This post helps us understand what the Future Perfect tense is, and how to use it in sentences.
When to use the Future Perfect tense in English?
The Future Perfect tense is used to refer to an action that will be completed before a certain time in the future. The whole point of using this tense is to focus on the fact that the action will have ended before some point in time in the future.
The Future Perfect tense visual representation
I will have left my place by the time Rahul comes.
Let’s say Rahul comes home at 10 pm. The action (leaving) will have taken place before this time, and this is what the sentence focuses on. The focus is on the fact that the action of leaving will have taken place before a certain time in the future.
My father will have slept before the match starts.
The action of sleeping will be completed before a certain time, which is starting of the match.
NOTE: the time before the action happens in the Future Perfect tense is important to mention unless it is understood or mentioned by the speaker or the listener.
Max: What are you doing in the evening, Jane?
Jane: I will be watching TV at Ron’s.
Max: Oh great! I will join you guys too. I will be there by 9:30 o’clock.
Jane: That will be late. We will have left for dinner.
In the last sentence, we didn’t mention the time before they (Jane and Ron) will have left for dinner as the time has already been mentioned earlier. But if that’s not the case, always mention it.
Examples:
- We will have finished the assignment before the deadline hits.
- The train will have left when we reach the station.
- My granny will have died before my son gets married.
- We will have finished our meal when the meeting starts.
- By the time you read my message, I will have arrived at the hotel.
- He will have painted the entire room before 6 pm.
How to form sentences in the Future Perfect tense?
The future Perfect tense is formed using the verb phrase ‘will have + past participle (V3)’.
| TYPES OF SENTENCES | STRUCTURES (the structure includes the basic elements) | EXAMPLES |
| Affirmative | Subject + will + have + past participle (V3) | I will have bought a house by that time. India will have made its own defense system. We will have had dinner at 8 pm. Ronny will have come back before the lecture starts. |
| Negative | Subject + will + not+ have + past participle (V3) | I will not have bought a house by that time. India will not have made its own defense system. We won’t have had dinner at 8 pm. Ronny won’t have come back before the lecture starts. |
| Interrogative (general) | Will + subject + have + past participle (V3)? | Will I have bought a house by that time? Will India have made its own defense system? Will we have had dinner at 8 pm? Will Ronny have come back before the lecture starts? |
| Interrogative negative | Will + subject + not + have + past participle (V3)? or Won’t + subject + have + past participle (V3)? | Will I not have bought a house by that time? Won’t India have made its own defense system? Won’t we have had dinner at 8 pm? Won’t Ronny have come back before the lecture starts? |
Contractions
| I will have | I’ll have |
| You will have | You’ll have |
| We will have | We’ll have |
| He will have | He’ll have |
| She will have | She’ll have |
| They will have | They’ll have |
| It will have | It’ll have |
We, now, know what the Future Perfect tense is and when to employ it. Feel free to share your feedback and doubts in the comment section, and share the post with others to help them.
