Future Perfect Tense: Negative and Questions

Building on your knowledge of the affirmative Future Perfect tense, this lesson covers how to form negative statements, questions, and negative questions. These forms are essential for expressing what won't have been completed by a certain time, asking about completed actions in the future, and seeking confirmation about future completion. The Future Perfect in its negative and interrogative forms allows for precise communication about future deadlines and expectations.

We'll explore all the ways to use "will not have" and question formations, including short answers and question words, to give you complete mastery of this advanced tense.

1. Negative Forms of Future Perfect

Structure: Subject + will not / won't + have + past participle

Subject Will Not Contraction Have + Past Participle Example
I will not won't have finished I won't have finished by 5 PM.
You will not won't have finished You won't have finished the course by then.
He will not won't have finished He won't have finished his degree by June.
She will not won't have finished She won't have finished the project on time.
It will not won't have finished It won't have finished downloading by tonight.
We will not won't have finished We won't have finished renovating by Christmas.
They will not won't have finished They won't have finished dinner when we arrive.

More Examples with Different Verbs

  • I won't have completed my thesis by the deadline.
  • She won't have arrived before the meeting starts.
  • They won't have saved enough money by next year.
  • We won't have lived here for ten years until 2035.
  • He won't have recovered from the surgery by then.
  • The building won't have been completed by the opening date.

2. Question Forms of Future Perfect

Yes/No Questions

Structure: Will + subject + have + past participle + ?

Will Subject Have + Past Participle Question Short Answer (+) Short Answer (-)
Will I have finished Will I have finished by then? Yes, you will. No, you won't.
Will you have graduated Will you have graduated by next summer? Yes, I will. No, I won't.
Will he have arrived Will he have arrived before dinner? Yes, he will. No, he won't.
Will she have completed Will she have completed the training? Yes, she will. No, she won't.
Will it have stopped Will it have stopped raining by tomorrow? Yes, it will. No, it won't.
Will we have reached Will we have reached our goal? Yes, we will. No, we won't.
Will they have decided Will they have decided by Friday? Yes, they will. No, they won't.

3. WH-Questions (Information Questions)

WH-questions in the Future Perfect ask for specific information about completed future actions.

Structure: Question word + will + subject + have + past participle + ?

Common WH-Questions with Future Perfect

What
  • What will you have accomplished by the end of the year?
  • What will she have studied by graduation?
  • What will they have decided by tomorrow?
Where
  • Where will you have traveled by your 30th birthday?
  • Where will he have moved by next month?
  • Where will they have established offices by 2030?
When
  • When will you have completed the project?
  • When will she have returned from her trip?
  • When will they have announced the results?
Why
  • Why will you have chosen that university by then?
  • Why will she have quit her job before summer?
  • Why will they have relocated the office?
How
  • How will you have learned so much by the exam?
  • How long will you have lived here by December?
  • How many books will she have read by graduation?
  • How much will they have saved by next year?
Who (Special Cases)

When "who" is the subject of the question, we don't use auxiliary inversion:

  • Who will have finished first? (Who is the subject)
  • Who will have completed the most projects? (Who is the subject)

When "who" is the object, we use the normal question structure:

  • Who will you have met by the end of the conference? (You is the subject)
  • Who will she have interviewed by Friday? (She is the subject)

4. Negative Questions

Negative questions in the Future Perfect are used to express surprise, seek confirmation, or check expectations about what won't have been completed.

Structure: Won't + subject + have + past participle + ?

Negative Question Usage Expected Answer
Won't you have finished by 5 PM? Checking deadline expectations Yes, I will. / No, I won't.
Won't she have graduated by June? Confirming academic timeline Yes, she will. / No, she won't.
Won't they have decided by the meeting? Expressing expectation Yes, they will. / No, they won't.
Won't it have stopped raining by then? Seeking reassurance Yes, it will. / No, it won't.
Won't we have saved enough money? Expressing concern Yes, we will. / No, we won't.

Alternative Form (More Formal)

Structure: Will + subject + not + have + past participle + ?

  • Will you not have completed the assignment by tomorrow?
  • Will she not have recovered by the wedding?
  • Will they not have arrived by the time we leave?

Note: The contracted form (Won't...) is much more common in spoken English, while the full form (Will...not...) is more formal and typically used in writing.

5. Short Answers with Future Perfect

When answering yes/no questions in the Future Perfect, we use short answers with the auxiliary verb "will" (not the past participle).

Structure for Short Answers:

  • Positive: Yes, + subject + will
  • Negative: No, + subject + won't
Question Positive Short Answer Negative Short Answer
Will you have finished by 6 PM? Yes, I will. No, I won't.
Will she have arrived by then? Yes, she will. No, she won't.
Will they have completed the work? Yes, they will. No, they won't.
Will it have been repaired by Monday? Yes, it will. No, it won't.
Won't you have graduated by summer? Yes, I will. No, I won't.

Important Notes about Short Answers:

  • We never include "have" or the past participle in short answers: ❌ "Yes, I will have." ✅ "Yes, I will."
  • We usually use contractions in negative short answers: "No, I won't" (not "No, I will not")
  • For negative questions, the logic can be confusing - a "Yes" answer means the action WILL have been completed

6. Uses of Negative and Question Forms

When to Use Negative Forms

1. Expressing Incomplete Actions by a Deadline
  • I won't have finished the report by Friday. (It will be incomplete)
  • She won't have graduated by June. (More time needed)
  • They won't have moved house by Christmas. (Delays in the process)
2. Impossibility or Unrealistic Expectations
  • We won't have saved enough money for the trip by next month. (Not enough time)
  • The building won't have been completed by the opening date. (Construction delays)
  • He won't have recovered fully by the match. (Medical timeline)
3. Negative Predictions Based on Evidence
  • At this rate, they won't have finished the project on time.
  • Without more funding, we won't have reached our goals by year-end.
  • If it keeps raining, the paint won't have dried by morning.

When to Use Questions

1. Checking Progress and Deadlines
  • Will you have completed the assignment by tomorrow?
  • Will the repairs have been finished by the weekend?
  • Will she have returned from her trip by the meeting?
2. Planning and Scheduling
  • Will they have decided on the venue by next week?
  • Will you have heard back from the university by April?
  • Will the presentation have been prepared by the conference?
3. Seeking Reassurance or Confirmation
  • Will everything have been arranged by the wedding day?
  • Will the problem have been solved by the time I return?
  • Will you have recovered by your birthday?

7. Common Mistakes and Corrections

Incorrect Correct Explanation
I willn't have finished by then. I won't have finished by then. "Won't" is the only contraction for "will not"
Will you have to finish by 5 PM? Will you have finished by 5 PM? Don't add "to" in Future Perfect questions
Won't she has completed the course? Won't she have completed the course? Always use "have" (not "has") after "will/won't"
They won't have finish by tomorrow. They won't have finished by tomorrow. Use past participle after "have", not base form
Do you will have arrived by then? Will you have arrived by then? Don't use "do" with "will" in questions
Yes, I will have finished. Yes, I will. Don't include "have + past participle" in short answers
What you will have done by then? What will you have done by then? Use correct word order: Question word + will + subject

8. Tag Questions with Future Perfect

Tag questions are short questions added to the end of statements to confirm information or seek agreement.

Rules for Tag Questions

  • Positive statement → negative tag
  • Negative statement → positive tag
  • Use "will" and "won't" in the tags

Examples with Future Perfect

  • You will have finished by tomorrow, won't you?
  • She won't have arrived by then, will she?
  • They will have completed the project by Friday, won't they?
  • We won't have heard back by the deadline, will we?
  • It will have stopped raining by morning, won't it?
  • He won't have recovered by the match, will he?

9. Summary Table of All Forms

Type Structure Example
Affirmative Subject + will + have + past participle She will have finished by 5 PM.
Negative Subject + won't + have + past participle She won't have finished by 5 PM.
Yes/No Question Will + subject + have + past participle? Will she have finished by 5 PM?
WH- Question Wh-word + will + subject + have + past participle? When will she have finished?
Negative Question Won't + subject + have + past participle? Won't she have finished by 5 PM?

Future Perfect Negative and Questions Test

Choose the correct negative or question form for each sentence.

1. She ______ her degree by June.

2. ______ you ______ the report by tomorrow?

3. They ______ enough money by next year.

4. ______ will happen by the end of the year?

5. ______ it ______ raining by tomorrow? - No, it won't.

Transform Sentences

Change the following affirmative sentences to negative or questions as indicated.

Short Answers Practice

Provide appropriate short answers for the following questions.

1. Will you have finished your thesis by May? (Yes)

2. Will they have completed the building by Christmas? (No)

3. Won't she have returned from her trip by Monday? (Yes)

4. Will it have stopped snowing by tomorrow? (No)

5. Will we have heard back from the university by April? (Yes)

WH-Questions Practice

Choose the correct question word to complete each question.

1. ______ will you have accomplished by the end of this year?

2. ______ will she have returned from her business trip?

3. ______ will have finished the race first? (asking about person)

4. ______ long will you have lived here by December?

5. ______ will they have decided to move to another city?

Tag Questions Practice

Complete the tag questions correctly.

Summary: Key Points to Remember

  1. Negative with Future Perfect: Subject + won't + have + past participle
  2. Questions with Future Perfect: Will + subject + have + past participle?
  3. WH-Questions: Question word + will + subject + have + past participle?
  4. Short Answers: Match the auxiliary verb from the question (Will you...? Yes, I will.)
  5. Negative Questions: Won't + subject + have + past participle? (for surprise, confirmation, or checking expectations)
  6. Tag Questions: Positive statement → negative tag, Negative statement → positive tag
  7. Common Contractions: won't (will not)
  8. Word Order: Always maintain correct auxiliary verb placement in questions
  9. Never use: "have" or past participle in short answers; "has" after "will/won't"; "do/does" with Future Perfect
  10. Remember: Future Perfect questions and negatives express uncertainty, impossibility, or seek confirmation about completion by a future deadline

Mastering negative forms and questions in the Future Perfect tense enables you to express doubt about meeting deadlines, ask about completion timelines, and seek confirmation about future achievements. This advanced grammar structure is particularly valuable in professional and academic contexts where precise timing and completion are crucial. Practice these forms regularly to become confident in discussing what won't have been completed and asking about future accomplishments!