Future Perfect Continuous (Future Perfect Progressive)

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Future Perfect Continuous: Uses

Rule

The future perfect continuous tense is used for actions that continued up to a point in the future.

A proper implied or explicit context is necessary when using this verb tense.

The future perfect continuous is commonly used to describe:

  1. the duration of an action up to a certain point in the future

  2. the cause and effect an action will have on a future action

Timeline representing the duration of an action up to a certain point in the future.
Timeline representing the cause and effect an action will have on a future action.
Example
  1. The duration of an action up to a certain point in the future

Woman waiting for 2 hours for gorillas to show up.
  1. The cause and effect a future action will have on a future action

Woman taking care of primates.

It implies that her actions have already left quite a mark on wildlife conservation around the globe.

Tip

Using the future perfect continuous verb tense usually requires a proper implied or explicit context.

There are differences between the simple future, future perfect, future continuous or the future perfect continuous.

Here are some examples to show possible uses and differences between each future tense.


 

Simple future

Jane will build a habitat for the primates tomorrow.

Woman talking to a gorilla about building a habitat.

It implies:

The action, build, will occur tomorrow, without specifications as to how long or when exactly.

Future perfect

Jane will have built a habitat before digging a moat.

Woman talking to a gorilla about digging a moat after building a habitat.

It implies:

The action, build, will be completed before digging a moat in the future.

Future continuous

Jane will be building a habitat when the visitors arrive.

Woman talking to a gorilla about building a habitat while visitors are watching.

It implies:

The action, build, will be ongoing during a specified period of time tomorrow.

Future perfect continuous

By 4 p.m., Jane will have been building a habitat for more than 2 hours with her partner.

Woman talking to her partner about building a habitat for 2 hours.

It implies:

The action, build, will have been ongoing for more than 2 hours by a specified moment in time.

Be careful!

Stative Verb Continuous Form

Some main verbs do not always refer to a dynamic action. Stative verbs refer to states of being, emotions, opinions, preferences or senses. 

Stative verbs aren’t usually used in continuous tenses since they show the state of the subject.

 

Don’t X

Do

Jane will have been loving working with primates. X
→ Her opinion on working with primates isn’t an on-going future action.

Jane loves working with primates.
→ Her opinion on working with primates is a fact.

She will have been understanding sign language.  X
→ Her understanding is not an on-going future action.

She understands sign language.
→ Her understanding is a fact.

Future Perfect Continuous: Affirmative Form

Rule

Points to remember when forming future perfect continuous affirmative sentences:

  1. Place the auxiliary verb will after the subject.

  2. Place the base form of the auxiliary verb to have.

  3. Place the auxiliary verb been.

  4. Use the continuous form of the main verb (verb+ing).

Future perfect continuous affirmative sentence builders.
Example
Woman using sign language to communicate with a gorilla.

Future Perfect Continuous: Affirmative Form—Exercise

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Future Perfect Continuous: Negative Form

Rule

Points to remember when forming future perfect continuous affirmative sentences:

  1. Place the auxiliary verb will after the subject.

  2. Place the function word not.

  3. Place the base form of the auxiliary verb to have.

  4. Place the auxiliary verb been.

  5. Use the continuous form of the main verb (verb+ing).

Future perfect continuous negative sentence builders.
Example
Woman in front of a primate.

Future Perfect Continuous: NegativeForm—Exercise

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Future Perfect Continuous: Question Form

Rule

Points to remember when forming questions in the future perfect continuous:

  1. Place the auxiliary modal verb will before the subject for yes/no questions.

  2. Use the base form of the auxiliary verb to have.

  3. Place the auxiliary been.

  4. Use the continuous form (verb+ing) form of the main verb. 

For information questions only:

  1. Place a question word at the beginning.

Question builders using the future perfect continuous tense.
Example
  1. Yes/no questions

Will

Subject

have

been

verb+ing

object?

Will

Jane

have 

been

travelling

the world for 2 months by the end of the year?

Will

she

have

been

working

on the project non-stop for a week by next Monday?

  1. Information questions

Question Word

Will

Subject

have

been

verb+ing

object?

How long

will

Jane

have 

been

waiting

for gorillas to communicate with her?

By what date

will

she

have

been

living

in her new house for a year?

Future Perfect Continuous: Question Form—Exercise

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The Real-Life Jane Goodall