Examples
Common mistakes | Correct version | Why? |
---|---|---|
I will have working in the company for 5 years next month | I will have been working in the company for 5 years next month | The form of the future perfect continuous is will+have+been+past participle |
I will haven't been working in the company for 5 years next month | I will not (won't) have been working in the company for 5 years next month | See the form of the negative above. |
Will have you been working in the company for 5 years next month? | Will you have been working in the company for 5 years next month? | See the form of the question above |
I'll have been working in three different positions at the company by the end of the year | I'll have worked in three different positions at the company by the end of the year. | We use the simple form when we talk about amount/number |
Positive | Negative | Question |
---|---|---|
Next year I'll (I will) have been working in the company for 10 years |
Next year I won't (will not) have been working in the company for 10 years | Will you have been working in the company for 10 years next year? |
I will have been sleeping | I will not have been sleeping | Will I have been sleeping? |
You will have been sleeping | You will not have been sleeping | Will you have been sleeping? |
We will have been sleeping | We will not have been sleeping | Will you have been sleeping? |
They will have been sleeping | They will not have been sleeping | Will we have been sleeping? |
He will have been sleeping | He will not have been sleeping | Will he have been sleeping? |
She will have been sleeping | She will not have been sleeping | Will she have been sleeping? |
It will have been sleeping | I will not have been sleeping | Will it have been sleeping? |
Positive | Negative | Question |
---|---|---|
I am going to have been sleeping | I am not going to have been sleeping | Am I going to have been sleeping? |
You are going to have been sleeping | You are not going to have been sleeping | Are you going to have been sleeping? |
We are going to have been sleeping | We are not going to have been sleeping | Are we going to have been sleeping? |
They are going to have been sleeping | They are not going to have been sleeping | Are they going to have been sleeping? |
He are going to have been sleeping | He are not going to have been sleeping | Is he going to have been sleeping? |
She are going to have been sleeping | She are not going to have been sleeping | Is she going to have been sleeping? |
It are going to have been sleeping | It are not going to have been sleeping | Is it going to have been sleeping? |
We use the Future Perfect Continuous to show that something will continue up until a particular event or time in the future. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Friday" are all durations which can be used with the Future Perfect Continuous. Notice that this is related to the Present Perfect Continuous and the Past Perfect Continuous; however, with Future Perfect Continuous, the duration stops at or before a reference point in the future.
Notice in the examples above that the reference points (marked in italics) are in Simple Present rather than Simple Future. This is because these future events are in time clauses, and you cannot use future tenses in time clauses.
Using the Future Perfect Continuous before another action in the future is a good way to show cause and effect.
If you do not include a duration such as "for five minutes," "for two weeks" or "since Friday," many English speakers choose to use the Future Continuous rather than the Future Perfect Continuous. Be careful because this can change the meaning of the sentence. Future Continuous emphasizes interrupted actions, whereas Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes a duration of time before something in the future. Study the examples below to understand the difference.
Like all future forms, the Future Perfect Continuous cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc. Instead of Future Perfect Continuous, Present Perfect Continuous is used.
It is important to remember thatNon-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Future Perfect Continuous with these verbs, you must use Future Perfect .
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
NOTE: Passive forms of the Future Perfect Continuous are not common.