Definition
The Future Perfect Tense is used to show that an action will be completed before a specific time or before another action in the future.
Examples:
She will have finished her report by now.
Structure Formation
1️⃣ Affirmative Form
Subject + will/shall + have + past participle (V3) + object/complement
Example:
- She will have finished the work.
2️⃣ Negative Form
Subject + will/shall + not + have + past participle (V3) + object
(Contracted form: won’t have / shan’t have)
Example:
- She will not have finished the work.
3️⃣ Interrogative Form
Will/Shall + subject + have + past participle (V3) + object?
Example:
- Will she have finished the work ?
4️⃣ Wh-Question Form
Question Word + Will/Shall + subject + have + past participle (V3) + object?
Example:
- When will she have finished the work ?
Note: After “will” or “shall” in Future Perfect, we always use “have” (not “has”).
Uses of the Future Perfect Tense
1️⃣ To show an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future
This tense is commonly used with time expressions such as:
- by now
- by then
- by tomorrow
- by next week
- by the end of
- by the time
Examples:
- The boy will have cleaned the bike by now.
- By the end of this month, he will have completed an article.
- She will have finished her homework by tomorrow.
2️⃣ To show that one future action will be completed before another future action
The Future Perfect Tense → in the main clause
The Present Simple Tense → in the time clause with words such as before, when, as soon as, after, by the time.
Examples:
- They will have entered the house before it rains.
- I shall have flown the kites before the guests arrive.
- She will have left the office by the time we reach there.
Common Mistakes in Future Perfect
❌ She will have wash the clothes.
✅ She will have washed the clothes.
❌ She will have finished the work before he will arrive.
✅ She will have finished the work before he arrives.
❌ He will leave the office by the evening.
✅ He will have left the office by the evening.
❌ He will has flown the kite by now.
✅ He will have flown the kite by now.
Exam Tip
- Future Perfect = “will have + past participle (V3)” + often a signal word like by, before, by the time.