PERFECT

TENSES
PATTERN:

(+) Subject + Have/ Has + Verb 3 (past

participle)

(-) Subject + Have/ Has + Not + Verb 3

(?) Have/ Has + Subject + Verb 3?

FUNCTIONS:
1. Something happened before now, at an
unspecified time in the past.
● I have already seen the movie.
2. Something happened before now, but we can see
the result now.
● I have eaten my lunch. (The result: I am full
now)
3. Situation or habit began in the past and
continues to the present.
● I have liked cowboy movies ever since I was a
child.
PATTERN:
(+) Subject + Have/Has + Been + Verb-ing

(-) Subject + Have/ Has + Not + Been + Verb-ing

(?) Have/ Has + Subject + Been + Verb-ing?

FUNCTIONS:
1. Activity started in the past and is still going on at
present.
● I have been sitting here for two hours.

● It has been raining all day.

2. Activity started in the past and has some

consequences/ visible side effects in the present.
● I am so exhausted. I have been running.

● There is something around your lips. Have you

been eating something?

Pattern:

(+) Subject + Had + V3 (past participle)

(-) Subject + Had not + V3

(?) Had + Subject + V3?

Function:
→ To express an activity that was completed before
another activity or time in the past.

Examples:
Sam had already left when Ann got there.
(First: Sam left. Second: Ann got there.)
Pattern:

(+) Subject + Had Been + Verb-ing

(-) Subject + Had not been + Verb-ing

(?) Had + Subject + Been + Verb-ing?

Function:
→ To emphasize the duration of an activity that
was in progress (happening) before another activity
or time in the past.
Example:
The police had been looking for the criminal for
two years before the caught him.

→ To express an activity in progress (happening)

close in time to another activity or time in the past.
Example:
When Judy got home, her hair was still wet because
she had been swimming.
Pattern:

(+) Subject + Will + have + V3

(-) Subject + Will not + have+ V3

(?) Will + Subject + have + V3 ?

Function:
To express an activity that will be completed
before another time or event happens in the
future.

Examples:
“I will graduate in June. I will see you in July.
By the time I see you, I will have graduated.”
“I will have finished my homework by the time
I go out on a date tonight.”
Pattern:

(+) Subject + Will have been + V-ing

(-) Subject + Will not have been + V-ing

(?) Will + Subject + have been + V-ing?

Function:
To emphasize the duration of an activity that will
be in progress before another time or event
happens in the future.

Examples:
“I will go to bed at 10 p.m. Ed will get home at
midnight. At midnight I will be sleeping. I will
have been sleeping for two hours by the time Ed
gets home.”