Future Perfect Continuous Tense: Definition, Rules and Useful Examples

Future Perfect Continuous Tense! In this section, we are going to be looking at the future perfect
continuous tense in a much more detailed manner as well as the rules we must follow when using it. This
will give you a clearer understanding of what it is used for and enable you to form sentences that are
grammatically correct and precise.
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
When we are talking about an action that will happen and continue in the future, we must employ the use
of the future perfect continuous tense. Whilst the name of this tense might seem long and complicated, its
use and rules are quite easy to understand.
The Future Perfect Continuous is a verb form or construction used to describe actions that will continue
up until a point in the future.
In English, the Future Perfect Progressive is formed by combining the modal “will“, the auxiliary
verb “have“, “been“, and the present participle of the main verb (with an -ing ending).
Positive Sentence:
S + will + have + been + V-ing (present participle) +…
Example:
 We will have been living in this house for 10 years by next month.
Negative Sentence:
S + will + not + have + been + V-ing (present participle) +…
Example:
 I won’t have been travelling to New York for 2 years by the end of October.
Question form:
Will + S + have + been + V-ing (present participle) +… ?
Example:
 Will you have been eating vegetables for three months?
How to Use the Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Learn how and when to use the Future Perfect Continuous Tense (or the Future Perfect Progressive) in
English with rules, examples and worksheet.
The Future Perfect Progressive Tense is used:
– To show that something will continue up until a particular event or time in the future
Example:
 James will have been teaching at the university for more than a year by the time he leaves for
Asia.
– To talk about something that finishes just before another time or action (in this case, in the future)
Example:
 I will be tired when I get home because I will have been walking for over an hour.
Time Expressions Used with Future Perfect Progressive
 By + this year/ month/ week
 Next year/ month/ week
 For + an hour, for 5 years
 By then
 Since morning, since 1995
 By tomorrow

Future perfect continuous

Form
The future perfect continuous is composed of two elements
the future perfect of the verb "to be" (will have been) + the present participle of the main verb
(base + ing)

Subject + will have been + present participle

He will have been playing.

I will have been playing.

To live, future perfect continuous tense

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative interrogative

I will have been living I won't have been Will I have been Won't I have been
living living? living?

You will have been You won't have been Will you have been Won't you have been
living living living? living?

He will have been He won't have been Will he have been Won't he have been
living living living? living?

We will have been We won't have been Will we have been Won't we have been
living living living? living?

They will have been They won't have been Will they have been Won't they have been
living living living? living?

Function
Like the future perfect simple, this form is used to project ourselves forward in time and to look back. It
refers to events or actions that are currently unfinished but will be finished at some future time. It is most
often used with a time expression.
Examples
 I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.
 By 2001 I will have been living in London for sixteen years.
 When I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years.
 Next year I will have been working here for four years.
 When I come at 6:00, will you have been practicing long?