Future Perfect in English

Future perfect is among the more complex verb tenses and can be tricky for learners to master. In this reference, we will look at what is the future perfect, its structure and uses, examples, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid. Let’s get started!

What is the future perfect tense?

The future perfect is a verb tense that helps talk about actions that will have been completed in the future. It is used to show that something will have happened before another action in the future. It can also help describe something that will happen in the future before something else happens. In other words, it is used to talk about the future in relation to something else that will occur in the future.

The future perfect tense is formed using the verb “will have” plus the past participle of the main verb. For example, “I will have finished the project by Friday.”

The future perfect tense is often confused with the future continuous tense. The main difference is that the future perfect tense helps talk about something that will be completed before another event in the future, while the future continuous tense helps talk about something that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future.

Future Perfect Formula

The future perfect formula is:

“will have + past participle”

For example, the sentence “I will have finished the project by Friday” is in the future perfect tense. The auxiliary verb “will” indicates that the action will take place in the future, and the past participle of the verb “finished” is used to indicate that the action will be completed before Friday.

So, the structure of the future perfect tense is fairly simple. You combine the auxiliary verb “will” with the past participle of the main verb. By using the future perfect tense, you can easily talk about future events in relation to one another.

What are the uses of the Future Perfect Tense?

Future perfect is typically used in two different ways.

1. Talk about an event that will be completed before a certain point in the future. For example, “I will have finished the project by Friday.”
2. Talk about something that will have happened before something else happens in the future. For example, “By the time he arrives, I will have finished the project.”

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Examples of Future Perfect in sentences

Here are more examples of the future perfect in sentences:

• I will have finished my paper by next week.
• She will have left for the airport by the time you arrive.
• They will have completed the project by the end of the month.
• We will have received the package by tomorrow.
• He will have finished his presentation by the time the meeting starts.
• They will have done the dishes by the time we get home.
• We will have saved enough money for a vacation by summer.
• The students will have finished their exams by Friday.
• He will have moved to a new city by next year.
• She will have gone on her trip by the end of the month.

Mistakes to avoid

When using the future perfect, make sure you:

1. Use the correct verb form. The future perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb “will” plus the past participle of the main verb. So, saying "I will have went" is incorrect; it should be "I will have gone."
2. Use the correct auxiliary verb. The future perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb “will”, not “would”. The use of “would” in this tense would be incorrect.
3. Use the correct time frame. This tense talks about something that will have been completed before a certain point. Make sure that the time frame you are using is appropriate for your sentence.

Summary

The future perfect tense is typically used to talk about an event that will be completed before a certain point in the future, or before something else happens. Its formula is “will have + past participle”.

Now that you know the future perfect tense, you should be able to apply it to your writing and quickly improve your skills. Good luck on your learning journey!