Future Perfect Continuous in English

Future perfect continuous is one of the more complex tenses in English. It combines the future perfect and the continuous tenses to create sentences. In this reference, we'll take a look at what the future perfect continuous tense is, how it's used, and how to form it correctly. We'll also discuss some common mistakes to watch out for and provide some examples of this tense in action.

What is the future perfect continuous tense?

The future perfect continuous tense helps us talk about an action that will be ongoing up until a point in the future. It can also help you talk about something that started at a point in the past and will continue into the future. The future perfect continuous is related to the present perfect continuous, except that it is used to talk about actions that will be completed in the future.

The formula for future perfect continuous is:

will + have + been + verb (present participle)

So, you need to use the auxiliary verb "will" and the present participle of the main verb (the verb plus "ing").

For example: "I will have been waiting for three hours by the time you arrive." This sentence is talking about an action (working) that will have been ongoing for three hours by the time a certain event (you arriving) happens in the future.

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Examples of sentences with future perfect continuous

Let's look at some examples of sentences in the future perfect continuous to get a better understanding of how this tense works:

1. "By the end of the year, I will have been living in this city for five decades."
2. "By the time the wedding ends, we will have been dancing for hours!"
3. "The team will have been practicing for two weeks by the time the competition begins."
4. "By the time you leave, I will have been studying for three hours."
5. "By the time the party is over, we will have been celebrating for six hours."

Practical uses of the future perfect continuous tense

The future perfect continuous tense is useful for talking about actions that will be ongoing up until a certain point in the future. It's also used to talk about something that started a while ago and will continue into the future.

For example, you could say: "By the time I finish my studies, I will have been learning Spanish for two years." This sentence is in future perfect continuous tense because it is talking about an action (learning Spanish) that will have been ongoing for two years by the time a certain event (the speaker finishing their studies) happens in the future.

The future perfect continuous can also help talk about actions that will have been happening for a certain amount of time in the future. For example, you could say: "I will have been living in this city for six months by the end of the year." This sentence is talking about an action (living in the city) that will have been ongoing for six months by the time a certain event (the end of the year) happens in the future.

Future perfect continuous grammar

In grammar, this tense is rarer than the other future tenses. It's mostly useful for complex sentences, when it's necessary to talk about an action that has been ongoing up until a certain point in the future.

For example, you could say: "By the time my parents arrive, I will have been cooking dinner for two hours."

You can also create complex sentences with multiple tenses, such as: "By the time I finish my studies, I will have been learning Spanish for two years and living in Barcelona for six months!"

Common mistakes with the future perfect continuous

One of the most common mistakes learners make when using the future perfect continuous is forgetting to use the auxiliary verb "will." For example, if you were to say "I have been working for two hours by the time you arrive," this would not be in the future perfect continuous tense because the auxiliary verb "will" is missing.

Another mistake learners make is forgetting to use the present participle of your main verb (the verb plus "ing"). For example, if you were to say "I will have been study for two hours by the time you arrive," this would not be in the future perfect continuous tense because the present participle of the main verb (the verb plus "ing") is missing.

Summary

Future perfect continuous helps you talk about something that started at some point during the past and will continue into the future. To form the future perfect continuous, you need to use the auxiliary verb "will" and the present participle of the main verb (the verb plus "ing"). Use the reference above to practice and improve your use of this tricky tense!