[Grammar] The tense

[Kazuo]

Hello!

A. Subsidies to farmers will be phased out by the year 2000. (OALD)

B. The old filing system will have been phased out by 1998. (OALD)

I think both the sentences express completion of the process of phasing out by the year 2000, by 1998, respectively.
Why is the future perfect not used in A.?

Thanks in advance

Sincerely

 

[tedtmc]

Hello!

A. Subsidies to farmers will be phased out by the year 2000. (OALD)

B. The old filing system will have been(would have been) phased out by 1998. (OALD)

I think both the sentences express completion of the process of phasing out by the year 2000, (and)by 1998, respectively.
Why is the future perfect not used in A.? The future tense is more appropriate (underlined)
Thanks in advance

Sincerely

not a teacher

 

[Kazuo]

Hello!

Thank you very much for your reply.

After looking up a grammar book, I found that:
For A, statement of future activity
For B, emphasis on completion of activities before another point in future time
( from Using English, your second language Danielson, Hayden Prentice-Hall)

Sincerely

 

[bhaisahab]

not a teacher

"Will have been" is correct in the context of the OPs sentence B. It has a slightly different meaning to sentence A.

 

[tedtmc]

"Will have been" is correct in the context of the OPs sentence B. It has a slightly different meaning to sentence A.

bhaisahab
Can you use 'will have been' even when 1998 is in the past?

 

[bhaisahab]

bhaisahab
Can you use 'will have been' even when 1998 is in the past?

No, but neither can you use "will be".