Perfect Verb Tenses- Present Perfect, Past Perfect and Future Perfect

Present Perfect

The present perfect designates action that began in the past, but which continues into the present
or the effect of which still continues. It expresses an action that is still going on or that stopped
recently, but has an influence on the present

1. The artist painted for ten years. (simple past)

2. The artist has painted for ten years. (present perfect)

The implication in (1) is that the artist no longer paints; in (2), that the artist is still painting.

Please complete these sentences using the correct verb tense:

1. (eat) I ______________sushi yesterday. (simple past)

2. (eat) I ______________________________ sushi for many years. (present perfect)

3. (go) Last week the warriors __________________hunting. (simple past)

4. (go) The warriors ____________________hunting in these woods for generations. (present

perfect)

5. (reflect) The samurai ______________on the rich but often tragically short life of a Japanese
warrior. (simple past)

6. (reflect) The samurai __________________________ on their perilous deeds many times

over the last months. (present perfect)

Complete these two sentences:

7. (erupted- simple past) The volcano

8. (erupted- present perfect) Many times during Japan’s history the volcano

Past Perfect

The past perfect tense designates action in the past just as simple past does, but the action of the
past perfect is action completed in the past before another action.

1. The fisherman caught the fish and later ate them. (simple past)

2. The fisherman ate the fish that he had caught. (past perfect)

The fish were caught before they were eaten.

3. The ninja scaled the wall when the samurai arrived. (simple past)

4. The ninja had scaled the wall when the samurai arrived. (past perfect)

In (1), the ninja waited until the samurai arrived and then scaled the wall. In (2), the ninja had
already finished scaling the wall by the time the samurai arrived.

Please complete the sentences:

1. (pour) At the ceremony last week the woman __________tea for the guests. (simple past)

2. (pour) The woman __________________________the tea in a cup before she offered it to

her guest. (past perfect)

3. (show) Mastering the rituals of tea ________________ a warrior’s exquisite taste and
manners. (simple past)

4. (show) The warrior ___________________his excellent tea manners before he skillfully

wielded his sword. (past perfect)

5. (build) In medieval Japan the daimyo _______________________his wooden castle along

bustling trade routes. (simple past)

6. (build) The daimyo __________________________ his castle complete with defenses by the
time the enemy attacked. (past perfect)

Complete these two sentences:

1. (grow- simple past) The farmer

2. (grow- past perfect) By chance, the farmer

Future Perfect

The future perfect tense designates action that will have been completed at a specified time in the
future.

1. Next week I will present my report. (simple future)

2. By the end of the week, I will have presented my report. (future perfect)

Please complete these sentences:

1. (write) Tomorrow I ___________________a haiku about Spring. (simple future)

2. (write) By the time I am 60, I _______________________ many haikus about Spring. (future
perfect)

3. (learn) You ___________________ about the six verb tenses this year. (simple future_
4. (learn) By the time summer begins, you ______________________________a lot of
grammar. (future perfect)

5. (discover) Perhaps you _____________________ the cure for cancer. (simple future)

6. (discover) Hopefully, by 2025, someone ___________________the cure for cancer. (future

perfect)

Complete these two sentences:

1. (sing- future) The nightingale

2. (sing- future perfect) By nightfall, the nightingale