Future Perfect Continuous Tense: Structure, Formula, Rules, Examples, Exercises

Positive/Affirmative: Subject + will have + been + present participle (verb+ing) + since/for (if needed) + object.

1. She will have been waiting here for three hours by seven o’clock.
2. By 2022 I will have been living in London for sixteen years.
3. When I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years.
4. Next year he will have been working here for four years.

Negative: Subject + will+ not+ have+been + present participle (verb+ing) + since/for (if needed) + object.

1. She will not have been waiting here for three hours by seven o’clock.
2. By 2022 I will not have been living in London for sixteen years.
3. When I don’t finish this course, I will not have been learning English.
4. Next year he will not have been working here.

Interrogaive: Will+ Subject + have + been + present participle (verb+ing) + since/for (if needed) + object?

1. Will she have been waiting here for three hours by seven o’clock?
2. By 2022, will I have been living in London for sixteen years?
3. When I finish this course, Will I have been learning English for twenty years?
4. Next year will he have been working here for four years?

Negative Interrogative: Will+ Subject + not+ have+ been + present participle (verb+ing) + since/for (if needed) + object?

1. Will she not have been waiting here for three hours by seven o’clock?
2. By 2022, will I not have been living in London for sixteen years?
3. When I finish this course, Won’t I have been learning English for twenty years?
4. Next year won’t he have been working here for four years?

10 Real Life Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Here are 10 examples of real-life situations using the future perfect continuous tense:

By next month, I will have been working at this company for five years.
By 6 PM, she will have been studying for the exam for three hours.
By the time you arrive, we will have been waiting here for 30 minutes.
By December, they will have been living in this house for a decade.
By the end of the year, I will have been traveling for six months straight.
By this time tomorrow, he will have been running the marathon for five hours.
By the end of the meeting, they will have been discussing the project for over two hours.
By 2025, I will have been saving for my house for ten years.
By 8 o’clock, the kids will have been playing outside for two hours.
By the time you get back, I will have been cooking dinner for over an hour.
Each sentence reflects a future point when an action will already have been continuing for some time.

Future Perfect Continuous Since and For Uses

Since – Since is used when the exact point of time is given.

For example:
It has been raining since morning.

In the above example, a particular time is given which is morning so we have used ‘since’.

For – For is used when the exact point of time is not given, a period of time is there.

For example:
I have been living there for a month.

In the above example, a particular time is not given, it can be a full month or half month so we have used ‘for’ here.

Points to keep in mind while using Future Perfect Continuous Tense

It is a fact that the English language’s least often used tense is future perfect continuous. But since you never know when you might need to use the tense, it is always a good idea to learn how to use it. In order to avoid confusion, remember that the future perfect continuous form of tense comprises three auxiliary verbs: will, have, and been, each of which is followed by the present participle form of the main verb. Also keep in mind that only action verbs, not stative verbs, can be used with the future perfect progressive tense.

When to use Future Perfect Continuous Tense?

The following scenarios can be best represented using the Future Perfect Continuous form of Tense:

1. To indicate a current action or event that will continue until a specific time in the future or another occurrence.
2. To show a past action or occurrence that linked to a present action or event that will occur in the future.

Exercises on Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Fill in the blanks with the right form of the future perfect continuous form of tense in the following sentences:

1. Sam and Quinn will definitely not be that exhausted when they get here as they ______________ (drive – negative) for so long.

2. Vinita _______________ (walk) around for hours.

3. How long ______ they ______________ (play – interrogative) the guitar next year?

4. Next week, Tharun _________________ (work – negative) for more than a year.

5. In November, Devika _________________ (teach) at this school for three years.

6. We are late. I guess Aldrin and Sam ______________ (wait) for us.

7. Ashwin will be very tired when he gets home as he ______________ (exercise) for over an hour.

8. ________ Neelaveni Ma’am ____________ (train – negative interrogative) students for more than twenty years at the end of this academic year?

9. ________ you _______________ (live – interrogative) in Australia for over a year when you finish your studies?

10. When you come at 8 p.m, __________ they ______________ (practise) long enough?

The answers to the above questions are given below. Go through them to check out how far you have understood the topic.

1. Sam and Quinn will definitely not be that exhausted when they get here as they will not have been driving for so long.

2. Vinita will have been walking around for hours.

3. How long will they have been playing the guitar next year?

4. Next week, Tharun will not have been working for more than a year.

5. In November, Devika will have been teaching at this school for three years.

6. We are late. I guess Aldrin and Sam will have been waiting for us.

7. Ashwin will be very tired when he gets home as he will have been exercising for over an hour.

8. Won’t Neelaveni Ma’am have been training students for more than twenty years at the end of this academic year?

9. Will you have been living in Australia for over a year when you finish your studies?

10. When you come at 8 p.m, will they have been practising long enough?