1.

Use

Past Perfect Present Present Perfect

Simple Past Past Continuous Past Perfect
Continuous Perfect** Continuous**

 result of an
action in the
past is
important in
the present
how long action beginning
action was in something had  recently in the past and
action finished in the past equivalent
progress at special been happening completed still continuing
the past of Present Perfect
time in the past before something action (focus is on the
else happened action)
 state
beginning
in the past
and still
continuing

2. Signal words
 Past Perfect Present Present Perfect
Simple Past Past Progressive Past Perfect
Progressive Perfect** Progressive**

 just

 yet

 never  all day

 last ...  ever  the whole
 ... ago  already day
while no unambiguous ones
 in 2010  so far  how long

 yesterday  up to now  since

 since  for

 for

 recently

3. Form
 Past Past Perfect Present Present Perfect
Simple Past Past Progressive
Perfect Progressive Perfect** Progressive**

regular:
infinitive +
ed had + pa
have/has + p
irregular: was, were + infinitiv st had + been + infinitive have/has + been + infiniti
ast
2nd e + -ing participl + ing ve + -ing
participle*
column of e*
the irregular
verbs

* past participle:

 regular verbs → infinitive + -ed

 irregular verbs → 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs

4. Examples

4.1. Affirmative sentences

 Past Perfect Present Present Perfect
Simple Past Past Progressive Past Perfect
Progressive Perfect** Progressive**

We were in the She had been

Joe was writing an She had read a He has lived in They have been
USA waiting for Jack
e-mail at 5 o'clock comic before she Melbourne since waiting for him
and visited Alaska for 30 minutes
yesterday evening. went to bed. 2010. for two hours.
last year. when he arrived.

4.2. Negative sentences

Past
Past Perfect Present Present Perfect
Simple Past Progressi Past Perfect
Progressive Perfect** Progressive**
ve

Joe was n
She had not be
ot
We were not in the en
writing an She had not rea He has not lived
USA waiting for They have not been waitin
e-mail at 5 d a comic before in Melbourne
and did not visit Ala Jack for 30 g for him for two hours.
o'clock she went to bed. since 2010.
ska last year. minutes when
yesterday
he arrived.
evening.

4.3. Questions
 Past Perfect Present Present Perfect
Simple Past Past Progressive Past Perfect
Progressive Perfect** Progressive**

Had she bee

n
Was Joe writing a Had she read
Were you in the USA waiting for Has he lived i
n e-mail at 5 a comic before Have they been waiting f
and did you visit Alas Jack for 30 n Melbourne
o'clock yesterday she went to or him for two hours?
ka last year? minutes since 2010?
evening? bed?
when he
arrived?