The Perfect Tense

Perfect Tense
Shows actions happening before a specific time in the past, present, or future.
He has finished his homework on time for several weeks
He had finished his homework on time until he got sick.
By the time he graduates, he will have finished over a thousand homework assignments.

In order to form the perfect tense, a helping verb is added to the past tense or past participle of
the verb. Past participle is the grammatical label for the -ed form of the verb formed by adding -
d or -ed, to the base form of regular verbs and an -en or -n ending to the base form of irregular
verbs.

I have ended my vacation.

I have stolen the cash.
After this month, I will have saved a thousand dollars.

Memory Tip:
A verb phrase is made up of a main verb and one or more helping verbs. With the
perfect tense, the helping verbs to use are as follows:

Present Past Future

I Have had will have
You Have had will have
He/She/It Has had will have
We Have had will have
They have had will have

A. Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is formed by the verb has for the singular or have for the
plural subject and the past participle. The regular past participle is formed by adding ed to the
base form of the verb. The irregular verbs have their own forms in the past participle.
 The present perfect tense indicates that an action or event occurred at some indefinite
time in the past.
a. Many students have enrolled in computer science.
b. They have tried persuading him.
c. She has talked to me about her financial problem.

The present perfect tense also expresses a condition or action that has occurred in the
past and is still continuing to the present moment. The time expressions since plus a specific
time and for plus a length of time are used to show that the action which has existed in the past
still continues in the present.
a. They have stayed in Antipolo since last year. (They are still there.)
b. He has been president of the Youth Circle for three years. (He is still president.)

The present perfect also talks of an action or event which has or has not happened in
the past and which may (or may not) occur again in the future.
a. I have been to Singapore. (I might or might not go again.)
b. We have not gone to Boracay. (We might yet see it.)

This tense can also talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
You have grown since the last time I saw you.

It can also indicate accomplishments of humanity or individuals.

a. Our daughter has learned to drive.
b. Scientists have studied other planets.

Words like never, ever, not yet, so far, up to now, just, always, already, before, since,
and for years, and several times are often used with the present perfect tense to further
describe the action. These words are not verbs bur words or adverbs that signal the present
perfect tense.
 Memory tip
Inserting never, ever, not yet, so far, up to now, just, always, already, before, since, and
for years, and several times, or adverbs in the middle of a verb phrase does not affect the tense
or change the form in any way.

I have just finished my homework.

He has always enjoyed his day off from work.

To construct the present perfect verb tense, follow the formula:

have or has (depending on the subject doing the action) + past participle

The Present Perfect with …

a. just/recently, ever/never
The present perfect tense expresses an action or condition completed just before the
present time.
The time expression just and recently, which refer to some unspecified time in the
immediate past, are used with the present perfect.
a. I have just accepted the position of president of the village association.
b. He has recently gone on leave.

Ever used in a question means “at anytime until the present,’ while never in a statement
expresses “not at anytime until now.” Both are used with the present perfect tense (Chamot,
1992).
a. Have you ever been to an orphanage?
No, I have never been to an orphanage.
b. Have you ever attended a Muslim wedding?
No, I have never attended a Muslim wedding.
b. already and yet
Already, an adverb used with the present perfect often in an affirmative statement or a
question (Chamot, et al., 1992), expresses that an action was completed before the moment of
speaking.
a. I have already accepted his invitation.
b. Has he already decided what to do?
 Yet, another adverb, used in negative sentences or in questions with the present
perfect, indicates that you haven’t done the action which you intend to do very soon. (Chamot,
et al., 1992)
a. I haven’t submitted my report yet. (But I will do it soon.)
b. Have you finished your assignment yet?

B. The Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense is formed by the auxiliary verb had and the past participle, both
for the singular and plural subjects. It is actually the past equivalent of the present perfect:
(Thomson and Martinet, 2003)
a. She has left. (Present Perfect)
b. She had left. (Past Perfect)
c. I have taken her to the movies several times. (Present Perfect)
d. I had taken her to the movies several times. (Past Perfect)

Unlike the present perfect, the past perfect expresses an action where time is
mentioned:
a. He had gotten that scar in a car accident two years ago.
b. She had apologized several times.

The past perfect also expresses an action which stopped some time before the time of
speaking:
a. Franky and Javier had lived in this village for ten years.
They are now in Maryland, USA with their parents.
b. For a long time, she had waited for you. And then she met Johnny.
The past perfect also indicates an action that occurred in the past just before another
event happened. The adverbs already, finally, yet, just, and never are often used.
a. She had already passed the bar examination when she got married.
b. The gardener had finally decided to stay when he was asked to leave.
c. She had just given birth to her first baby when her husband left for Vietnam.
d. The professor had just finished his lecture when the explosion occurred.
e. She had already saved enough money for the trip when her mother got sick.

When can be used before the past perfect to form a subordinate clause to stress the
completion of the first action before the start of the second one. (Thomson and Martinet, 2003)
a. When she had already passed the bar, she got married.
 b. When the gardener had finally decided to stay, he was asked to leave.
c. When she had just given birth to her first baby, her husband left for Vietnam.
d. When the professor had just finished his lecture, the explosion occurred.
e. When she had already saved enough money for the trip, her mother got sick.

Till, until, or before before the past perfect also emphasizes the completion of an action
which is usually preceded by a single past action. (Thomson and Martinet, 2003)
1. Before he had learned about his work, he was fired.
2. He refused to talk until he had seen his lawyer.
3. The moderator did not wait until we had finished the discussion.

C. The Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense, formed by the auxiliaries will have or shall have plus the past
participle of the verb, indicates, an action or condition that will have been completed at some
time in the future. It normally makes use of time expressions as by, by then, by that time, by
the plus the date or the length of time.
a. By this time tomorrow, I shall have gone to Baguio.
b. By the time this letter reaches you, I shall have arrived in Kenya.
c. In a month or two, she will have finished her research paper.
d. By the end of the month, his father will have been sick for four years.
e. In five years, Daniel will have become a famous artist.

Memory tip
When constructing the verb phrase that puts the action of a sentence in perfect
tense, use only has, have, had or will have as your helping verbs. A verb in the perfect tense=
helping verb + past participle.

Present Perfect has or have + past tense of I have talked.

verb He has talked.
Past Perfect had + past tense of verb I had talked.
They had talked.
Future Perfect will + have + past tense of I will have talked.
verb