The use of the Future Perfect.

1. The Future Perfect is used to show that an action will already be completed by a certain time in the future.

I will have retired by the year 2020.

This tense is often used with by and not... till/ until + time and with verbs which point to completion: to build, to complete, to finish. We also often use the Future Perfect after verbs like believe, expect, hope, suppose.

I shall be back by six, and I hope you will have had a good sleep by that time. (Marryat)

Я вернусь к шести, и, надеюсь, ты хорошенько выспишься к тому времени.

I expect you will have changed your mind by tomorrow.

Я думаю, ты изменишь свое мнение до завтра.

2. The Future Perfect can denote an action? which will begin before a definite moment in the future, will continue up to that moment and will be going on at that moment. This use of the Future Perfect is called the Future Perfect Inclusive.

The Future Perfect Inclusive is used with verbs not admitting of the Continuous form, in negative sentences, with non-terminative verbs such as to work, to live, to study, to teach etc.

By this time next week I will have worked for the company

for 24 years.

We will have been married a year on June 25^th.

The Perfect Continuous Form

The Perfect Continuous form denotes an action in progress, whose duration before a definite moment in the present, past or future is expressed. It is formed by means of the auxiliary verb to be in one of the perfect tenses and Participle I of the notional verb.

§ 12. The use of the Present Perfect Continuous.

We distinguish two uses of the Present Perfect Continuous: the Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive and the Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive.

1. The Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive is used to denote an action which began in the past, has been going on up to the present and is still going on. The Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive is generally used with since (denoting the starting point of the action), for (denoting the whole period of duration), these two days, all+ time references. If the conjunction since introduces a clause, the verb in this clause is in the Past Indefinite.

Ever since I saw you last I have been thinking, thinking.

The Present Perfect Continuous is used with verbs not admitting of the Continuous form, in negative sentences, and with non- terminative verbs (learn, lie, live, rain, sit, sleep, stand, study, wait, work).

With non-terminative verbs the Present Perfect Inclusive and the Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive are often interchangeable. The only difference is that the Continuous form puts more emphasis on continuity.

I’ve been working/ have worked for the company

for 15 years now.

With verbs not admitting of the Continuous form the Present Perfect Inclusive is the only tense possible.

Note. In colloquial English the verbs to want and to wish are often to be found in the Perfect Continuous form, though, as stated above, they are not used in the Continuous form.

I have been wishing to speak to you ever since you returned.

With verbs in the negative form the Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive can be used, but it is far less common than the Present Perfect Inclusive.

The Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive is rendered in Russian by the present:

I have been teaching at this school for 20 years.

Я преподаю в этой школе 20 лет.

2. The Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive denotes an action, which was recently in progress but is no longer going on at the present moment.

You are not well today. You look distressed. You have

been weeping. (Dickens)

Ты неважно себя чувствуешь сегодня. Ты выглядишь опечаленной. Ты плакала.

Roger has been cutting grass. I can smell it.

Роджер подстригал траву. Я чувствую запах.

The Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive is used to express repeated actions in the past.

Jim has been phoning Jenny every night for the past week.

The Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive is often used with an emotional colouring.

I suppose youhave been telling lies again. (Marryat)

The room stinks. Someone has been smoking in here.

The Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive is rendered in Russian by the past imperfective.

Your eyes are red. You have been crying.

У тебя глаза красные. Ты плакал.

§ 13. The Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive and the Present Continuous.

Students should take care not to mix up the Present Perfect Continuous and the Present Continuous: the Present Continuous is used to denote an action going on at the present moment, no previous duration is expressed. The Present Perfect Continuous Inclusive is used when the previous duration of the action is expressed.

I am reading Dombey and Son.

I have been reading Dombey and Son for three days.

There is no difference in the translation.

§ 14. The Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive.           

The Present Perfect denotes a completed action while with the Present Perfect Continuous Exclusive there is an implication of incompleteness.

He has made some experiments.

Он сделал несколько опытов.

He has been making experiments.

Он делал опыты.

Why are your lips black? I have been eating blackberries.

I have eaten a whole plateful.

Я ел чернику. Я съел целую тарелку.