Perfect tenses in English grammar include the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. These tenses use the auxiliary verb have (including “has,” “had,” and “will have”) plus the past participle form of the main verb. Perfect tenses show that an action is completed, ongoing, or relevant to a specific point in time.
Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense shows that something has happened at an unspecified time before now, or started in the past and continues to the present.
Usage
- To describe experiences or actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past.
- To describe actions that started in the past and continue up to now.
- To describe recent actions, especially with words like just, already, or yet.
Formation
```
have/has + past participle
```
Examples
- We have visited Japan.
- He has lived here for five years.
- They have just finished lunch.
- Have you ever seen a panda?
Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense shows that one action was completed before another action or time in the past.
Usage
- To describe an action that happened before another past action.
- To show the order of past events more clearly.
- To express regret or “what might have been” situations in the past.
Formation
```
had + past participle
```
Examples
- She had left before the meeting started.
- They had already eaten when we arrived.
- If I had studied harder, I would have passed.
- By the time he called, I had finished my homework.
Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect tense describes an action that will be completed before a specific point or time in the future.
Usage
- To show that something will be finished before a certain future time.
- To make predictions about what will be done by a future time.
- To express a deadline or expectation.
Formation
```
will have + past participle
```
Examples
- By next year, I will have graduated.
- They will have left by 7 p.m.
- Will you have completed the report by tomorrow?
- She will have saved enough money for a trip.
She will have _____ enough money for a trip.
saved
'Saved' is the past participle used in the future perfect tense after 'will have'.
Present Perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous tense describes an action that started in the past and is still continuing, or was recently ongoing.
Usage
- To emphasize the duration of an action that started in the past and continues now.
- To describe recently stopped actions that have present relevance.
Formation
```
have/has + been + present participle (-ing)
```
Examples
- I have been studying for three hours.
- She has been working here since May.
- They have been playing soccer all afternoon.
- Why have you been crying?
Why have you been _____?
crying
'Crying' is the present participle used after 'have/has been' in the perfect continuous form.
I _____ (to study) for three hours.
have been studying
The present perfect continuous uses 'have/has been' followed by the verb with '-ing' to show ongoing duration.
Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect continuous tense describes an action that was ongoing up until a certain point in the past.
Usage
- To show that a past action was in progress before another past event.
- To emphasize the duration or continuous nature of the earlier action.
Formation
```
had + been + present participle (-ing)
```
Examples
- I had been waiting for an hour when the bus arrived.
- She had been working all day before she took a break.
- They had been fighting before they made up.
- He had been studying Japanese before moving to Tokyo.
Future Perfect Continuous
The future perfect continuous tense describes an ongoing action that will continue up until a specific future time.
Usage
- To emphasize the duration of an action that will be in progress before a future time.
- To express expectations about how long something will have been happening.
Formation
```
will have been + present participle (-ing)
```
Examples
- By 8 o’clock, I will have been studying for four hours.
- She will have been working here for ten years next month.
- They will have been traveling for a day by the time they land.
- How long will you have been waiting?
Summary
All English perfect tenses use have/has/had plus a past participle, with will have for the future perfect forms.
- Present perfect: Connection between past and now.
- Past perfect: Something happened before another past event.
- Future perfect: Something will be done before a future time.
- Perfect continuous forms (-ing) emphasize ongoing action and duration.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
