Home› Course› Level 4› Future Perfect: With For
1 The Big Idea
Counting Time Up to a Future Day
📘 Level 4 — Future Perfect — Lesson 2

Pick a future day. Count how long something has lasted by that day. Use will have + the past participle + for + a length of time.

By June, I will have worked here for ten years. (Count: ten years.)
On Friday, we will have been married for five years.
(The action started earlier. It may continue after that day.)
Present Perfect (now)Future Perfect (a future day)
I have worked here for nine years.By June, I will have worked here for ten years.
We have been married for four years.On Friday, we will have been married for five years.
Time counted up to a future day → will have + past participle + for + a length of time.
It is the Present Perfect, moved to a future day.
2 Form
Statements, Negatives, and Questions

The form is the same as in lesson 64. Add for and a length of time.

Statement: subject + will have + past participle + for + length of time
Negative: subject + won’t have + past participle + for + length of time
Question: Will + subject + have + past participle + for + length of time?
Statements
  • By June, I will have worked here for ten years.
  • She’ll have lived here for a year by May.
  • In May, he will have known her for twenty years.
  • By 2030, they will have studied English for six years.
  • On Friday, we’ll have been married for five years.
Negatives
  • I won’t have worked here for ten years.
  • They won’t have lived here for a year.
  • He won’t have known her for twenty years.
  • She won’t have taught for thirty years.
  • We won’t have been married for five years.
Questions
  • How long will you have lived here by 2030?
  • How long will he have worked there by June?
  • Will she have taught for ten years by 2030?
  • Will you have had the car for five years?
  • How long will they have been married?
3 Time Words
The Future Day and the Length

Two parts. A future day with by, in, or on. A length with for.

  • By June, I will have worked here for ten years.
  • By next month, they will have lived here for a year.
  • In May, he will have known her for twenty years.
  • On Friday, we will have been married for five years.
  • By 2030, she will have taught for thirty years.

Use for with a length: for ten years, for six months, for two weeks. Do not use since or during here.

4 Finished or Counted
Two Uses of Will Have

Both uses have the same form. The meaning is different.

Finished (lesson 64)Counted with for (this lesson)
By noon, I will have finished the report.By noon, I will have worked here for six hours.
By 2030, she will have written a book.By 2030, she will have written books for ten years.
By May, they will have moved.By May, they will have lived here for a year.
By Friday, we will have cleaned the house.By Friday, we will have been here for a week.

Left: the action is done. Right: you count how long it has lasted. It may still continue after that day.

State verbs work well here: be, live, know, have, work. By May, I will have known her for ten years.

5 Common Mistakes
Watch Out For These
❌ Mistake 1 — Present Simple for time counted to a future day
✗ By June, I work here for ten years.
✗ Next year, they are married for twenty years.
✓ By June, I will have worked here for ten years.
✓ Next year, they will have been married for twenty years.
To count time up to a future day, use will have + past participle.
❌ Mistake 2 — Wrong or missing have
✗ In May, I will been here for a year.
✗ By 2030, she will lived here for ten years.
✓ In May, I will have been here for a year.
✓ By 2030, she will have lived here for ten years.
The form is always will have + past participle.
❌ Mistake 3 — Since or during instead of for
✗ By June, I will have worked here since ten years.
✗ By May, we will have lived here during five years.
✓ By June, I will have worked here for ten years.
✓ By May, we will have lived here for five years.
Use for with a length of time.
❌ Mistake 4 — Base verb instead of the past participle
✗ By next month, they will have live here for a year.
✗ In May, he will have know her for twenty years.
✓ By next month, they will have lived here for a year.
✓ In May, he will have known her for twenty years.
After will have, use the past participle. Check irregular verbs: know, known.
6 Practice
Try It Yourself
Exercise A — Finished or Counted?

Read the sentence. Click what it shows.

  • 1
    By noon, I will have finished the report.
    ✓ Correct — The action is done before that time. There is no length of time.
  • 2
    By June, I will have worked here for ten years.
    ✓ Correct — The sentence counts a length of time up to the future point. It uses for.
  • 3
    By Friday, she will have written the email.
    ✓ Correct — The action is done before that time. There is no length of time.
  • 4
    By 8, we will have eaten dinner.
    ✓ Correct — The action is done before that time. There is no length of time.
  • 5
    By next month, they will have lived here for a year.
    ✓ Correct — The sentence counts a length of time up to the future point. It uses for.
  • 6
    In May, he will have known her for twenty years.
    ✓ Correct — The sentence counts a length of time up to the future point. It uses for.
  • 7
    By the time you arrive, I will have cleaned the house.
    ✓ Correct — The action is done before that time. There is no length of time.
  • 8
    By 2030, she will have taught for thirty years.
    ✓ Correct — The sentence counts a length of time up to the future point. It uses for.
Exercise B — Complete the Sentence

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

  • 1
    By June, I here for ten years. (work)
  • 2
    By next month, they in this city for a year. (live)
  • 3
    In May, he her for twenty years. (know)
  • 4
    On Friday, we married for five years. (be)
  • 5
    By 2030, she for thirty years. (teach)
  • 6
    By December, I this car for three years. (have)
  • 7
    By next week, the kids soccer for a month. (play)
  • 8
    By 2028, they English for six years. (study)
Exercise C — Make It Negative

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

  • 1
    By June, I here for ten years. I started in 2020. (not work)
  • 2
    By next month, they here for a year. They just arrived. (not live)
  • 3
    In May, he her for twenty years. They met in 2010. (not know)
  • 4
    On Friday, we married for five years. We married last year. (not be)
  • 5
    By 2030, she for thirty years. She started in 2015. (not teach)
  • 6
    By December, I this car for three years. I bought it last month. (not have)
  • 7
    By next week, the kids soccer for a month. They start tomorrow. (not play)
  • 8
    By 2028, they English for six years. They start this year. (not study)
Exercise D — Write the Question

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

  • 1
    A: I’ve lived here since 2020.
    B: How long here by 2030? (you / live)
  • 2
    A: Tom works at the bank.
    B: How long there by June? (he / work)
  • 3
    A: We got married in 2015.
    B: How long married by next year? (you / be)
  • 4
    A: Mia teaches English.
    B: for ten years by 2030? (she / teach)
  • 5
    A: I bought my car in 2022.
    B: it for five years by 2027? (you / have)
  • 6
    A: The kids study Spanish.
    B: How long it by the summer? (they / study)
  • 7
    A: Sam knows Dana.
    B: How long her by the wedding? (he / know)
  • 8
    A: We play in a band.
    B: together for a year by May? (you / play)
Exercise E — Choose the Form

Click the form that completes the sentence.

  • 1
    By June, I here for ten years.
    ✓ Correct — Use will have + past participle to count time up to a future point.
  • 2
    By next month, they here for a year.
    ✓ Correct — After will have, use the past participle.
  • 3
    In May, he her for twenty years.
    ✓ Correct — Know is irregular. The past participle is known.
  • 4
    By June, I will have worked here ten years.
    ✓ Correct — Use for with a length of time.
  • 5
    On Friday, we married for five years.
    ✓ Correct — Use will have been. Do not leave out have.
  • 6
    you have lived here for ten years by 2030?
    ✓ Correct — Make the question with will. Put will before the subject.
  • 7
    By 2030, she for thirty years.
    ✓ Correct — Teach is irregular. The past participle is taught.
  • 8
    By December, I this car for three years. I bought it last month.
    ✓ Correct — Keep have in the negative: won’t have + past participle.
7 Choose the Right Sentence
Apply What You Know

Read each question. Choose the sentence that matches.

Question 1 of 8
Which sentence counts time up to a future point?
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
Select the sentence that is incorrect.
Question 7 of 8
Which sentence shows a finished action, not a length of time?
Question 8 of 8
Which word often starts the future point?
8 Summary
Future Perfect: Counting Time With For Time counted up to a future day uses will have + past participle + for.
  • Idea: pick a future day. Count how long something has lasted by that day.
  • Form: will have + past participle + for + length of time.
  • Negative: won’t have + past participle. Question: How long will you have lived here?
  • Time words: by June, in May, on Friday + for ten years.
  • Use for with a length. Do not use since or during.
  • Remember: same form as lesson 64. Finished = done. Counted = how long.
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