The ESL Future Perfect Continuous verb tense is one of the last tenses taught to ESL and EFL learners.
This page explains the three components (conjugation, form, and function) that teachers must include in a lesson or lessons on this tense (also called the Future Perfect Progressive).
For a thorough discussion on how to teach verb tenses to ESL and EFL students, see my page on Teaching ESL Verb Tenses.
The Future Perfect Continuous (or Future Perfect Progressive) is constructed this way:
The verb conjugation is the same for all subjects, however, this verb tense has the longest string of words; so it's often difficult for English language learners to consistently get the order right.
Here are some examples of ESL Future Perfect Continuous verbs with I, you, he/she/it, they, and we.
Here are the Future Perfect Continuous forms all English language students must learn.
*Note: The Short Answer can also include "been" at the end of the sentence; for example, "Yes, I will have been."
The ESL Future Perfect Continuous is used to emphasize the duration of an activity that will be in progress before another time or event in the future.
Here are some examples:
We will have been driving for fifteen hours by the time we arrive in Los Angeles.
At midnight, I will have been studying English grammar tenses for three hours.
Also, the activity that will be in progress before the other time or event in the future may be something that started in the past.
For example:
The Future Perfect Progressive tense can sometimes be used interchangeably with the Future Perfect.
For example:
Remind the student that the Continuous/Progressive tense is used when you want to emphasize the duration of an activity. This will help the ESL learner to distinguish when to use each of these two tenses more effectively.
Azar's, Understanding and Using English Grammar is an excellent textbook for help with the ESL Future Perfect Continuous. I use it regularly with my intermediate and advanced students. It includes exercises and excellent explanations for all verb tenses as well as many other grammar points.
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