Future tenses or Future perfect tenses?

[Anonymous]

If costs continue to increase at this rate, company expenses will have doubled by the end of the fiscal year.

In this case, I know it uses specific time, so it should use a future perfect tense. But, is it also possible to use a simple future tenes, like, expenses will be doubled by the end of the fiscal year?

Always appreciate your help.

 

[Casiopea]

If costs continue to increase at this rate, company expenses will have doubled by the end of the fiscal year.

In this case, I know it uses specific time, so it should use a future perfect tense. But, is it also possible to use a simple future tenes, like, expenses will be doubled by the end of the fiscal year?

Always appreciate your help.

Try,

If costs continue to increase at this rate, company expenses will double by the end of the fiscal year.

 

[forum_mail]

Hmm... so what's the difference between future perfect and simple future ?

 

[Coffa]

Hmm... so what's the difference between future perfect and simple future ?

It is a question of completion. At the time in the future that is under discussion, will the act have been completed or not? If it has, you should use the future perfect to express yourself more precisely, but you don't always have to do so - it depends on context. If the answer is no, you must use the simple future.

For example:
1) "If your mother is still here on Tuesday, I will have killed her."
2) "If your mother is still here on Tuesday, I will kill her."

In this case, you must use future perfect (1) if your mother-in-law will definitely be dead by the time Tuesday arrives (assuming she has refused to leave in the time between now and then). If you are going to kill her after Tuesday, you must use simple future.

In the case of the doubling, it is less clear. Strict linguists will tell you that you must use the future perfect because the doubling has already occurred - it is not going to occur after the end of the year. They are right, but I would be less prescriptive. In normal usage, English speakers do use the simple future in this case ("will double"). They are technically incorrect to do so, but there is no ambiguity involved.

 

[forum_mail]

Hmm... thanks... but I think that I don't get it completely. Could you give me more examples ?

 

[Coffa]

Hmm... thanks... but I think that I don't get it completely. Could you give me more examples ?

I'll try.

1) "In November, I shall have passed all my exams."
On November 1, I will be a liar if I have not passed all my exams

2) "In November, I shall pass all my exams."
Now I will be a liar unless I do not pass my exams between November 1 and December 1

 

[forum_mail]

thanks these examples are cool.

tell me one more thing... will I use future perf. instead od simple future when there is a precise date mentioned in the sentence ?

 

[Coffa]

thanks these examples are cool.
tell me one more thing... will I use future perf. instead od simple future when there is a precise date mentioned in the sentence ?

Give me an example. I think it would depend on the preposition in the sentence.

 

[forum_mail]

actually I was thinking about this one :

On November 1, I will be a liar if I have not passed all my exams

 

[Coffa]

actually I was thinking about this one :
On November 1, I will be a liar if I have not passed all my exams

Ah, well as I wrote it, I'm not going to contradict myself, am I ?

I didn't think about whether it should be future or future perfect when I wrote the sentence, because - well - because I know which one "sounds right". But the reason is that on that date I will become a liar - it has not already happened. On November 1, the verb action (being a liar) has not been completed. On that date, "I am a liar" (present) not "I have been a liar" (present perfect).

Does that make sense to you?