PERFECT TENSES

PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
Simple Continuous Simple Continuous Simple Continuous
time reference: time reference: time reference:
past + present earlier past + simple past (closer to the past + future
present)
MEANING OF THE PERFECT ASPECT  REFERENCE TO A PAST EVENT OR SITUATION
VERB FORM
PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT
aux. to have (present)  have/has + v3 aux. to have (past) had + v3 aux. to have (future)will have + v3

- have/has + v3 - have/has + aux. to be3 - had + v3 - had + aux. to be3 - will have + v3 - will have + aux. to
(been) + v -ing (been) + v -ing be3 (been) + v -ing
e.g. have/ has flown e.g. have/has + been+ e.g. had flown e.g. had + been + flying e.g. will have flown e.g. will have been
flying flying
used to express actions started in the past and are - used to express actions which started in an - used to express future actions which will be
related to the present earlier past and are related to a later past completed before another future moment/
action (completed actions – past actions)
I have read two books this I have been reading for I had read (earlier I had been reading I will have read I will have been
semester. when? from the two hours. (duration + past) the book before (action started in an (completed – past) reading for two hours
past (the beginning of this progress of the action) taking/ I took the earlier past) for two these books by the (progress and
semester)  present when? – I started reading exam (later past) hours (progress and end of December. duration) by 5 p.m./by
(until now) 2 hours ago (past)  I (anteriority - the duration) when he got (future as compared the time he gets home.
have been reading for a action expressed by home. (later past) to now) (present tense with
longer interval of time past perfect is anterior (anteriority) future meaning)
(for 2 hours until now)/ to the action
and I am still reading expressed by past
(now) tense)
TIME INDICATORS
till now/ so far actions started in an earlier past which
ever / never/ usually/ often…  till now (actions continued up to  a later past by + tomorrow/ next week/5 o’ clock this
repeated from an indefinite past  till now) until then (at 5 yesterday, last Monday, two afternoon (future in relation to now)
since 2011 ( the starting moment in the past) years ago….) by + time clause (PRESENT TENSE with future
for 2 years (an interval/ a period of longer) time clauses (past) until / before I got home meaning is used)
already (completion)
just (close to the present) Past Perfect + before + Past Tense
(already and just - used in affirmative sentences in
the middle of the sentence between the auxiliary and I had sold my car before I bought a new one.
the main verb) (anteriority expressed by Past Perfect]

yet (used at the end of the sentence; it means till now Past Tense + after + Past Perfect
in negative sentences and already in questions) I bought a new car after I had sold the old one.

NB already is used in questions to express surprise

Have you told him the news yet? (neutral )
Have you told him the truth already? (this is
unexpected to me)
recently (close to the present)
lately (close to the present)
today (till now)
this + semester/ week/ month/ year (till now)
these + days/ weeks/ months (till now)
all day (till now) (from the beginning of the interval 
till now, but the interval is not over)
This is the first/ second/third + Present Perfect That was the first/ second … + Past Perfect
These are the best/ happiest + Present Perfect Those were the best/ longest + Past Perfect
e.g. This is the most interesting movie I have ever seen.
(till now) e.g. That was the most interesting movie I had
ever seen. (till then)
Present Perfect Past Perfect
(simultaneity) (simultaneity) Future Perfect + by the time + Present Tense
(with future meaning)
Present Perfect + since + Past Perfect + since +
NB: Never use Future in time clauses!
Past Tense Past Perfect
(the starting moment of the action) (the starting moment of the action)
e.g. I have worked here. e.g. I had worked there.
I have known him since I had known him since He will have bought the Christmas tree by the
we moved here. we had moved there. time she gets home
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE IS USED WITH ACTIONS STARTED IN AN INDEFINITE PAST AND RELATED TO THE PRESENT

1. actions which started in an indefinite past and which have continued/ have been repeated up to the present (till now is understood)

Past Present

(indefinite/ logically deducible past) till now

e. g. I have often helped him with his homework. (when?) (an action which has been repeated from an indefinite past – the moment when I
first helped  till now)
I have helped him four times since last November/ 2019/ spring/ (the starting moment in the past is logically deducible)  till now

2. actions which were completed in an indefinite past and which have a result/ consequence in the present

Past Present

action completed in an indefinite past/

logically deducible past present result/ consequence

e.g. He cannot participate in the race (present consequence) because he has broken his leg. (action completed in an indefinite past)
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE IS USED WITH ACTIONS STARTED IN AN INDEFINITE EARLIER PAST AND RELATED TO A LATER PAST

1. actions which started in an indefinite earlier past which continued/ were repeated up to a later past (till then is understood)

Past Perfect Past Present

earlier past later past now

indefinite earlier past till then the moment of speaking

e.g. I had often helped him with his homework before we graduated high school (when?)
(an action which had been repeated from an indefinite earlier past – the moment when I had first helped him  till then – the past
moment when we graduated)

2. actions which were completed in an indefinite earlier past which had a result/ consequence in a later past

Past Perfect Past Present

earlier past later past now

action completed in an indefinite past result/ consequence the moment of speaking

earlier past

e.g. He could not participate in the race last year (past consequence) because he had broken his leg. (action completed in an indefinite earlier
past)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS IS USED WITH ACTIONS STARTED IN AN INDEFINITE PAST AND RELATED TO THE PRESENT + progress/ duration/
temporariness/ modality

1. actions which started in an indefinite past and which have been in progress and durative up to the present (till now )/ and at present
too (till now and now)

Past progress and duration Present

(indefinite/ logically deducible past) till now / and now

e. g. I have been reading for 2 hours. (when?) (an action which started in a logically deducible past – two hours ago and which has been in progress
and durative up to the present till now/ and at present too (it is still in progress now)  till now and now)

2. actions which were in progress and durative within a past completed interval of time, completed in an indefinite past and which have
a result/ consequence in the present

Past (interval) Present

action (in progress and durative within a past completed interval of time) present result/ consequence
completed in an indefinite past/ logically deducible past

e.g. He is tired (present consequence) because he has been running for over an hour. (action started in the past - over an hour ago - in progress
and durative within a past completed interval of time, completed in the past (he is no longer running) and with a present result/ consequence- he
is tired.)
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS IS USED WITH ACTIONS STARTED IN AN INDEFINITE EARLIER PAST AND RELATED TO A LATER PAST + progress/
duration/ temporariness/ modality

1. actions which started in an indefinite earlier past in progress and durative up to a later past (till then ) / and at that past moment too
(till then and then).

Past Perfect Past Present

earlier Past progress and duration later past now

action started in an indefinite earlier past till then /and then the moment of speaking

e.g. She had been reading for 2 hours when her parents got home (when?) (an action started in a logically deducible earlier past before another
past moment – two hours before her parents got home and in progress and durative up to the past  till then/ and at past too (was still in progress
when her parents got home)  till then and then)

2. actions in progress and durative within an earlier past completed interval of time, completed in an indefinite earlier past and which
had a result/ consequence in a later past

Past Perfect Past Present

earlier past interval of time later past now

progress and duration

action in progress and durative within an earlier past interval later past result/ consequence the moment of speaking
completed in an indefinite earlier past

e.g. He was tired (past consequence) because he had been running for over an hour. (action in progress and durative within an earlier past
completed interval of time, completed in a later past moment (he was no longer running) and with a later past result/ consequence- he was tired.
FUTURE PERFECT SIMPLE IS USED WITH FUTURE ACTIONS WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED BEFORE ANOTHER FUTURE MOMENT/ ACTION

- actions which will be completed (completion) in an indefinite earlier future before (anteriority) another future moment/ action

Present Future Perfect Future Simple

now earlier future later future

the moment of speaking action completed in an indefinite

earlier future before a later future

e.g. I will have ironed all the clothes by 4 p.m./ by the time he gets home (before 4 p.m. when he gets home)
now 2 p.m.  the future action will be completed in an indefinite earlier future (e.g. at 3 p.m.) before a later future moment (before 4
p.m.)/ future action (before he gets home at 4 p.m.)

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS IS USED WITH ACTIONS WHICH WILL BE IN PROGRESS AND DURATIVE WITHIN A FUTURE COMPLETED INTERVAL
OF TIME, 1. UP TO A LATER FUTURE AND AT THAT FUTURE MOMENT TOO (TILL THEN AND THEN)
2. AND COMPLETED BEFORE (ANTERIORITY - prep. by) ANOTHER (later) FUTURE MOMENT/ ACTION

1. actions which will be in progress and durative within and indefinite future interval, up to a later future moment and at that later future
moment too (till then and then)  the action will be incomplete in the later future

Present Future Perfect Future Simple

now earlier future progress and duration later future

the moment of speaking action started in an indefinite earlier future till then /and then
in progress and durative within an earlier (up to a future moment/ at that future moment)
future interval of time
e.g. She will have been reading for 2 hours by the time her parents get home.

 an action started in a logically deducible earlier future before another future moment (two hours before that later future when her parents get
home) in progress and durative a) up to that future moment and b) at that future moment too
a) (till then  this means that her reading will have been in progress for 2 hours by the time her parents get home and she may stop or
continue reading (translation into RO: va fi citit 2 ore în continuu până vor ajunge părinții acasă)
b) (till then and then)  this means that her reading will still be in progress and incomplete when her parents get home (translation into RO:
va citi de 2 ore /va fi cintind de 2 ore în continuu - încă va citi când ajung părinții acasă)

2. Present Future Perfect Future Simple

earlier future interval
now progress and duration later future moment

the moment of speaking action started in an indefinite earlier future then

in progress and durative within an earlier the action will be completed before that future moment
future interval of time and completed before (anteriority)
a later future

e.g. She will have been reading for 2 hours by the time her parents get home.

 an action started in a logically deducible earlier future before (anteriorty) another future moment (two hours before that later future when her
parents get home) in progress and durative within an earlier future completed interval of time (e.g. for an hour and a half) and completed before
another future moment  by then (her reading, which will be in progress and durative before her parents’ arrival in the future, will be completed
by that future moment when her parents get home) - va citi/va fi citit 2 ore în continuu până vor ajunge părinții acasă, dar cititul nu va mai fi în
desfășurare când vor ajunge părinții acasă.