Future Perfect Continuous
Listed below are uses with examples, and the structure of the future perfect continuous tense.
Something that will have been happening up to a future point in time
I will have been working here for three years by the end of next month.
Jane will have been studying for five hours by the time you arrive.
Important Notes:
- Use a future time clause (by the time + simple present) in combination with the future perfect continuous.
She will have been playing golf for three hours by the time she finishes the round.
- Use the future perfect continuous to express how long something will have been happening up to another point in time. If you need to express how much or how many have been completed, used, etc. use the future perfect form.
She will have been working for three hours (future perfect continuous = length of time) by seven this morning!
She will have held three positions (future perfect = amount) by the time she receives her next promotion.
Common time expressions used with the future perfect continuous:
by the time + time clause with the simple present, by + date or time
Structure
Positive
Subject + will + have + been + verb + ing
I, You, He, She, We, They will have been working for two hours by the time she arrives.
Negative
Subject + will + not + have + + been + verb + ing
I, You, He, She, We, They won't have been studying for long by the end of this class.
Questions
Question word (often 'How long') + had + been + subject + verb + ing
How long will he, she, you, we, they have been working by the time he arrives?
