In this English lesson we’ll take a look at how we use the future perfect tense to talk about something that will be finished before a time in the future.
What Is the Future Perfect Tense?
The future perfect tense looks back from a point in the future. Imagine standing at that future moment and looking behind you at everything that is already done. It’s formed with will have + the past participle of the verb.
- “By Friday, I will have finished the report.”
- “This time next year, she will have graduated.”
- “By 2030, we will have lived here for fifteen years.”
- “They won’t have arrived by six o’clock.”
How to Form It
- Positive: subject + will have + past participle – I will have eaten. / I’ll have eaten.
- Negative: subject + won’t have + past participle – I won’t have eaten.
- Question: Will + subject + have + past participle? – Will you have eaten?
- Short answers: Yes, I will. / No, I won’t.
It’s the same for every subject. It is always have, never has: “She will have finished”, not “She will has finished”.
Note: in fast speech, will have sounds like “will of”. Never write it that way. It is always will have.
When Do We Use It?
- Something finished before a future time: “I’ll have cooked dinner by the time you get home.”
- How long, up to a future point (with for): “Next month we’ll have been married for ten years.”
- A confident guess about something already done: “It’s eight o’clock, so the shops will have closed.”
Useful Words: By, By the Time, In, This Time Next Week
- by + a time: “By Monday, I’ll have read the whole book.”
- by the time + present simple: “By the time you wake up, I’ll have left.”
- in + a period: “In two weeks, I’ll have finished my course.”
- this time next week / year: “This time next week, we’ll have moved house.”
- by then: “Come at nine. I’ll have finished by then.”
Note: after by the time we use the present simple, not will: “By the time you wake up…”, not “By the time you will wake up…”.
Future Perfect or Future Simple?
Use the future simple for an action at a future time. Use the future perfect tense for an action that is finished before that time. The little word by is usually the clue.
- “I will finish the report on Friday.” (Friday is the day I finish it.)
- “I will have finished the report by Friday.” (When Friday comes, it’s already done.)
Compare it with the future continuous too: “At 8pm I’ll be eating dinner” (in the middle of it), but “By 8pm I’ll have eaten dinner” (finished).
What Will You Have Done?
The future perfect is perfect for goals, deadlines and plans:
- “What will you have done by the end of today?” “I’ll have written three emails and walked the dog.”
- “Where will you be in five years?” “I’ll have finished university, and I hope I’ll have found a good job.”
- “Will you have finished by lunchtime?” “No, I won’t. I need another hour.”
Example: Lisa’s Five-Year Plan
Lisa is in her final year at university. Here is what she hopes to have done over the next five years.
- By next summer, I will have finished my degree.
- By the end of next year, I will have found my first job.
- In two years, I will have saved enough money to travel.
- By the time I’m 25, I will have visited Australia.
- In five years, I will have learned to drive.
- I won’t have bought a house by then. They’re far too expensive!
Note:
Every one of Lisa’s sentences has a deadline (by next summer, in two years, by then). The future perfect tense needs that future point to look back from.
Try It Yourself
Have a go at answering these questions using the future perfect tense. You can write about your real plans or just use your imagination. Have some fun with it!
- What will you have done by the end of today?
- What will you have eaten by bedtime?
- How long will you have studied English by the end of this year?
- What will you have achieved in five years?
- Finish the sentence: “By the time I’m 80, I will have …”
More Tense Lessons
- All 9 English Tenses – The Complete Guide
- Present Simple Tense – Daily Routine
- Present Continuous Tense – What Are You Doing?
- Present Perfect Tense – Have You Ever…?
- Past Simple Tense – What Did You Do?
- Past Continuous Tense – What Were You Doing When…?
- Past Perfect Tense – What Had Happened?
- Future Simple Tense – What Will You Do?
- Future Continuous Tense – What Will You Be Doing…?
Frequently Asked Questions
Use will have + the past participle of the verb for every subject, for example: I will have finished, she will have left.
The future simple says something will happen at a future time. The future perfect says it will already be finished before that time, usually with the word by.
It is always will have. Will of is a spelling mistake that comes from the way the short form sounds in speech.
Test Yourself
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