The future perfect continuous tense is a grammatical structure that a lot of English language learners often overlook or misunderstand. However, mastering this tense can greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively in both spoken and written English. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a thorough understanding of the future perfect continuous tense, its usage, and its nuances. So, if you are ready to take your grammar skills to the next level, keep reading!
What is the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
The future perfect continuous tense, also known as the future perfect progressive tense, is used to describe actions or events that will be ongoing in the future, up until a specific point or time. It combines elements of the future tense, the perfect tense, and the continuous tense to create a precise and detailed expression.
How to form the Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
Now that we have a clear understanding of what the future perfect continuous tense entails, let’s delve into how to form this grammatical structure. Forming the future perfect continuous tense requires the combination of several elements, including auxiliary verbs and verb forms.
To form the future perfect continuous tense, you will need to use the future perfect tense of the auxiliary verb “to have” (will have) followed by the present participle form (-ing) of the main verb. Additionally, you will need to include a time expression or clause to specify when the action will continue.
Examples of the Future Perfect Continuous Tense in action
Now that we’ve covered how to form the future perfect continuous tense, let’s explore some examples to help solidify our understanding.
1. By next month, I will have been working at this company for ten years.
2. By the time she arrives, I will have been waiting for two hours.
3. In five years, they will have been living in that house for a decade.
4. By the end of the day, he will have been swimming for six hours straight.
These examples showcase the future perfect continuous tense being used to describe ongoing actions that will be completed at a specific time in the future. Notice how we use the future perfect tense of “to have” followed by the present participle form of the verb to construct these sentences.
By referring to these examples, you can gain a clearer understanding of how the future perfect continuous tense is used in practical contexts. In the upcoming section, we will discuss the common misconceptions surrounding this tense and provide tips for avoiding them. Stay tuned!
More Future Perfect Continuous Examples
Let’s see the following examples (the Future Perfect Continuous/Progressive is underlined).
- Tomorrow we are going to play football from 4 o’clock until 5.30. So at 4.45 tomorrow, we will have been playing football for 45 minutes.
- We are going to learn Spanish in Barcelona from the first of April until the end of August next year. So in June next year, we will have been learning Spanish for two months.
- When I move to Gothenburg next year, I will have been living in this city for about 25 years.
- By the time you come back tomorrow, I will have been waiting for you for 10 months.
- By the time my father retires next year, he will have been working for 35 years.
Future Perfect Continuous Tense Exercises
Exercise I
- John and George are going to play guitar tomorrow from 7 o’clock until 10 o’clock. So, at 9.30 tomorrow evening, they ………………………………..
- My father is going to paint the house tomorrow from 8 o’clock until 12 o’clock. So, at 11 o’clock tomorrow, he …………………………………….
- I am going to study English next Monday from 7 o’clock until 9 o’clock. So, at 7.45 next Monday, I …………………………………….
- Kimmy is going to play table tennis tomorrow from 4 o’clock to 5.30. So, at 5 o’clock tomorrow, Kimmy ………………..
- Brian has played games for two hours now. It’s 10 o’clock now. So, at 12 o’clock, he ……….
Exercise II
Answer the following questions with complete Future Perfect Continuous.
- By the end of this year, how long will you have been studying English?
- By the end of this year, how long will you have been living in this city?
- Five years from now, how long will your parents have been married?
- When you finish high school, how long will you have been studying?
- When you go to bed tonight, how long will you have been sitting during the day?
Answers
Exercise I
- So at 9.30 tomorrow evening, they will have been playing guitar for 2 and a half hours.
- So at 11 o’clock tomorrow, he will have been painting the house for 3 hours.
- At 7.45 next Monday, I will have been studying English for 45 minutes.
- So, at 5 o’clock tomorrow, Kimmy will have been playing table tennis for an hour.
- So, at 12 o’clock, he will have been playing games for four hours.
Exercise II
Different answers are possible.
- By the end of this year, I will have been studying English for five years.
- By the end of this year, I will have been living in this city for 15 years.
- Five years from now, my parents will have been married for twenty-five years.
- When you finish high school, I will have been studying for 12 years.
- When you go to bed tonight, I will have been sitting for at least 6 hours.
Other Exercises
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