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1 The Big Idea
Look Back From the Future
📘 Level 4 — Future Perfect — Lesson 1

Stand at a future time and look back. Some actions are already finished. Use will have + the past participle.

By noon, I will have finished the report. (It is done before noon.)
By the time you arrive, she will have left. (She leaves first.)
(The action is finished before the future time.)
Future SimpleFuture Perfect
When you arrive, I will cook dinner. (I start then.)By the time you arrive, I will have cooked dinner. (It is ready.)
On Friday, she will send the report. (She sends it then.)By Friday, she will have sent the report. (It is already sent.)
An action finished before a future time → will have + past participle.
The past participle is the same form you learned in the Present Perfect.
2 Form
Statements, Negatives, and Questions

Use will have with every subject. Then add the past participle.

Statement: subject + will have + past participle
Negative: subject + won’t have + past participle
Question: Will + subject + have + past participle?
Statements
  • I will have finished by noon.
  • She’ll have left by 6.
  • They will have eaten by 8.
  • We’ll have cleaned the house by Friday.
  • He will have bought a car by June.
Negatives
  • I won’t have finished by noon.
  • She won’t have left by 6.
  • They won’t have eaten by 8.
  • We won’t have cleaned the house.
  • He won’t have made enough money.
Questions
  • Will you have finished by noon?
  • Will she have left by 6?
  • Will they have eaten by 8?
  • What will you have learned by then?
  • How much will he have spent by June?
3 Signal Words
By and By the Time

By shows a deadline. The action is finished before it.

  • By noon, I will have finished the report.
  • By Friday, she will have written the email.
  • By the end of the year, he will have bought a car.
  • By 8 p.m., they will have eaten.
  • By next month, I will have spent all my money.

By the time + a short sentence also shows a deadline. After by the time, use the Present Simple, not will (lesson 13).

  • By the time you arrive, she will have left.
  • By the time we get there, the store will have closed.
  • By the time the movie ends, she will have fallen asleep.
  • By the time you wake up, I will have gone.
  • By the time he comes, we will have eaten.
4 Three Futures
Start, In Progress, or Finished

Look at one future time. The action can start, be in progress, or be finished.

Starts (lesson 56)In progress (lesson 60)Finished (this lesson)
At 8, I will eat.At 8, I will be eating.By 8, I will have eaten.
At 6, she will leave.At 6, she will be leaving.By 6, she will have left.
At noon, we will clean.At noon, we will be cleaning.By noon, we will have cleaned.
At 9, they will write.At 9, they will be writing.By 9, they will have written.

First column: the action begins. Second column: it is already happening. Third column: it is already done.

5 Common Mistakes
Watch Out For These
❌ Mistake 1 — Future Simple when the action is finished first
✗ By the time you arrive, I will cook dinner.
✗ By the time the movie ends, she will fall asleep.
✓ By the time you arrive, I will have cooked dinner.
✓ By the time the movie ends, she will have fallen asleep.
Future Simple does not show that the action is finished before that time. Use will have + past participle.
❌ Mistake 2 — Wrong or missing have
✗ I will finished the report by noon.
✗ She will has left by 6.
✓ I will have finished the report by noon.
✓ She will have left by 6.
The form is always will have + past participle. Do not change have.
❌ Mistake 3 — Base verb instead of the past participle
✗ By noon, I will have finish the report.
✗ By Friday, she will have write the email.
✓ By noon, I will have finished the report.
✓ By Friday, she will have written the email.
After will have, use the past participle. Check irregular verbs: write, written.
❌ Mistake 4 — Will after by the time
✗ By the time you will arrive, I will have left.
✗ By the time she will graduate, he will have moved.
✓ By the time you arrive, I will have left.
✓ By the time she graduates, he will have moved.
After by the time, use the Present Simple. Do not use will there.
6 Practice
Try It Yourself
Exercise A — Will or Will Have?

Read the situation. Click the form you need.

  • 1
    Your friend arrives at 7. Dinner is ready at 6:30.
    ✓ Correct — The action is finished before that time. Use will have + past participle.
  • 2
    Your friend arrives at 7. You start dinner at 7.
    ✓ Correct — The action starts or happens at that time. Use will + base verb.
  • 3
    The bill is due Friday. You pay it on Wednesday.
    ✓ Correct — The action is finished before that time. Use will have + past participle.
  • 4
    At noon tomorrow, your report is finished. You finish it at 11.
    ✓ Correct — The action is finished before that time. Use will have + past participle.
  • 5
    You pay the bill on Friday morning.
    ✓ Correct — The action starts or happens at that time. Use will + base verb.
  • 6
    You start your report at noon tomorrow.
    ✓ Correct — The action starts or happens at that time. Use will + base verb.
  • 7
    Before the movie ends, she is asleep.
    ✓ Correct — The action is finished before that time. Use will have + past participle.
  • 8
    She falls asleep when the movie ends.
    ✓ Correct — The action starts or happens at that time. Use will + base verb.
Exercise B — Complete the Sentence

Type the correct form of will have + past participle for the verb given.

  • 1
    By noon, I the report. (finish)
  • 2
    By the time you arrive, she . (leave)
  • 3
    By Friday, we the house. (clean)
  • 4
    By 8 p.m., they dinner. (eat)
  • 5
    By the end of the year, he a new car. (buy)
  • 6
    By next month, I all my money. (spend)
  • 7
    By Monday, she the email. (write)
  • 8
    By the time we get there, the store . (close)
Exercise C — Make It Negative

Type the negative form with won’t have + past participle for the verb given.

  • 1
    I the report by noon. I need more time. (not finish)
  • 2
    She by 6. She works late. (not leave)
  • 3
    We the house by Friday. (not clean)
  • 4
    They dinner by 8. They start late. (not eat)
  • 5
    He enough money by June. (not make)
  • 6
    I my bags by morning. (not pack)
  • 7
    The workers the road by May. (not fix)
  • 8
    She the email by Monday. (not send)
Exercise D — Write the Question

Type the missing words of speaker B’s question. Use the words given.

  • 1
    A: The report is due at noon.
    B: it by then? (you / finish)
  • 2
    A: The guests come at 7.
    B: dinner by then? (you / cook)
  • 3
    A: We leave at 6.
    B: your bags? (you / pack)
  • 4
    A: The store closes at 9.
    B: all the shopping by then? (we / do)
  • 5
    A: Anna starts college in the fall.
    B: What by then? (she / learn)
  • 6
    A: I’m sending the files by Friday.
    B: them by Friday? (he / read)
  • 7
    A: The test is next week.
    B: How much by then? (you / study)
  • 8
    A: The road repair ends in May.
    B: the road by May? (they / fix)
Exercise E — Choose the Form

Click the form that completes the sentence.

  • 1
    By noon, I the report.
    ✓ Correct — Use will have + past participle.
  • 2
    By the time you arrive, she .
    ✓ Correct — She leaves before you arrive. Use will have + past participle.
  • 3
    By Friday, we the house.
    ✓ Correct — After will have, use the past participle.
  • 4
    you have finished by noon?
    ✓ Correct — Make the question with will. Put will before the subject.
  • 5
    By 8, they dinner.
    ✓ Correct — Eat is irregular. The past participle is eaten.
  • 6
    I the report by noon. I need more time.
    ✓ Correct — Keep have in the negative: won’t have + past participle.
  • 7
    When you arrive, I dinner. I start then.
    ✓ Correct — Cooking starts at that time. Use will + base verb.
  • 8
    By the time you , I will have left.
    ✓ Correct — After by the time, use the Present Simple.
7 Choose the Right Sentence
Apply What You Know

Read each question. Choose the sentence that matches.

Question 1 of 8
Which sentence shows an action finished before a future time?
Question 2 of 8
Select the correct sentence.
Question 3 of 8
Select the correct negative.
Question 4 of 8
Select the correct question.
Question 5 of 8
Select the correct sentence.
Question 6 of 8
Which sentence means cooking starts when you arrive?
Question 7 of 8
Select the sentence that is incorrect.
Question 8 of 8
Which word often shows a deadline for Future Perfect?
8 Summary
Future Perfect: Finished Before a Future Time An action finished before a future time uses will have + past participle.
  • Idea: stand at a future time and look back. The action is already finished.
  • Form: will have + past participle. Negative: won’t have + past participle.
  • Question: Will you have finished by noon?
  • Signal words: by noon, by Friday, by the end of the year, by the time you arrive.
  • After by the time, use the Present Simple, not will.
  • Remember: will starts it, will be is in progress, will have is finished.
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