Future Perfect Tense: Definition, Structure and Examples

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The future perfect tense in English with useful examples. Learn the definition, structure, signal words, and common uses of the future perfect tense with helpful explanations and ESL printable infographics.

Future Perfect Definition

The future perfect tense describes an action that will be completed before a specific time or another action in the future. The key idea of this tense is completion: the action will already be finished at a certain point in the future.

In other words, the tense focuses on the result of an action that will be done before a future moment.

Examples:

• By next year, she will have graduated from university.
• By 8 p.m., we will have finished dinner.
• They will have completed the project by the deadline.

Forming the Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense has the same structure for all subjects. It always uses the auxiliary verb will have followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Future Perfect Structure

Sentence Type	Structure	Example
Positive	Subject + will have + past participle	She will have finished the report.
Negative	Subject + will not have + past participle	She will not have finished the report.
Question	Will + subject + have + past participle?	Will she have finished the report?

Positive Statements | Future Perfect

Subject	Auxiliary Verb	Past Participle	Example Sentence
I	will have	eaten	I will have eaten by half past nine.
She	will have	eaten	She will have eaten by half past nine.
They	will have	eaten	They will have eaten by half past nine.

Notice that the auxiliary phrase “will have” does not change with the subject.

Negative Statements | Future Perfect

Subject	Auxiliary Verb	Past Participle	Example Sentence
I	will not have	finished	I will not have finished my assignment by Monday.
He	will not have	finished	He will not have finished his assignment by Monday.
They	will not have	finished	They will not have finished their assignment by Monday.

We commonly use the contraction won’t have instead of will not have in everyday speech.

Examples:

• I won’t have finished the report by tonight.
• She won’t have arrived before noon.

Interrogative Statements | Future Perfect Questions

Auxiliary	Subject	Verb Phrase	Example Sentence
Will	I	have joined	Will I have joined the course by Thursday?
Will	she	have joined	Will she have joined the course by Thursday?
Will	they	have joined	Will they have joined the course by Thursday?

Signal Words for the Future Perfect

The future perfect tense often appears with time expressions that show a deadline or future point.

• By tomorrow / next week / next year
• By the time
• Before
• By then
• In + time expression

Examples:

• By next month, we will have moved to a new house.
• By the time you arrive, I will have finished cooking.
• They will have completed the work before the deadline.

Future Perfect with Time Clauses

When the future perfect tense appears in sentences with time clauses, the clause after words like when, before, by the time usually uses the present simple tense.

Examples:

• By the time you come, I will have finished the report.
• When they arrive, we will have prepared everything.
• Before she leaves, she will have packed all her bags.

Future Perfect Tense Exercises

Exercise 1: Complete the Sentences with the Correct Form of the Future Perfect

Use the verb in parentheses to complete each sentence using the future perfect tense.

1. By next week, I __________ (finish) this book.
2. By the time you arrive, we __________ (prepare) dinner.
3. She __________ (complete) the project by tomorrow afternoon.
4. By 2030, scientists __________ (discover) many new technologies.
5. They __________ (build) the bridge by the end of the year.
6. By the time the movie starts, we __________ (buy) our tickets.
7. He __________ (leave) the office before you get there.
8. By next month, we __________ (save) enough money for a vacation.
9. The students __________ (finish) the exam before the bell rings.
10. By the time you read this message, I __________ (send) the report.

Answer Key

1. will have finished
2. will have prepared
3. will have completed
4. will have discovered
5. will have built
6. will have bought
7. will have left
8. will have saved
9. will have finished
10. will have sent

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences Using the Future Perfect

Rewrite each sentence using the future perfect tense and the time expression provided.

1. I finish my homework. (by tonight)
2. She completes the report. (by tomorrow)
3. They arrive at the airport. (by 6 p.m.)
4. We finish the meeting. (by the time the manager arrives)
5. He reads the book. (by next week)
6. The company launches the new product. (by next year)
7. I clean the house. (by the time guests come)
8. She learns English grammar. (by the end of the course)
9. They build the new school. (by 2030)
10. We finish dinner. (by the time the movie starts)

Answer Key

1. I will have finished my homework by tonight.
2. She will have completed the report by tomorrow.
3. They will have arrived at the airport by 6 p.m.
4. We will have finished the meeting by the time the manager arrives.
5. He will have read the book by next week.
6. The company will have launched the new product by next year.
7. I will have cleaned the house by the time guests come.
8. She will have learned English grammar by the end of the course.
9. They will have built the new school by 2030.
10. We will have finished dinner by the time the movie starts.