We use the future perfect verb tense in two ways.
1. We use it to say that something will happen before another action in the future. Or that something will happen before a specific time in the future.
- She will have finished everything by tomorrow.
- I am going to have found all of the missing pieces by this time tomorrow.
Most sentences use “by + time”. But we sometimes use other words like “before” or “when”.
- He will have read 1,000 books before he graduates.
- He will have read 1,000 books by the time he graduates.
2. We can also use the future perfect to show that something will continue until another time or action in the future.
- She will have worked here for 30 years when she retires next year.
- I am going to have been awake for 36 hours by the time I finish this report.
As we saw above, there are two different ways that we can form the future perfect tense. We can use “will” or “going to”.
Here are the two sentence patterns for positive and negative sentences.
Subject + will (not) have + past participle…
Subject + be verb (not) + going to have + past participle…
- I will have been married for 20 years by the time my son turns 10 years old.
- She will not have finished by the deadline.
- They are going to have made over 1,000 cookies by tomorrow.
- He is not going to have finished his report by the due date.
We can also make sentences in the passive voice. Look at a few examples.
- The building will have been completed by next year.
- The project will have been finished by early next week.
We can also put the time first.
- By next year, I will have bought a new car.
- By next month, she will have finished her report.
- By tomorrow, we will have collected enough information.
We can use the same contractions as the other sentences with “will” and “going to”.
- I’ll have finished by 10.
- I won’t have finished by 10.
- She’s going to have finished by 10.
- She isn’t going to have finished by 10.
- She’s not going to have finished by 10.
Even though this verb tense is not very common, we will hear and use it sometimes. It is important to know if we want to be advanced or fluent English speakers.
The easiest way to learn an advanced grammar point is to look at many examples.
Example Sentences
- I will have gone to work by 9:30.
- I am going to have read all of those books by next month.
- You’ll have lived a full life by the time you are 80.
- You are not going to have finished by tomorrow.
- We will have made enough food before everyone arrives.
- We are going to have been married for over a decade next year.
- He will not have lived here for a year when he leaves next week.
- He is going to have made a lot of money before he retires.
- She will have met everybody at the company by the end of the day.
- She isn’t going to have raised enough money by the end of this month.
- The store will have closed by the time we get there.
- It is going to have left before we arrive.
- The children will have finished all of their homework by the time their father arrives.
- They are going to have written over 1,000 pages by the time they finish the report.
English Conversation 1
A) I really want to buy a new house.
B) I think we will have saved enough money to buy a house by next year.
A) I don’t know. It might take us longer than that.
B) Possibly. But we will have saved enough in the next few years.
A) I hope so.
English Conversation 2
A) I think the store will have already closed by the time we get there.
B) Maybe, but let’s go anyway. We have nothing else to do.
A) Okay.
If you complete this simple practice, then you will learn to speak English fluently and improve your English grammar skills. Finish the sentences below and then practice making your own sentences. It is an effective way to learn English.
Tip: Say the sentences aloud. This will help you practice speaking English and improve your pronunciation and fluency.
I will have _______________ by _______________.
I am going to have _______________ by _______________.
He will have _______________ before _______________.
He is not going to have _______________ by _______________.
She won’t have _______________ by _______________.
She is going to have _______________ by _______________.
The children will have _______________ by _______________.
They aren’t going to have _______________ by _______________.
