Future Perfect Tense (with Examples)
Future Perfect Tense (with Examples)
The future perfect tense is used to describe an action that will have been completed at some point in the future. It is often used with a time expression which identifies that point in the future.Examples of the Future Perfect Tense
Here are some examples of the future perfect tense (shaded):- By the time you arrive, we will have finished the meal and the speeches. (Note: "By the time you arrive" identifies the point in the future.)
- I will have read every magazine in the waiting room before I see the dentist. (Note: The clause "before I see the dentist" identifies the point in the future.)
- By the time you arrive, we will not have finished the meal and the speeches.
- I will not have read every magazine in the waiting room before I see the dentist.
- Will you have finished the meal and the speeches by the time I arrive?
- Will you have read every magazine in the waiting room before you see the dentist?
Forming the Future Perfect Tense
Here is an infographic explaining the future perfect tense:Other Future Tenses
The future perfect tense is one of four future tenses. They are:The 4 Future Tenses | Example |
---|---|
simple future tense | I will go |
future progressive tense | I will be going |
future perfect tense | I will have gone |
future perfect progressive | I will have been going |
Forming the Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense is formed:will have + [the past participle]
For example:
- I will have completed my assignment by 3 o'clock.
- After this event, Simon will have walked over 10,000 miles in those boots.
Forming the Past Participle (Regular Verbs)
If it's a regular verb, the past participle is the same as the simple past tense. In other words, it is formed like this:Add ed to most verbs:
- jump > jumped
- paint > painted
- chat > chatted
- stop > stopped
- sew > sewed
- play > played
- fix > fixed
- incur > incurred
- prefer > preferred
- open > opened
- enter > entered
- swallow > swallowed
- thrive > thrived
- guzzle > guzzled
- cry > cried
- fry > fried
Forming the Past Participle (Irregular Verbs)
If it's an irregular verb, the past participle is formed in all sorts of different ways. Here are some examples:- arise > arisen
- catch > caught
- choose > chosen
- know > known
Click here for a list of the most common irregular verbs.
A Quick Test
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See Also
Tenses Simple past tense Past progressive tense Past perfect tense Past perfect progressive tense Simple present tense Present progressive tense Present perfect tense Present perfect progressive tense Simple future tense Future progressive tense Future perfect tenseFuture perfect progressive tense