Forming and Using the Future Perfect Tense

Forming the Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense has four parts. To demonstrate these parts, the following sentence
will be used.

The boys will have left by then.

1. Like all sentences, a sentence in the future perfect tense needs a subject. In this case,
"the boys" is the subject.

2. The modal, "will have", or its negative, "will not have/won't have" follows.
*** REMEMBER***, will have and will not have/won't have are already conjugated.
They do not ever need to be changed to match the subject.

3. A past participle is needed next. In our case, the past particle is "left." Left is the past
participle of "to leave."

4. A prepositional time phrase completes the future perfect tense. In this case, "by then"
is the prepositional time phrase. Other phrases such as by tomorrow or by next month
could also be used as long as they are in the future. The phrase, by yesterday, could
not be used with the future perfect tense.

Using the future perfect tense

The future perfect tense is used when one wants to talk about an event that will happen in the
future before some other time in the future. The future perfect tense is used after a future
progressive/continuous or simple future sentence. The future perfect tense is best
understood by looking at a couple of examples.

 Roger won't be driving his old car next summer. He will have bought a new car by
then.

These two sentences tell us that Roger currently has an old car. However, sometime in the
future before next summer, Roger will buy a new car. We don't know exactly when but we
know it will be before next summer.

 Laurie won't have to take out the garbage when she gets home. Harold will have done
it by then.

These two sentences tell us that the garbage needs to be taken out. Laurie won't have to do it
though because Harold will do it before she gets home from work. We don't know exactly
when Harold will take the garbage out but we know that it will be before Laurie gets home.
Future Perfect

Change the verb into the correct form.

1. By this time tomorrow, I (finish) the project.

2. By 8 o'clock, the kids (fall) asleep.

3. By tomorrow morning, he (sleep) wonderfully.

4. By next year, she (receive) her promotion.

5. Robin (sell) his car by next Sunday.

6. Morgan (clean) the entire house by lunch.

7. We (dance) a few dances before midnight.

8. At this time tomorrow morning, they (begin) working.

9. At this time next week, we (catch) the thief.

10. At 2013, I (live) in Madrid for 5 years.

11. At 2020, they (work) here for 20 years.

12. By September, Julie (teach) us for over a year.

13. By October, I (study) English for 3 months.

14. At Monday, she (wait) for 2 weeks.

15. Before Saturday, you (do) all of your homework.

16. By the time you (return) home, you (spend) much time in Africa.

17. She (eat) a lot before the dessert (arrive).

18. He (talk) on the phone before his wife (arrive).

19.We (chose) a date before they (call).

20. Natalie (feed) the baby by the time she (leave) the house.

21. You (finish) your work before you (leave) the office.

22. By the time they (finish) drinking they (drink) too much.

23. I (be) 2 years in Scotland by the time she (arrive).

24.They (study) in the University for 5 years by the time they (get) a
degree.

25. I (finish) all the dishes by 7 o'clock.

26. You (forget) about me by then.

27. When you (arrive), the bus (leave).

28. When she (wake) up, he (go) to work.

29. We (speak) with him when we (leave).

30. I (pack) everything when they (come) to pick me up.