Future Perfect Continuous
The Future Perfect Continuous expresses the duration of an action up until a specific time in the future. It is formed with 'will have been' + verb-ing.
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Future Perfect Continuous
The Future Perfect Continuous Tense isn't used very much in English and it is a little complicated to make. However, at higher levels it is great to understand it, and maybe use it sometimes too. It has a very precise meaning which can be convenient.
Firstly, let's look at the positive form:
| Positive | Contracted Positive |
|---|---|
| I will have been working | I'll have been working |
| You will have been sleeping | You'll have been sleeping |
| He will have been cooking | He'll have been cooking |
| She will have been studying | She'll have been studying |
| It will have been raining | It'll have been raining |
| We will have been exercising | We'll have been exercising |
| They will have been travelling | They'll have been travelling |
To make the negative, just add 'not':
| Negative | Contracted Negative |
|---|---|
| I will not have been working | I won't have been working |
| You will not have been sleeping | You won't have been sleeping |
| He will not have been cooking | He won't have been cooking |
| She will not have been studying | She won't have been studying |
| It will not have been raining | It won't have been raining |
| We will not have been exercising | We won't have been exercising |
| They will not have been travelling | They won't have been travelling |
It's pretty easy to make the yes/no question too.
| Yes/No Questions |
|---|
| Will I have been working? |
| Will you have been sleeping? |
| Will she have been studying? |
| Will he have been cooking? |
| Will it have been raining? |
| Will we have been exercising? |
| Will they have been travelling? |
For 'wh' questions put the question word first:
| Wh Questions | |
|---|---|
| Where will I have been working? | |
| Why will you have been sleeping? | |
| Where will she have been studying? | |
| What will he have been cooking? | |
| How long will it have been raining? | |
| Where will we have been exercising? | |
| How long will they have been travelling? |
When Should I Use The Future Perfect Continuous Tense?
1. Just like with the other perfect continuous tenses (and the future perfect simple), we can use the future perfect continuous to say 'how long' for an action that continues up to another point in the future. The second point can be a time or another action. Generally, we need 'for + length of time' and if we use 'when' or 'by the time', we usually use the present simple
- In April, she will have been teaching for twelve years.
- By the time you arrive, I'll have been cooking for hours!
In the same way as with the future perfect simple, we often use the future perfect continuous because we like easy numbers. It's also possible to use the present perfect continuous, but then we get a more complicated number.
- I've been working here for 11 months and three weeks. (This is correct, but the time is not an easy number.)
- On Tuesday, I will have been working here for one year. (A much easier number.)
2. We can use the future perfect continuous, like the other perfect continuous tenses, to talk about something that finishes just before another time or action (in this case, in the future). It's often used because there will be a result at the second point in the future. (Again, if we use 'when' we usually need the present simple.)
- When I see you, I'll have been studying, so I'll be tired.