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Sneki95's avatar

Do you native English speakers use Future Perfect?

Asked by Sneki95 (7017points) September 14th, 2016

As in “In five years, I will have finished my work”. I guess that’s how it goes.

I found this in one grammar book long time ago and it crossed my mind now. I don’t remember anyone saying this.

Do you people use it? When? How often?

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13 Answers

Setanta's avatar

I would use it if it were appropriate. I can’t say, “Oh yes, I used it a week ago on Monday,” but I have used that tense at times in the past. Of course, I know when to use whom, or when to use the subjunctive mood, and I do so. I don’t necessarily use such things in everyday conversation. I find that other native speakers understand me when I use formally, grammatically correct English.

zenvelo's avatar

Yes, I will have used it when it fit the sentence I was writing. But it is not a common usage, the conditions for that tense are restricted.

Stinley's avatar

Ha, I thought this would be easy to answer but it’s not. I think the question might be:
What’s the difference between the future tense
I will finish my work in five years
and the future perfect
I will have finished my work in five years
The answer is that the future tense is not certain, not ‘perfect’. The future perfect tense is more definite. You are certain that your work will be finished in five years.

CWOTUS's avatar

When appropriate.

In fifty years, I shall have been dead for … at least a few of them.

Seek's avatar

Sure. When it makes sense.

“I’m planning on a group trip in 2020. By that point I will have saved enough money to buy gifts for all my friends that weren’t able to join us.”

imrainmaker's avatar

It is grammatically correct but I don’t think people use it too often.

Strauss's avatar

Yes. It’s not an everyday occurrence, but it is necessary to indicate the future completion of a particular action.

Joell's avatar

I don’t have issues using that when the situation calls so, besides I’m never so certain I ‘would have’ achieved something in certain future with all my amazing procrastination skills.

Cruiser's avatar

I just used Past Perfect an hour ago for an article I have to write for a magazine. “Thirty years ago, Us and Them partnered up to create products….

I probably use both a lot without consciously thinking about it especially when writing Anniversary cards to my wife.

Zaku's avatar

Yes, of course, whenever they want to say that. I’m trying to think what the alternative would be if I wanted to say that. What do people say if they want to communicate future completion but they somehow missed how that’s done?

Whether people often talk about future completion is a separate matter.

Sneki95's avatar

@Cruiser “Thirty years ago, Us and Them partnered up to create products….”
Isn’t that Past Simple? Past Perfect would be “had partnered”, right?

Cruiser's avatar

@Sneki95 I did not do well in English class in school and I will let you know later as I just sent the article copy to the editor and see if he suggests that change.

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