Perfect tenses express actions that are completed (or "perfected") relative to a specific time or event, making connections across past, present, and future. They use forms of the auxiliary verb have plus a past participle.
- Show how events are linked across time.
- Core structure: have/has/had + past participle
- Key tenses: Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect
The auxiliary verb 'have' is used for all perfect tenses.
Present Perfect
Present Perfect connects past actions/events with the present.
- Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle
- Use when past actions affect the present or when the exact past time isn't specified.
- Examples:
- I have eaten (and I’m not hungry now).
- She has lived here for five years (and still does).
| Subject | Auxiliary | Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I/You/We/They | have | worked | You have worked |
| He/She/It | has | worked | He has worked |
Only 'They have visited Japan' shows a Present Perfect structure, linking past and present.
Present Perfect with "For" and "Since"
- Use for (duration): I have known her for 10 years.
- Use since (starting point): I have known her since 2010.
Present Perfect is used for life experiences, ongoing situations, and recent actions with present effects.
Exercises:
- Convert these to Present Perfect:
a. She (finish) her homework.
b. We (see) that movie twice.
- Correct or incorrect?
a. I have visited London last year.
b. They have started a new project.
Past Perfect
Past Perfect shows an action completed before another past event.
- Structure: Subject + had + past participle
- Use to show which event happened first in the past.
- Examples:
- She had left before I arrived.
- They had eaten when the guests came.
| Subject | Auxiliary | Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | had | finished | I/You/We/They/He/She had finished |
Past Perfect is for the earlier of two past events.
Example:
- After they had eaten, they watched TV.
Wrong:
- After they had eaten dinner last night. (Alone, this is incomplete without a second past reference.)
Correct Past Perfect sentences link one past action before another.
Exercises:
- Fill in Past Perfect:
a. By the time I got there, they (leave).
b. She (already/start) the project when I joined.
- Identify correct Past Perfect use:
a. He had seen the film before.
b. He had saw the film before school.
Future Perfect
Future Perfect describes actions completed before a future moment.
- Structure: Subject + will have + past participle
- Use for actions completed before a specified future time.
- Examples:
- By next year, I will have graduated.
- She will have left by the time you arrive.
| Subject | Auxiliary | Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | will have | completed | We will have completed... |
Future Perfect is for projecting completed actions/deadlines in the future.
Exercises:
- Future Perfect completion:
a. By 8 PM, we (finish) dinner.
b. She (submit) the report by Monday.
- Correct use of Future Perfect?
a. They will have arrived by noon.
b. They will have arrive by noon.
Conclusion
Perfect tenses connect events across time, expressing completion from different perspectives.
- Present Perfect: link past to present, use have/has + past participle.
- Past Perfect: show the "earlier" past, use had + past participle.
- Future Perfect: foresee completion, use will have + past participle.
All perfect tenses use a form of 'have' as the auxiliary.
Past Perfect is for actions completed before another past event.
Present Perfect is used for experiences, results affecting present, and ongoing situations.
Future Perfect is formed as Subject + will have + past participle.