Future Perfect Continuous Tense
When we want to talk about an action that starts in the future and continues until a certain point in the future, we want to use the future perfect continuous tense. This tense consists of the words “will have been” and the verb’s present participle (when it ends in -ing).
How Do We Make The Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
Below you will find the structure of the future perfect continuous:
| subject | + | auxiliary verb WILL | + | auxiliary verb HAVE | + | auxiliary verb BE | + | main verb |
| invariable | invariable | past participle | present participle | |||||
| will | have | been | base + ing |
In order to form a question using the future perfect continuous tense, we need to switch the subject and the auxiliary verb. In order to form negative sentences in this tense, we need to insert the word “not” between the words “will” and “have”. Study the following table:
| subject | auxiliary verb | auxiliary verb | main verb | ||||
| + | They | will | have | been | shopping | all day. | |
| + | He | will | have | been | studying | all weekend. | |
| – | We | will | not | have | been | reading | a book. |
| – | She | will | not | have | been | taking | a nap. |
| ? | Will
(auxiliary verb) |
they(subject) | have | been | married | for long? | |
| ? | Will
(auxiliary verb) |
she(subject) | have | been | drinking | coffee? |
We commonly connect the subject and the auxiliary verb with a contraction when we talk or write.
| I will | I’ll |
| you will | you’ll |
| he will | he’ll |
| she will | she’ll |
| it will | it’ll |
| we will | we’ll |
| they will | they’ll |
To join the subject and auxiliary word together in a negative sentence using the future perfect continuous tense, you will need to use the contraction “won’t”. Take a look at the following table:
| I will not | I won’t |
| you will not | you won’t |
| he will not | he won’t |
| she will not | she won’t |
| it will not | it won’t |
| we will not | we won’t |
| they will not | they won’t |
Use Of Future Perfect Continuous Tense
We use the future perfect continuous tense when we want to discuss an activity that will happen before a specific time in the future. Look at the following examples:
- You will have been an hour late if you stayed at dinner any longer.
- I will have been studying for several hours before you arrive for our study session.