will finish/have finished

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Angliholic

#428947 Tue, 09 Oct 07 04:50 PM

By the time you get back, I will finish/have finished the work.

By the time you get back, we will be/have been married for 25 years.

Which of the underlined words will you use in the above two samples respectively? Thanks.

Angliholic

Joined on Wed, Feb 14 2007

SomewhereinFormosa

Veteran Member (5,511)

Without true love, life is meaningless and worthless since our physical world is nothing but a dream. ~~Angliholic~~簡瑞達

Grammar Geek

#428999 Tue, 09 Oct 07 07:17 PM

You want to talk about something that will have been completed, but in the future.

I will finish this tomorrow is okay. But you want to talk about the state of it already being finished by the time some other event passes, so something that indicates the past is required.

I will finish the work about the same time you get back - simultaneous events.

I will have finished the work by the time you get back - I am finished before you are back.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,003)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Angliholic

#429143 Wed, 10 Oct 07 01:49 AM

Thanks, GG, for the reply.

But what about the second one?

Angliholic

Marius Hancu

#429159 Wed, 10 Oct 07 02:30 AM

Angliholic wrote:
Thanks, GG, for the reply.

But what about the second one?

Same thinking, just passive.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Angliholic

#429162 Wed, 10 Oct 07 02:40 AM

Marius Hancu wrote:
Angliholic wrote:

Thanks, GG, for the reply.

But what about the second one?

Same thinking, just passive.

Thanks, Marius.

Are you sure it's passive and the same answer?

Angliholic

#429163 Wed, 10 Oct 07 02:40 AM

Marius Hancu wrote:
Angliholic wrote:

Thanks, GG, for the reply.

But what about the second one?

Same thinking, just passive.

Thanks, Marius.

Are you sure it's passive and the same answer?

Angliholic

CalifJim

#429165 Wed, 10 Oct 07 02:51 AM

The grammatical formula is

By the time [present], ... will have [past participle] ....

Of course, if the past participle is been, it's likely you're dealing with a passive, but that makes no difference.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,568)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Angliholic

#429174 Wed, 10 Oct 07 03:26 AM

Thanks, Jim.

I get it now.

Angliholic