Will Have Been Done

A Guide to the Future Perfect Continuous Tense

What Does "Will Have Been Done" Mean?

The phrase "will have been done" is often misunderstood. Technically, it combines passive voice with future perfect tense—but in everyday English, learners usually intend to express the future perfect continuous (active voice), such as “I will have been working.”

This page clarifies both interpretations and helps you use them correctly.

Grammar Breakdown

1. Passive Voice – Future Perfect

Structure: Subject + will + have + been + past participle

“The report will have been done by 5 PM.” → More naturally: “The report will have been completed by 5 PM.”

2. Active Voice – Future Perfect Continuous (Common Confusion)

Structure: Subject + will + have + been + present participle (-ing)

“By next month, I will have been working here for five years.”

When to Use It

To emphasize the duration of an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
In formal writing or technical contexts where passive voice is preferred.
To show cause-effect relationships in future scenarios.

Interactive Example Generator

Click the button below to see a randomly generated sentence using this structure!