Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

 

TENSES

The word ‘tense’ is derived from Latin word ‘tempus’ and it means time. Basically tense conveys the time of action.

Tenses are mainly divided into parts – Present, Past and Future. They are further subdivided into three categories – Indefinite, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous.

 

PRESENT TENSE	PAST TENSE	FUTURE TENSE
PRESENT INDEFINITE	PAST INDEFINITE	FUTURE INDEFINITE
PRESENT CONTINUOUS	PAST CONTINUOUS	FUTURE CONTINUOUS
PRESENT PERFECT	PAST PERFECT	FUTURE PERFECT
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS	PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS	FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

 

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE is generally used to describe actions that will be continued for a duration in future or the time (future) we talk about.

 

Usage of Future Perfect Continuous Tense

 

1. The Future Perfect Continuous tense is used to indicate action to begin in future and continue for some period/duration in future -

e.g. Sana will have been playing for four hours now (action continues for some period/certain duration in future)

 

2. The Future Perfect Continuous tense is used to indicate continuation of an action during another action in future -

e.g. She will have been waiting for the letter for 5 days when the letter arrives. (action continued during another action in future)

 

3. This tense is used to emphasise the duration of action/event –

 e.g.   I will have been teaching in this school for 30 years when I retire. (emphasis on duration)

 

 4. This Tense is used to express continuation of future event in sequence of simple present   -

e.g. She will have been working here for 10 years when she gets the promotion. (in sequence of simple present)

 

Time Expressions used in this tense

Prepositions (for/since) used with certain time expressions:

three hours              morning                    tomorrow this time

four days                  9.00  a.m.                 when

3 months                  March                        next year this time

2 years                      2018                          next summer

centuries                   1100                          coming Monday

ages                            I was a child             10 years from now

ever                            beginning                 next July

Verb Form used in this tense

Basic structure of a sentence in this tense is Subject + will/shall + have been + ing form of Verb + Object ( S+V+O )

Verb in this tense consists of four elements –

1. Appropriate form of auxiliary ‘will/shall’

 2. Base form of ‘have’ – have

3. Third form of be – been

4. Present participle form of main verb (Verb 1+ing) – playing, going, writing, reading, leaving, teaching, learning, etc.

 

Uses of Will and shall

 

It does not matter if the subject is singular or plural the formula for the simple  future tense does not change-

 

We generally use will with I, you ,they, we, he, she and it .

We use shall with I and we.

 

Uses of ‘Will’ :

 

1. when we decide to do something at the time of speaking -

 

Examples:

I will have a glass of orange juice.

She will lie down for some time as she is tired.

 

3. to express the views  of the speaker

 

Examples:

I will consult a specialist for my eye problem.

I will not go for a walk as it is very humid.

 

4. to offer to do something

 

Examples :

I will make a cup of coffee for the guests.

I will pay your telephone bill.

 

5. to request somebody to do something

 

Example:

Will you bring my bag please?

 

6. to promise to do something

 

Example:

I will help you in the Science assignment.

 

Uses of ‘Shall’ :

These days, shall is mainly used to ask questions, to give suggestions or to make offers, seek or offer help.

 

Note : Will is used for certainty and assurance and shall is used for promise and offer of help. Shall is more formal and literary and will is used more commonly and more frequently

Example:

a) Shall I lay the table for dinner? (offer)

b) Shall we take the children to the circus this Sunday? (suggestion)

c) Shall we leave now?( question)

 

Note : Two future tenses can’t be used in a sentence, in case of two clauses, one clause should be in simple present tense while the other in any of the future tenses.

 

MORE EXAMPLES :

1. My mother will have been working for 4 hours when you arrive.

2. My uncle will have been travelling for two days when you reach his place.

3. My grandparents will have been living with us for 10 years, next summer.

4. We will have been practising for a month on Annual Day.

5. We will have been running this company for 10 years in 2025.