perfect continuous, how to practice the english compound tenses, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

You may already be familiar with the English simple tenses : simple past, simple present and simple future. In the simple past and simple present, you only need to conjugate the action verb. In the simple future, you just need to add “will” before the action verb without changing that verb.

Compound tenses, on the other hand, often involve the addition of an auxiliary verb (“to be” or “to have”) in front of the conjugated action verb . These tenses give more specific information about when the action occurred, started or completed.

You could think of the simple tenses as the starter deck of a card game, and the compound tenses as the new and latest expansion pack.

For example, listen to the third sentence in this video, where a man explains what it is like to fall out of love .

It was the saddest text I have ever gotten in my life.

The first verb ( was ) is in the simple past tense and should look quite familiar to you. It implies that the receipt of the sad text happened at a certain point in the past.

The second verb ( have gotten ) is a compound tense that provides deeper information about this person’s past. Together with “It was the saddest text…,” it’s saying that, at that point in time, it was the saddest text they have ever received, and they have yet to get something sadder than the text.

The present continuous tense is used to denote an event that is currently taking place. If you wish to talk about things as they are happening, you should use this tense.

For example, if someone asks “what are you doing?,” you typically need to answer in the present continuous tense.

To form this tense, here’s the formula:

simple present tense of “to be” conjugated for your subject ( I am , he is , you are , etc.) + your action verb with the suffix “-ing”

For instance, let us say we want to describe a singer’s performance as it is happening. Our action verb is “sing,” and our subject is “she.” We could say:

She is singing beautifully.

The verb “to be” is conjugated in the simple present tense for “she,” and we added “-ing” to the verb “sing.” As you’ll see throughout this post, the “-ing” suffix is a good indicator that you are in a continuous tense—meaning the action is  continuous (ongoing, still happening).

In the following examples, keep your eye out for the auxiliary verb and the “-ing” suffix that modifies the original verb:

I am writing a letter to Marta.

Rohan is watering the plants.

They are sleeping in the guest room.

You are not paying attention in class.

We are playing a video game.

This tense is used to describe ongoing actions. The action might be finished or might still be continuing depending on the context.

To form the present perfect, use the following formula:

simple present tense of “to have” conjugated for your subject ( I have , she has , they have , etc.) + the past participle form of the action verb

Here’s an example with the action verb “choose.” The past participle of “choose” is “chosen.”

You have chosen the wrong book.

You’ll often hear this tense used with words like “just” to explain precisely when a recent event happened.

I have just eaten my lunch.

You can also use this tense with “since” + [specific point in time] or “for” + [length of time] to explain how long something has been true.

She has felt sick for three days.

They have been friends since 2010.

Here are more examples. Keep an eye out for the auxiliary verbs and past participles.

I have just finished my research paper.

They have lived in this apartment since before I was born.

Trina has visited  already.

This compound tense is used to denote an ongoing (or  continuous ) action that started a while ago. For example, if you were having a lazy Sunday watching TV all day long, you might use this tense to describe your day.

For this tense, you need to use this formula:

present form of “to have” + “been” + action verb with “-ing”

Here’s how it would work with the verb “to crave” (to want something very badly, particularly food).

I have been craving ice cream all week.

Here are some more examples:

I have been binge watching  “Doctor Who” all day.

You have been missing  work lately.

We have been working tirelessly on this project.

Laura has been writing the company newsletter for a while.

They have been stealing from the office all this time.

This tense is used to represent an action that was ongoing for a while, but has finished.

The action isn’t happening right now, but it was happening in the past. Think of this as the way you recall a vivid memory. The events have already taken place, but you’re remembering them like a film being played in front of you.

To use this tense, here’s the formula:

simple past tense of “to be” conjugated for your subject ( I was , you were , etc.) + your action verb with the suffix “-ing”

For instance, I can say:

I was singing at the concert last night.

This means that although I have finished singing now, there was an extended period last night when I was singing.

Sheila was playing the flute all morning.

They were laughing at his jokes nonstop.

You were eating a pizza when I saw you.

The water was boiling , so I knew it was time to put the pasta in.

The past perfect is used to describe actions that were finished  before another event took place.

It is formed as follows:

“had” + past participle of the action verb

If you were telling a story, and you wanted to “set the scene” to explain what happened before the main action of the story, you could say something like:

I had gone to bed when I heard a strange noise at my door.

“Gone” is the past participle of the verb “to go,” while “I heard” is in the simple past tense. You will often see these two tenses—the past perfect and simple past—paired together in this way.

I had tried the violin but quickly stopped practicing.

Rhea had dozed off when the bell woke her up.

They had eaten their dinner before the stranger arrived.

We had completed the picture in the morning so we went to the park in the evening to relax.

This tense is similar to the past perfect, but the word “continuous” should give you a clue as to how it is different.

Use this tense to describe ongoing actions that have already been completed at some point in the past. For example, if you want to talk about a bad habit that you no longer have, you might use this tense.

Here’s how we put together this tense:

“had” + “been” + the action verb with the “-ing” suffix

Let’s use the bad habit example. Our action verb is “to smoke.”

I had been smoking so many cigarettes my doctor told me I had no choice but to quit.

The next few examples should make this even clearer:

You had been skipping class for over a week before the school called your parents.

They had been drinking on the sly until Max caught them.

Vina had been making a toy cart when her brother returned home.

We had been working overtime for over a month until the manager promised us a pay rise.

This tense is used to denote an ongoing action that will only be completed much later. In other words, the action has not even happened yet, but we are expecting it to happen.

If you wish to talk about your life plans or projects you have coming up, you would likely use the future continuous tense.

To write in this tense, just follow this formula:

“will be” + the action verb with the “-ing” suffix

Here is an example with the verb “to sing.”

I will be singing at the concert tomorrow evening.

In the above, I am talking about a continuous action that I expect to take place in the future.

Here are some more examples to understand how the future continuous looks:

He will be studying math when he starts college.

They will be headlining a major music festival next month.

We should leave now. The roads  will be getting icy soon.

We use this tense to talk about an action that has not yet taken place as though it had already been completed. In other words, we are looking forward to when a particular action or event will be finished.

For example, you might use this tense when making a promise to someone or when setting a deadline on a project.

To form this tense:

 “ will ” + “ have ” + past participle form of the action verb

Here is an example that you might remember from your school days:

Mom, I will have finished my homework before I go to the movies!

Again, there are two events happening in the sentence (finishing homework and going to the movies), and the future perfect is the one that will be completed first.

Let’s meet at noon. I will have submitted my report by then.

He will have eaten his pizza before the rest of the group shows up.

We will have built this house by the time our children are in school.

Finally, we use this tense to talk about a continuous event that has already started and is expected to last until a certain point in the future. In other words, the action will be continuing until or before another event takes place.

For this tense, we use this formula:

“will have” + “been” + the action verb with the suffix “-ing”

For instance, I could say:

By 9:00, I will have been waiting here for two hours.

This means that the action of “waiting” is taking place both in the present and in the future, until 9:00.

These examples will give you an idea about the context in which the future perfect continuous is usually used:

By next spring, you will have been living in this town for five years.

We will have been working here for nine months in December.

By the end of this year, they will have been playing as a rock band for over a decade.

As you get familiar with the above named English compound tenses, there are online exercises and worksheets where you can practice to make sure you understand them.

Try this tenses exercise from EnglishGrammar , where you have to read a sentence with missing verbs and choose the correct simple or compound tense for the verbs. You could also try this series of verb tense worksheets from Agenda Web.

The best way to improve your English compound tenses is to speak and write on a variety of topics using all of the different tenses. Try keeping a diary where you can talk about yourself, the things you do or the events of the day. You can also record yourself discussing what happened this week and what your plans are for the future. Don’t just stick to the simple tenses; instead, try to use each of the compound tenses as much as possible.

If you’re reading a book or an article , try to spot the compound tenses being used for different contexts. Create a study plan , make a list of participles and auxiliary verbs and mix them up.

Above all, don’t be afraid of making mistakes and trust in yourself. With the help of this guide, the English compound tenses will eventually become second nature to you!

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Present Perfect

For recently finished actions.

Table of Contents

In this grammar section we will have a look at the tense Present Perfect to talk about recently finished/completed actions.

A: How long have you worked there? B: I have worked there for 3 years.

A: How long have you been friends? B: We haven’t been friends for long. We have been friends since 2022

The video gives an overview of to Present Perfect for something recently completed/finished actions.

It shows the meaning/usage: when and why to use the Present Perfect.

For the form and the pronunciation have a look a the different webpages:

• Present perfect form
• Present perfect pronunciation

Usage/ Meaning

How and when do we use the Present Perfect?

Present Perfect is also used to talk about something recently finished.

I have just done my homework: This means not so long ago you finished your homework . It is an unspecified time in the past . We don’t know when the person did it, but it wasn’t so long ago . It is usually used to stress that you finished the action and there it no need to do it anymore or no need to worry about it anymore .

I have already done my homework: This means you finished your homework somewhere before now . It is an unspecified time in the past . We don’t know when the person did it . It is usually used to stress that you finished the action and there it no need to do it anymore or no need to worry about it anymore .

Present Perfect is also used to talk about something that is not finished.

I haven’t done my homework yet : This means you did not finished your homework somewhere before now but that you will do it later . It is usually used to stress that you did not finished the action but you will do it somewhere soon in the future.

• Just: recently finished actions. positive and questions. Between have and the main verb : I have just finished . 
• Already: finished actions. positive and questions. Between have and the main verb : I have already finished .
• Yet: not finished, but will finish it later. Negative and questions. At the end of the sentence: I haven’t finished yet .

Have a look at the questions and write your answers in the comments below . Also give us some more details about when, where, why,….

• What have you already done today?
• What haven’t you done yet today, but must still do today?
• What have you just finished before answering these questions?
• Have you just had some food?
• Have you already finished your homework?
• Have you already studied today?
• Have you just had a phone call?
• Have you already had lunch today?
• Which movie have you already seen more than 2 times?
• Which goals in your life have you already achieved?

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Which timeline illustrates “I have finished my homework” most accurately? [duplicate]

I have learned Present-perfect in school. But I felt that foreigner used in different way of Present-perfect. What is the right tense of this sentence?

Please choose the right picture that shows the exact meaning of the sentence i.e. I have finished my homework . Is it No.1 or No.2?

I heard that the Present-perfect tells the nearest past. The blue part of the picture shows the tense of the sentence. I think No.2 is the right picture that shows the right meaning of the sentence (I have finished my homework.) The sentence below include the nearest past of Present perfect tense. Am I right?

• present-perfect
• perfect-aspect

• related: 1. How to correctly use the present perfect tense 2. Simple Past vs. Present Perfect: “was” vs. “has been” 3. Past simple vs present perfect –  Mari-Lou A Commented Sep 22, 2015 at 9:38

Neither is right or wrong. That is not the distinction which the present perfect captures.

I have finished my homework.

is stating that the event in the past has some present relevance . Sometimes the present relevance is that it is very recent (your picture 2); but other times it will have a different significance.

For example,

Do you want to go out? No, I've got my homework to do. That's a pity: I've finished my homework, and I want to do something.

doesn't necessarily mean that I have just now finished my homework: I might have, but it might be that I finished it this morning. The present relevance is that now I am in a state of having-finished-my-homework, whereas you are not in that state.

In fact the significance of aspect (in English, perfect vs. past, or continuous vs. not continuous) is often not in the events described, but in the way you are, at that moment, choosing to talk about the events.

• I've been looking at the OP's timeline graph and it's not that bad really. But I'd say that neither one of them is right or wrong. Funnily enough, if you compare the OP's graph with the proposed duplicate question, the first is very similar to Robusto's graphical representation. english.stackexchange.com/a/21847/44619 –  Mari-Lou A Commented Sep 22, 2015 at 12:33

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged meaning present-perfect perfect-aspect or ask your own question .

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Future perfect continuous ( I will have been working here ten years )

Future perfect continuous: form.

We use will/shall + have + been + the - ing form of the verb.

We use shall only for future time reference with I and we. Shall is more formal and less common than will .

Note: Shall I, shall we and shan’t I, shan’t we in future perfect continuous questions are rare.

Future perfect continuous: use

Emphasising the length of an event at a time in the future.

We use the future perfect continuous form when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future and we want to emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event:

In September the head teacher will have been teaching at the school for 20 years.

In September, she will have been living in France for a year.

I will have been studying English for three years by the end of this course.

We’re late. I think they ’ll have been waiting for us. We’d better go.

Future: will and shall

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Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).

• I (just / finish) my homework.
• Mary (already / write) five letters.
• Tom (move) to this town in 1994.
• My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
• I (not / be) to Canada so far.
• But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
• Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
• I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy) a new film yet.
• (they / spend) their holiday in New Zealand last summer?
• (you / ever / see) a whale?