Future perfect tense
FUTURE PERFECT
Future Perfect: Form
The future perfect is composed of two elements: the simple future of the verb to have (will have) + the past participle of the main verb:
| Subject | will have | past participle |
|
He |
will have |
finished |
Affirmative
I will have left
Negative
They won't have gone
Interrogative
Will we have seen?
Interrogative negative
Won't he have arrived?
Example: to arrive, future perfect
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
|
I'll have arrived |
I won't have arrived |
Will I have arrived? |
|
You'll have arrived |
You won't have arrived |
Will you have arrived? |
|
He'll have arrived |
She won't have arrived |
Will it have arrived? |
|
We'll have arrived |
We won't have arrived |
Will we have arrived? |
|
You'll have arrived |
You won't have arrived |
Will you have arrived? |
|
They'll have arrived |
They won't have arrived |
Will they have arrived? |
Future perfect, function
The future perfect refers to a completed action in the future. When we use this tense we are projecting ourselves forward into the future and looking back at an action that will be completed some time later than now.
It is often used with a time expression using by + a point in future time.
Examples
- I'll have been here for six months on June 23rd.
- By the time you read this I'll have left.
- You will have finished your work by this time next week.