Once students have mastered all future forms of verbs and the present perfect simple, it is time to learn the future perfect simple. This free ESL lesson plan provides a guide for how to teach the future perfect simple. The lesson plan is suitable for students at an intermediate level and is classified CEFR B1+. If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

1. VS9.1 – Future perfect
simple
(I will have played)
Lesson 1/2
ESL Lesson Plan
I will have finished by
9pm.
John will have
started his project by
Monday.

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3. Future
now
future
time

4. Future
now
future
time

5. Future
now
future
time

6. The future
Remember!
We use going to +
verb1 for plans,
and when we
have made a
definite decision
Alex is going to
play tennis on
Friday at 4pm.
We use will + verb1
when we think
something will
happen, especially
with I think
I think I won’t come
with you tonight. I
want to stay at home
and relax.

7. The future
We can use
the present
continuous for
future events
Grandma is
visiting us tonight.
We can use the
present simple for a
scheduled event.
The plane leaves
tomorrow at 8:15am.

8. The future
Toby is
staying at
our house
tonight.
now
1 2 4
We will need
to get up
early
because we
are going to
take a taxi to
the airport.
3
The plane
leaves at
10am.
We will
probably
stay for a
week in that
hotel.

9. What is the difference
here?
now
future
time
He is playing tennis at
4pm today.
He is going to play
tennis at 4pm.
He will play tennis at
4pm.
He plays tennis every
Monday at 4pm.

10. What can you say about Miguel?
now
future
time
future
time

11. The future perfect simple
now
future
time
future
time
Miguel is at
school
now.
Miguel will start
his homework.
He will
have
finished his
homework.

12. We use the future perfect simple…
…to say that something will already be complete before
a specified time in the future:
I will have
completed my
final exams by
June.
John will have
started his
project by
Monday.
We will have
finished our
dinner by 9pm.

13. Future perfect simple
subject will have verb 3
I done
you finished
he decided
she will have left
it started
we arranged
they solved
subject will have verb 3

14. Make logical sentences
Please come after 10pm
because…
The meeting will have
finished…
You can’t come at
9pm because…
Everything is going well.
We will have completed…
Call me tonight after 8pm
because I think…
…I will have finished my
homework by then.
…the report by Monday
evening.
…the film will have started.
Come at 8:30 please.
…by 11am. So please
come earlier than 10am.
…we will have
finished dinner.

15. 1. We cannot meet at 7pm
because I the office by
that time.
2. Can you come to our house
after 9am on Saturday as we
breakfast by then.
3. Mary won’t be home at 8am.
She to work.
3. We are late again. The film
by the time we arrive at
the cinema.
Use the future perfect simple
leave eat
go start

16. 5. We have been working on this problem for two days.
I think we it by the end of the week.
6. The mechanic has been working on the car for an
hour. He said he it in an hour or so.
Use the future perfect simple
solve
fix
learn
print

17. 7. This week we have been learning about the future
perfect tense. I am sure I it by the end of the week.
8. I am so excited. My first book! The publisher 5,000
copies by the end of this week!
Use the future perfect simple
solve
fix
learn
print

18. Accomplishment verbs
If you reach a goal, you accomplish it. For example:
I will have
finished my
homework by
7pm this
evening.
goal = finish
homework
He will have
delivered the
report by the time
you get back to
the office.
goal = deliver
report
accomplishment
verbs are very
common with the
future perfect:
start
finish
stop
complete
solve arrive
leave
create
demonstrate
fix
decide

19. Remember!
Future perfect expresses an action that will be completed
prior to or by some specified time.
Jack will fix
the car on
Friday
Jack will have
fixed the car
by Friday
compare

20. What can you say about William and Julie?
1968 future
time

21. William and Julie got married in 1968
1968
future
time
William and
Julie got
married in 1968.
They are still
married
now.
In 2028, they
will have been
married for 60
years.

22. Future perfect for ongoing states
now
2pm
James arrived
home at
10am.
Now it is 12pm
and James is
still at home.
By the time
you arrive
home at 2pm,
James will
have been at
home for 4
hours.

23. 13. John went to bed at 11pm. It is 6am now. What can
you say about John at 7am. (be asleep)
John will have been asleep for eight hours.
14. Lillian started work at 8am. It is 5pm. What can you say
about Lillian at 6pm. (be at work)
Make sentences with the future perfect simple

24. 15. Sarah was born in Toronto in
1990. She lives here today. She
plans to live in Toronto forever.
What can you say about Sarah in
2040?
16. Carla and Eren got married in
2013. They are married now.
What can you say about them in
2030?
17. George became a doctor in
2010. He is a doctor now. What
Make sentences with the future perfect simple

25. Using by…
You will
arrive at
6pm.
We will
have
finished
the
report by
the time
you
arrive.
We often use by, by the time or before with the future
perfect simple:
We will
have
finished
the
report
before
you
arrive
at
6pm.
We will
have
finished
the
report by
6pm.
We will
finish the
report at
6pm.
We will
finish the
report
when
you
arrive.

26. What can you say about Harold at 7:30pm?
now 7pm 8pm

27. What can you say about Meredith?
now -
Monday
Friday
in two
weeks

28. What can you say about Robert?
now
tonight
tomorrow

29. Think of some accomplishments…
What will you
have done by
6pm today?
What will you
have done by
11pm
tonight?
What will you
have done by
next week?
What will you have done in 5 years? In 10 years?