Ever wondered how to talk about things you will have done before a certain point in the future? Ok, maybe not that far ahead!
That’s where the future perfect comes into play! This article is dedicated to this often-overlooked tense — poor tense! — so you can talk about your future space achievements (or other achievements, it’s ok too).
Mastering the future perfect tense will take your English skills to the next level and help you sound natural and accurate. So, keep reading: thanks to our examples of future perfect tense, you’ll use it like a pro!
What is the Future Perfect tense?
The future perfect tense is used to describe something that’ll be done, completed, by a specific time in the future. Imagine you’re working on a space assignment due next week; by this time next week, you will have finished it. That’s the future perfect for you!
Examples
- By tomorrow, I will have read the whole book.
- She will have finished her degree by June.
- They will have reached the summit by sunrise.
- We will have cleaned the house before the guests arrive.
- He will have written ten novels by the time he’s forty.
- You will have learned all about the future perfect by the end of this article.
- The team will have discovered a new planet by Friday.
- My friends will have left before the storm hits.
- I will have saved enough for a new car by next year.
- The school will have closed before the renovations start.
Forms of the future perfect tense
Now let’s take a look at the different forms of this tense: affirmative, negative, and interrogative.
Affirmative form of the future perfect tense
The affirmative form of the future perfect tense is pretty straightforward.
The structure is as follows: subject + will have + past participle
Examples of future perfect tense in its affirmative form
- We will have landed on Moclus by noon.
- They will have built the house by December.
- You will have memorized this tense by next week.
- She will have cooked dinner by six o’clock.
- He will have returned before the party starts.
- We will have visited every continent by the time we’re seventy.
- The cat will have slept all day.
- My friend will have bought her plane ticket by the time you call.
- The dog will have learned that trick by next month.
- You will have completed this exercise by the end of class.
Negative form of the future perfect tense
Ok, now, for the pessimistics — or the optimistic depending on what won’t happen — the negative form!
The structure is as follows: subject + will not have (won’t have) + past participle
Examples of future perfect tense in its negative form
- I won’t have arrived by noon.
- The Krill won’t have attacked the spaceship by tomorrow.
- You won’t have memorized this tense by next week.
- She won’t have cooked dinner by six o’clock.
- He won’t have returned before the party starts.
- We won’t have visited every continent by the time we’re seventy — What are you waiting for?
- The rabbit won’t have slept all day.
- My friend won’t have bought her plane ticket by the time you call.
- The dog won’t have learned that trick by next month.
- You won’t have completed this exercise by the end of class.
Interrogative form of the future perfect tense
For the curious minds out there, the interrogative form will be your best friend!
The structure is as follows: will + subject + have + past participle?
Examples of future perfect tense in its interrogative form
- Will I have arrived by noon?
- Will they have built the house by December?
- Will you have memorized this tense by next week? — You’d better!
- Will she have cooked dinner by six o’clock?
- Will he have returned to the spaceship before the party starts?
- Will we have visited every continent by the time we’re seventy?
- Will the rabbit have slept all day?
- Will my friend have bought her plane ticket by the time you call?
- Will the dog have learned that trick by next month?
- Will you have completed this exercise by the end of class?
Negative interrogative form of the future perfect tense
Are you looking for a little challenge? Let’s mix and match the negative and interrogative forms!
The structure is the following: will + subject + not have + past participle? Or won’t + subject + have + past participle?
Examples of future perfect tense in its negative interrogative form
- Won’t I have arrived by noon?
- Won’t they have returned to earth by December?
- Won’t you have memorized this tense by next week?
- Won’t she have ordered dinner by six o’clock?
- Won’t he have returned before the party starts?
- Won’t we have visited every continent by the time we’re seventy?
- Won’t the rabbit have slept all day?
- Won’t my friend have bought her plane ticket by the time you call?
- Won’t the dog have learned that trick by next month?
- Won’t you have completed this exercise by the end of class?
Common regular verbs in the future perfect tense
Below are some of the most common regular verbs in the future perfect tense. Easy!
Infinitive | Future Perfect | Negative | Question |
walk | will have walked | won’t have walked | Will I have walked? |
finish | will have finished | won’t have finished | Will they have finished? |
study | will have studied | won’t have studied | Will she have studied? |
watch | will have watched | won’t have watched | Will he have watched? |
clean | will have cleaned | won’t have cleaned | Will we have cleaned? |
paint | will have painted | won’t have painted | Will they have painted? |
cook | will have cooked | won’t have cooked | Will I have cooked? |
jump | will have jumped | won’t have jumped | Will she have jumped? |
play | will have played | won’t have played | Will he have played? |
help | will have helped | won’t have helped | Will they have helped? |
Common irregular verbs in the future perfect tense
Because regular verbs are boring, here are some common irregular verbs to make sure you don’t fall asleep while reading this article!
Infinitive | Future Perfect | Negative | Question |
go | will have gone | won’t have gone | Will I have gone? |
see | will have seen | won’t have seen | Will you have seen? |
do | will have done | won’t have done | Will she have done? |
take | will have taken | won’t have taken | Will he have taken? |
eat | will have eaten | won’t have eaten | Will they have eaten? |
write | will have written | won’t have written | Will I have written? |
bring | will have brought | won’t have brought | Will you have brought? |
drive | will have driven | won’t have driven | Will he have driven? |
come | will have come | won’t have come | Will she have come? |
make | will have made | won’t have made | Will they have made? |
When to use the future perfect tense
Actions completed before a specific time
The future perfect tense is helpful when you need to point out that something will have been completed by a specific time.
Examples
- By next Tuesday, I will have finished the novel.
- Before midnight, we will have wrapped up the party — Wow, you guys are real party tigers…
- By the time you get back, I will have organized everything.
- By next year, they will have discovered ten new planets.
- By tomorrow, he will have made the final arrangements.
Predictions or assumptions
You can use the future perfect tense to talk about things you’re pretty sure will have happened by a certain point.
Examples
- By tonight, they’ll have solved the problem.
- By the end of the month, she’ll have met all her goals.
- By next summer, you’ll have mastered this tense — We certainly hope so!
- By tomorrow, the weather will have changed.
- By the time I arrive, the store will have closed.
Common expressions with the future perfect tense
When you talk to English speakers, you’ll probably notice some expressions with the future perfect tense. You’ll find the most common below, so you can speak like a native — or almost!
Expression | Example sentence | Explanation |
By the time… | By the time she arrives, we will have finished dinner. | Indicates an action completed before another future event. |
Before… | I’ll have called before you leave. | Describes something completed before a specific time. |
By (future date)… | They will have landed on a new planet by next Friday. | Action finished before a stated future date. |
No later than… | He will have submitted the report no later than Friday. | Specifies a deadline. |
By then… | By then, we will have seen everything in the universe. | Refers to a time in the future by which an action is completed. |
In another (time)… | In another year, she will have graduated from college. | Points to an action completed after a given time period has passed. |
By this time next… | By this time next year, I will have saved enough for a vacation. | Action completed by the same time in a future period (e.g., next month, next year). |
By the end of… | By the end of the week, he will have finished the project. | Emphasizes completion before a specific future point, like the end of a week or month. |
By the start of… | By the start of spring, they will have planted all the trees. | Specifies action completion before a season or event begins. |
By the time I get back… | By the time I get back, you will have cleaned the house. | Assumes completion of an action before someone’s return. |
By the time you read… | By the time you read this, I will have traveled around the galaxy. | Expresses that something will be completed by the time someone reads or sees it. |
By the age of… | By the age of thirty, she will have visited fifty countries. | Shows completion of goals or actions by a specific age. |
By the time they meet… | By the time they meet, he will have learned English. | Indicates completion of a skill or action before a specific meeting or event. |
By next (holiday)… | By next Christmas, we will have renovated the house. | Refers to completion by a particular holiday or recurring annual event. |
Before you know it… | Before you know it, they will have moved to a new planet. | A casual way to express that something will be completed soon, often sooner than expected. |
Common mistakes to avoid
Ah, the future perfect — so cool, yet so tricky! It’s like the elusive art of wrapping a taco without everything falling out — Tell me about it, my husband is Texan. But we’ve got your back! Here are a few common mistakes among learners, and how to avoid them.
The “Will Has” disaster
“I will has finished by then” might sound futuristic, but it’s not grammatically correct — at least on this planet. Just remember, in the future perfect, it’s always “will have” — not “will has.”
Incorrect: “I will has finished by then.”
Correct: “I will have finished by then.”
Confusing it with the future simple
The future perfect is like the fancy cousin of the future simple tense. While the future simple just tells something will happen, the future perfect shows it will have already happened by a certain time. Subtle, but important!
Incorrect: “By tomorrow, I will finish my homework.”
Correct: “By tomorrow, I will have finished my homework.”
Future perfect or future continuous? That is the question!
Future perfect means it’s done, finished, finito. The future continuous is more like something in progress. If you say, “By next year, I will be traveling the galaxy,” that’s future continuous — who knows, you might fall in love with a sexy alien and stay on their planet, so it doesn’t guarantee you’ll finish!
Incorrect: “By this time next week, I will be reading the book.”
Correct: “By this time next week, I will have read the book.”
Getting confused with time expressions
Some English learners mix up “by the time” and “until” with the future perfect. “By the time” points to completion before a future point, while “until” just keeps the action going.
Incorrect: “I will have worked here until next month.”
Correct: “By next month, I will have worked here for a year.”
Forgetting our dear past participle
In the future perfect, the past participle is the protagonist. If you say, “By tomorrow, I will have went to the store,” something’s definitely off.
Incorrect: “I will have went to the store.”
Correct: “I will have gone to the store.”
Adding extra words, just because
Sometimes, English learners get a little too enthusiastic, throwing in “had” or “been” for no good reason. The future perfect is simple: will have + past participle. No “had” or “been” needed.
Incorrect: “I will have been finished by noon.”
Correct: “I will have finished by noon.”
Tips for mastering the future perfect
Ready to get serious with the future perfect? Here are some tested and proven tips to help you get there faster than you can say “I will have nailed it.”
Use it in your to-do list
Want to feel good about yourself and stay on track? Write your goals in future perfect! “By lunchtime, I will have answered all my emails.” “By tomorrow, I will have read this awesome article on the future perfect tense.” Thank you.
Imagine yourself in a movie trailer
Imagine that dramatic movie narrator: “In a world where she will have saved the earth by sunrise… one hero rises.” It’s fun and easy to remember!
Quiz yourself at random moments
Set random alerts on your phone — lots of apps for that — with a reminder like “Where will you have been by the end of today?”, or “What will you have done by tonight?” Great motivation, isn’t it?
Watch out for opportunities
No need to use the future perfect all the time (not every sentence needs it!), but keep an ear out for moments when it’s applicable. Projects with deadlines, exams, completions, or goals are perfect opportunities to use your nicest “will have.”
Play the mix and match challenge
Write a short story where you try to switch between future perfect, future simple, and future continuous. “By noon, I will have finished my sandwich. Then, I’ll grab my laptop and start the meeting, where I’ll be taking notes.” What? We didn’t say the story had to be a best-seller!
Teach it
Got a friend, or maybe a sibling learning English? Or just a sweet pet that loves hearing you talk — or pretends to so they can get a treat? Explain the future perfect to them! Teaching someone else forces you to think through each part, which is great for remembering.
So, future tense voyager, everything is clearer now with the future perfect? We hope you will have mastered it by the end of this article!
Now, if you’re ready to continue exploring the galaxy of English grammar, vocabulary and culture, check out the Berlitz blog!
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