Future perfect tense
Learn how to form and use the future perfect tense (will have + past participle) with clear rules, examples, common mistakes and practice quizzes.
In this lesson
The future perfect tense describes an action that will be finished before a particular time in the future. We form it with will have and the past participle of the main verb, for example: By six o’clock, I will have finished my homework. We often use it with by and by the time.
Key point
Use will + have + past participle to say that something will be complete before a moment in the future. The form is the same for every subject: I will have finished, she will have finished.
When do you use the future perfect?
1. An action that will be complete before a future time
Imagine yourself at a moment in the future and look back. The future perfect describes something that will already be done at that moment.
Examples
- By Friday, we will have painted the whole house.
- The film will have started by the time we get there.
- In two years’ time, she will have left school.
2. How long something will have lasted
With for, the future perfect can say how long a situation will have continued at a future point.
Examples
- By June, we will have lived here for ten years.
- Next month, my parents will have been married for 30 years.
Note
Stative verbs such as know, like and own can be used in the future perfect simple: By June, we will have known each other for five years. They are not used in the future perfect continuous tense, which is only for action verbs such as play and go.
Which time expressions go with the future perfect?
The most important word is by, which means “not later than”. Other common expressions are by the time, before, by then, by next week and in ten years’ time.
Tip
After by the time and before, use the present simple, not will: By the time you arrive, we will have eaten.
Common mistake
By the time you will arrive, we will have eaten. → By the time you arrive, we will have eaten.
How do you form the future perfect?
The structure is subject + will + have + past participle. Have never changes to has in this tense, even with he, she or it.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + will + have + past participle | She will have finished. |
| Negative | Subject + will not (won’t) + have + past participle | She won’t have finished. |
| Question | Will + subject + have + past participle? | Will she have finished? |
| Negative question | Won’t + subject + have + past participle? | Won’t she have finished? |
| Short answers | Yes, subject + will (have). / No, subject + won’t (have). | Yes, she will. / No, she won’t have. |
Positive sentences
Put will have after the subject, then add the past participle of the main verb.
Examples
- I will have eaten all the apples before my mum comes here.
- We will have done it by tomorrow.
- She will have finished her homework.
- Sarah will have received her gift by next month.
- The rain will have stopped by the evening.
Common mistake
I will have went home by then. → I will have gone home by then. After have, use the past participle (gone), not the past simple (went). Our lesson on regular and irregular verbs lists the forms you need.
How do you make the negative?
The negative is formed with will not have (or won’t have) followed by the past participle of the main verb.
Examples
- I will not have finished the exam. / I won’t have finished the exam.
- You will not have studied. / You won’t have studied.
- They will not have earned lots of money. / They won’t have earned lots of money.
- He will not have sent the email. / He won’t have sent the email.
- She will not have completed the assignment. / She won’t have completed the assignment.
How do you ask questions?
The question form follows this structure: will + subject + have + past participle.
Examples
- Will I have finished the exam?
- Will you have started the business?
- Will we have done the assignment by this evening?
- Will she have ended the relationship with her boyfriend?
- Will my mother have prepared breakfast?
Negative questions
Start with won’t to make a negative question. We often use negative questions when we expect the answer to be yes, or when we are surprised.
Examples
- Question: Won’t they have talked to the manager?
- Answers: No, they will not have talked. / No, they won’t have talked. / No, they won’t have.
- Question: Won’t she have won the competition?
- Answers: No, she will not have won. / No, she won’t have won. / No, she won’t have.
Future perfect or future continuous?
Both tenses imagine a moment in the future. The future continuous tense shows an action in progress at that moment. The future perfect shows an action that is already finished.
Examples
- At nine o’clock, I will be watching the film. (The film is still playing.)
- By nine o’clock, I will have watched the film. (The film has ended.)
If you know the present perfect tense (I have finished), the future perfect is easy: it is the same idea, moved to a point in the future. You can read more in the Cambridge Dictionary grammar guide to the future perfect simple and the British Council LearnEnglish lesson on the future continuous and future perfect.
Summary
- Form: subject + will + have + past participle, the same for every subject.
- Use it for an action that will be complete before a future time.
- The key time word is by: by Friday, by then, by the time you arrive.
- Negative: won’t have + past participle. Question: Will + subject + have + past participle?
- Use the past participle (gone, eaten, done), not the past simple.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula of the future perfect tense?
The formula is subject + will + have + past participle, for example: They will have arrived by noon. Have does not change to has, even with he, she or it.
What is the difference between the future perfect and the simple future?
The simple future (I will finish) says that an action will happen. The future perfect (I will have finished) says that it will already be complete before a certain future time.
Why do we use by with the future perfect?
By means “not later than”. It marks the future moment we are looking back from, as in: By Monday, I will have read the book.
Can I use know or like in the future perfect?
Yes, in the simple form: By June, we will have known each other for five years. Stative verbs are not used in the future perfect continuous.
Is shall have correct?
With I and we, shall have is possible in formal British English. Will have is much more common and is always correct.
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