TENSES - PART 12

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Tenses are used to indicate action that has taken place in the past, present, and future. Tenses are
of twelve types. There are four forms of tenses in each one of the three tenses. Therefore, there
are 12 tenses in total. They are

Present Tense:
1. Simple Present Tense
2. Present Continuous Tense
3. Present Perfect Tense
4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Past Tense:
5. Simple Past Tense
6. Past Continuous Tense
7. Past Perfect Tense
8. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Future Tense:
9. Simple Future Tense
10. Future Continuous Tense
11. Future Perfect Tense
12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

The future perfect continuous is also called as the future perfect progressive, is a verb tense
that describes actions that will continue up until a point in the future.

When we describe an action in the future perfect continuous tense, we are projecting ourselves
forward in time and looking back at the duration of that activity. The activity will have begun
sometime in the past, present, or in the future, and is expected to continue in the future.

Examples:
In March, I will have been working at my company for two years.
At 5 o‟clock, I will have been waiting for 1 hour.
When I turn thirty, I will have been playing hockey for fifteen years.

A „time-reference‟ is used in the sentence to show starting time of the action or for how long the
action continues. For time-reference of the action, two specific words „since‟ and „for‟ are used
in the sentence. The word „since’ is used if the exact starting time of the action is known or
intended to be shown in the sentence.

Example:
Wednesday, since 9 A.M

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The word „for‟ is used to express the amount of time, for which the action continued towards a
point in future.
Example:
For six hours, for eight months

Uses of Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

There are two main uses of Future Perfect Continuous Tense. They are
1. Duration at a definite moment in the future
2. Cause of a future situation

1. Duration at a definite moment in the future:

We use the Future Perfect Continuous to show that something will continue up until a particular
event or time in the future. For example, “For five minutes”, “for two weeks” and “since Friday”
are all durations which can be used with the Future Perfect Continuous.

Examples:
1. I will have been waiting for him for one hour.
2. She will have been playing football since 2015.

2. Cause of a future situation:

This tense is used when they want to express certainty about the cause of some future situation.
Examples:
By this time, he will have been working for 12 hours, so he will be very tired.
We will be making a rest stop in half an hour, because you will have been driving the car for 6
hours by then.

Common Time Expressions:

Time expressions that are commonly used with the Future Perfect Continuous Tense are:

 By tomorrow / 8 o'clock
 This year / month / week
 Next year / month / week

Examples:
I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.
By 2001 I will have been living in London for sixteen years.
Next year I will have been working here for four years.
When I come at 5:00, will you have been practicing long?

Structure of Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

The structure of the future perfect continuous tense can be formed by using the main verb in
present participle (Base form or First form of verb) form along with continuous -ing form.

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Examples:
eating
living
walking
working

Auxiliary verbs used is to form this future perfect continuous tense is will have been.

Structure of Future Perfect Continuous Tense = will have been + present participle (base
form or First form of verb)

1) Affirmative Sentences:
Affirmative sentences in Future Perfect Continuous Tense can be formed as follows:

Subject + Auxiliary verb(Will have been) + Main Verb(Present Participle (1st form of verb
+ ing)) + Object + Time-reference

Examples:
I will have been teaching them from two hours.
She will have been writing a book from Monday.
The teacher will have been giving them assignments from next week.
They will have been working on this plan for years.
We will have been starting your business since May.
You will have been using my computer for five months.

Note: If duration of an activity (e.g. "since April", "for three hours") is unknown then the Future
Continuous should be used instead of the Perfect Form.

Example:
Correct: I will be taking a bath.
Incorrect: I will have been taking a bath.

2) Negative Sentences:
The negative sentences in Future Perfect Continuous Tense can be formed as follows:

Subject + Auxiliary verb(Will NOT have been) + Main Verb(Present Participle (1st form of
verb + ing)) + Object + Time-reference

Examples:
They will not have been watching movies from afternoon.
She will not have been singing a song from morning.
We will not have been seeing anything unusual here.
The child will not have been improving from next year.
I will have been setting targets from tomorrow.
He will not have been running his business since April.

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3) Interrogative Sentences:
The Interrogative sentences in Future Perfect Continuous Tense can be formed as follows:

Will + Subject + Have been + Main Verb( Present Participle (1st form of verb + ing)) +
Object

Auxiliary verb: Will have been

Examples:
Will he have been looking at you?
Will they have been working in this factory since June?
Will the kids have been making a noise for three hours?
Will they have been using their phone since Tomorrow?
Why will you have been trying this number from hours?
What will you have been expecting from him?
Why will she have been learning so much?

Note:
In Future Perfect Continuous Tense, Interrogative sentences beginning with "how long" are
more common.

Examples:
How long will you have been learning German this year?
How long will you have been trying to get your driving license this week?

4) Interrogative Negative Sentences:

The Interrogative Negative Sentences in Future Perfect Continuous Tense can be formed as
follows:

Will + NOT+ Subject + Have + Main verb(Past participle(3rd form of verb)) + Object

Auxiliary Verb: Will NOT have been

Examples:
Won't they have been living?
Won't you have been eating vegetables for two months.
Won't she have been singing songs since Friday?
Won't he have been taking medicine for his illness since Monday?
Won't I have writing essays for Newspaper since Wednesday?

Contraction with Future Perfect Continuous Tense:

 In speaking with the Future Perfect Continuous tense, we often contract the subject and
WILL:

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 Examples:
I'll have been driving for five hours.
She'll have been watching TV.

 In negative sentences, we may contract with won't, as follows:

Examples:
You won't have been drinking, will you?
We won't have been driving for long.