Everything you need to use the future perfect correctly: the formula, when to use it, signal words, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
Actions that will be completed before a point in the future. Affirmative: S + will + have + V3; Negative: S + will + not + have + V3; Interrogative: Will + S + have + V3? Signal words: by, by the time, before, by next year, by then, in two years.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | S + will + have + V3 All subjects + will have | By next year, I will have graduated. An action that will be finished before a future point |
| Negative | S + will + not + have + V3 | She won't have finished by 5 PM. Contraction: will not have = won't have |
| Interrogative | Will + S + have + V3? | Will you have completed the project by Friday? Short answers: Yes, I will. / No, I won't. |
Describes an action that will be finished before a deadline or future point.
Used for an achievement expected before a certain time.
Used with 'for' or 'since' to say how long something will have lasted.
| Word | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| by | I will have left by 5 PM. | The clearest signal word for the future perfect |
| by the time | By the time you wake up, I will have left. | |
| before | She will have finished before noon. | |
| by next year | By next year, he will have graduated. | |
| by then | Don't worry, I will have finished by then. | |
| in two years | In two years, she will have completed her PhD. |
Fill in the blank, then open the answer to check it.
Options: graduates · will be graduating · will graduate · will have graduated
will have graduated. "By next June" is a future deadline, and graduating will be finished before it, so the future perfect.
Options: will have cook · will have cooked · will have cooking
will have cooked. "When you arrive" is the point it will be finished before, so the future perfect. Cook → cooked is regular.
Options: are paying · had been paying · will be paying · will have paid
will have paid. "by next year" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have paid.
Options: bought · were buying · will be buying · will have bought
will have bought. "by next week" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have bought.
Options: drawing · drew · has been drawing · will have drawn
will have drawn. "by tomorrow" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have drawn.
Options: had been sitting · sit · sits · will have sat
will have sat. "by the end of this year" sets a future date before this will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have sat.
Options: had taken · have been taking · taking · will have taken
will have taken. "by next year" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have taken.
Options: had been touching · touching · will have touched · will touch
will have touched. "by next week" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have touched.
Options: had wished · was wishing · will have wished · wished
will have wished. "by tomorrow" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have wished.
Options: have been knowing · knows · will have known · will know
will have known. "by the end of this year" sets a future date before this will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have known.
Options: has been wanting · was wanting · will have wanted · will want
will have wanted. "by next year" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have wanted.
Options: had watched · has been watching · were watching · will have watched
will have watched. "by next week" sets a future milestone before this task will be completed, so this sentence uses the Future Perfect tense. The formula is will have + past participle: will have watched.
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