Future perfect continuous
የወደፊት ፍጹም ቀጣይ ጊዜ (future perfect continuous)
I will have been working. For how long an activity will have continued by a certain time in the future.
The form
will + have + been + verb-ing, the same for every person. It is the least common tense, but it is useful for anniversaries and milestones: By May, I'll have been working here for ten years. Amharic: ስሠራ ቆይቼ እሆናለሁ.
In Amharic
will + have + been + ግሥ-ing፣ ለሁሉም ሰው አንድ ነው። በጣም ትንሽ የሚሠራበት ጊዜ ነው፤ ግን ለዓመታዊ በዓላትና ለክንውኖች ይጠቅማል፦ By May, I'll have been working here for ten years። በአማርኛ፦ "ስሠራ ቆይቼ እሆናለሁ"።
| All persons | |
|---|---|
| + | I / she / they will (’ll) have been working for ten years. |
| − | I / she / they won't have been working for long. |
| ? | How long will you have been working here? |
- It almost always has two time expressions: by + a future point, and for + a length of time.
- In September, we'll have been living in Las Vegas for five years.
- By the time the bus comes, we'll have been waiting for an hour.
- Next month she'll have been teaching at that school for twenty years.
When to use it, and how it differs
On a timeline: a wavy line that started in the past (or starts soon) and is still going at a future point; we measure its length at that point. Compare with the future perfect: By Friday I'll have written the report (finished result) / By Friday I'll have been writing this report for two weeks (how long the activity has lasted). In everyday speech, people often use the simpler future perfect with live, work and know: By May I'll have worked here for ten years.
In Amharic
በጊዜ መስመር ላይ፦ በያለፈው የጀመረ (ወይም በቅርቡ የሚጀምር) እና በወደፊት ነጥብ ላይ አሁንም የቀጠለ ሞገዳማ መስመር፤ ርዝመቱን በዚያ ነጥብ ላይ እንለካለን። ከወደፊት ፍጹም ጋር ያወዳድሩ፦ By Friday I'll have written the report (የተጠናቀቀ ውጤት) / By Friday I'll have been writing this report for two weeks (ድርጊቱ ለምን ያህል ጊዜ እንደቆየ)። በዕለታዊ ንግግር ብዙ ሰዎች ከ live, work, know ጋር ቀለል ያለውን የወደፊት ፍጹም ይጠቀማሉ፦ By May I'll have worked here for ten years።
| Future perfect (result) | Future perfect continuous (duration) |
|---|---|
| By 5, I'll have driven 300 miles. | By 5, I'll have been driving for six hours. |
| By June, she'll have saved $5,000. | By June, she'll have been saving for two years. |
- State verbs use the future perfect: By June I'll have known her for ten years (not have been knowing).
- Don't use it with a number of things done: I'll have read five books (not have been reading five books).
- When he retires, he'll have been driving a taxi for thirty years.
- By the end of the day, I'll have been standing for ten hours. My feet will hurt!
- By next spring, they'll have been building that hotel for three years.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| By May I will have been working here for ten years. | How long up to a future point: will have been + -ing. | |
| She will have been working. | After will, always have. | |
| We'll have been waiting for an hour. | have been + verb-ing. | |
| By June I'll have known him for a year. | know is a state verb. |
Practice
Each answer is checked as you go, with the reason. Nothing here is saved.
In June, I ___ here for ten years.
By 8 p.m. she will have ___ working for twelve hours. (one word)
By the time the bus comes, we'll have been ___ for an hour.
By Friday I ___ the whole report.
Next year they ___ (live) in Denver for five years. (four words, or short form)
Which is correct?
Which two time words usually go with this tense?
When she retires, she ___ have been nursing for 35 years. (one word)