PERFECT TENSES

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

1. UNSPECIFIED TIME BEFORE NOW

1.1 Experience

- I have been to France three times, but I have never been to Belgium.

- Joan has studied two foreign languages

- I think I have seen that movie before

1.2 Change

- The government has become more interested in arts education

- My English has really improved since I moved to Australia

1.3 Accomplishments

- Our son has learned how to read.

- The boss has just arrived

- Doctors have cured many deadly diseases

1.4. Uncompleted action you are expecting

- The rain hasn't stopped.yet

- Have you finished your homework yet?

1.5 Multiple actions at different times

- The army has attacked that city five times

- She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is sick

PRESENT PERFECT vs SIMPLE PAST

*I have seen that movie twice in the last month / I saw that film last month

* My car has broken down / My car broke down last week

* He hasn’t come to school today / He didn’t come to class yesterday

* She has worked for three different companies so far / She worked for two different companies while
she was in England

* J.K. Rowling has written many books / Shakespeare wrote many plays and sonnets

2. DURATION FROM THE PAST UNTIL NOW

- I have had a cold for two weeks (I still have a cold)

- She has been in England for six months. (she went to England six months ago and is still there)

- Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl

PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT PERFECT

- I have a cold. I’ve had it for two weeks

- She is in England. She’s been there for six months.

- Mary loves chocolate. She’s loved it since she was a little girl

GONE /BEEN

- Mark has gone to the bank because he needed some money. (He hasn’t returned yet)

- Mark has been to the bank. (He is now here)

**** I have been to India (I went to India and now I am here)

2. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

2.1 Activity in progress which has just finished (there is usually evidence)

- I’ve been writing a composition

- I’ve been running, that’s why I’m sweating

2.2 Activity that began in the past and continues until the present time, emphasizing the duration

- I’ve been waiting here for half an hour

- He’s been studying French for three years

- We’ve been living in Madrid for two months

PRESENT CONTINUOUS vs PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

- Don’t interrupt me! I am writing a composition (now, at the moment)

- I have been writing a composition, now I am going to watch TV for a while (I am not writing it right
now; I have just finished)

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

- I have been painting my house. I have painted three rooms (duration/result)

- I have been working here for five years. I have worked here for five years (no difference in meaning)
3. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Action that happened before another action in the past.

- When we arrived at the party, most people had already left

- Vicky felt pleased because she had done so much work

- I had already corrected all the exams before I left the school

- After the children had finished their homework, they switched on the TV.

4. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS.

4.1 Activity in progress which had just finished at a certain time

- He was so tired when I saw him because he had been running

- His house was a mess when we arrived because he had been painting

4.2 Activity that had been in progress over a period of time before a certain time.

- Mary finally found the book she had been looking for last week

- When the company went bankrupt, it had been losing money for months