By now, you should have learnt how perfect continuous tenses work since you have already come across the present perfect continuous tense and the past perfect continuous tense. In this article, you will learn the meaning, definition, structure, formula and uses of the future perfect continuous tense, along with examples to help you understand and use the tense accurately. Also, try out the practice questions given in the article to check how far you have learnt about it.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
- Structure and Formula of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
- Points to Remember When Using the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
- Uses of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
- Examples of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
- Check Your Understanding of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
- Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
What Is the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
The future perfect continuous tense is a verb tense that can be used to refer to an action that will be continuing until a certain point of time in the future. The future perfect continuous tense can also be referred to as the future perfect progressive tense as it expresses an action or event that will be progressing to a specific time in the future.
Definition of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a tense form used “when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future, and we want to emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event.”
Structure and Formula of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Here is the formula that you can use to structure a sentence in the future perfect continuous tense.
| Subject + Helping verbs (will + have + been) + Present participle form of the main verb + the rest of the sentence. |
Now that you know the formula of the future perfect continuous tense, try analysing the structure of the tense with reference to how the sentence structure changes when used as a positive, negative, interrogative or negative interrogative sentence.
Check out the table given below.
| Structure of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense | |||
| Positive | Negative | Interrogative | Negative Interrogative |
| Subject + will + have + been + present participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence | Subject + will + not + have +been + present participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence | Will + subject + have + been + present participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence | Will + subject + not + have + been + present participle of the main verb the rest of the sentence
(or) Won’t + subject + have + been + present participle of the main verb + the rest of the sentence |
Examples:
|
Examples:
|
Examples:
|
Examples:
|
Points to Remember When Using the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
It is a fact that the future perfect continuous tense is the least used tense in the English language. However, it is always good that you learn how to use the tense since you never know when you will need to use the tense. So, when you have to use the future perfect continuous tense, keep in mind that the tense has three auxiliary verbs – will, have and been followed by the present participle form of the main verb. Also, remember that the future perfect continuous tense can be used only with action verbs and not stative verbs.
Uses of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The future perfect continuous tense can be used to do the following:
- To denote an action or event that will keep going on until a certain point of time or another event in the future.
- To depict an action or event that is the cause of some other action or event that will happen in the future.
Examples of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Taking a look at a number of examples will definitely help you understand well, so here are a few examples to show you how the future perfect continuous tense should be used.
Denoting an action that will continue till a certain point of time
- Blaine will have been waiting for more than five hours by the time Kurt arrives.
- Remya will have been working at the company for twelve years in 2022.
- Will they have been living in the United States for three years when they finish their postgraduate studies?
- How long will she have been playing the piano when she graduates?
- Next month, I will have been following a diet for three months.
Depicting an action or event that is the cause of another action or event that will happen in the future
- I think my sister will be exhausted when she gets here as she will have been working out for two hours continuously.
- I will be tired by the time my cousins get home because I will have been studying for many hours.
- Monica will be well-versed in all the concepts of geometry by 2022, as she will have been specialising in mathematics for more than five years.
Check Your Understanding of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Fill in the blanks with the right form of the future perfect continuous tense in the following sentences:
1. Sam and Quinn will definitely not be that exhausted when they get here as they ______________ (drive – negative) for so long.
2. Vinita _______________ (walk) around for hours.
3. How long ______ they ______________ (play – interrogative) the guitar next year?
4. Next week, Tharun _________________ (work – negative) for more than a year.
5. In November, Devika _________________ (teach) at this school for three years.
6. We are late. I guess Aldrin and Sam ______________ (wait) for us.
7. Ashwin will be very tired when he gets home as he ______________ (exercise) for over an hour.
8. ________ Neelaveni Ma’am ____________ (train – negative interrogative) students for more than twenty years at the end of this academic year?
9. ________ you _______________ (live – interrogative) in Australia for over a year when you finish your studies?
10. When you come at 8 p.m, __________ they ______________ (practise) long enough?
The answers to the above questions are given below. Go through them to check out how far you have understood the topic.
1. Sam and Quinn will definitely not be that exhausted when they get here as they will not have been driving for so long.
2. Vinita will have been walking around for hours.
3. How long will they have been playing the guitar next year?
4. Next week, Tharun will not have been working for more than a year.
5. In November, Devika will have been teaching at this school for three years.
6. We are late. I guess Aldrin and Sam will have been waiting for us.
7. Ashwin will be very tired when he gets home as he will have been exercising for over an hour.
8. Won’t Neelaveni Ma’am have been training students for more than twenty years at the end of this academic year?
9. Will you have been living in Australia for over a year when you finish your studies?
10. When you come at 8 p.m, will they have been practising long enough?
Frequently Asked Questions on the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
What is the future perfect continuous tense?
The future perfect continuous tense is a verb tense that can be used to refer to an action that will be continuing until a certain point of time in the future. The future perfect continuous tense can also be referred to as the future perfect progressive tense as it expresses an action or event that will be progressing to a specific time in the future.
What is the definition of the future perfect continuous tense?
The Future Perfect Continuous Tense, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as a tense form used “when we are looking back to the past from a point in the future, and we want to emphasise the length or duration of an activity or event.”
What is the formula of the future perfect continuous tense?
The formula of the future perfect continuous tense is as given below.
Subject + Helping verbs (will + have + been) + Present participle form of the main
verb + the rest of the sentence.
What are the uses of the future perfect continuous tense?
Given below are the uses of the future perfect continuous tense.
- To denote an action or event that will keep going on until a certain point of time or another event in the future.
- To depict an action or event that is the cause of some other action or event that will happen in the future.
Give a few examples of the future perfect continuous tense.
Here are a few examples of the future perfect continuous tense to understand how to use the tense in sentences.
- Blaine will have been waiting for more than five hours by the time Kurt arrives.
- Remya will have been working at the company for twelve years in 2022.
- Will they have been living in the United States for three years when they finish their postgraduate studies?
- I will be tired by the time my cousins get home because I will have been studying for many hours.
- Monica will be well-versed in all the concepts of geometry by 2022, as she will have been specialising in mathematics for more than five years.
Comments