The Perfect Tenses

especially for 10B

by Nathalie French
Meaning of the Perfect Tenses
We have six Perfect Tenses in English, all of
which show actions that are already completed.

Perfect literally means ‘made complete’ or

‘completely done’.
 Overview
Past Present Future
Past Perfect Present Perfect Future Perfect

I had played darts a little I have played darts in I will have played darts for
before I moved to the UK several different countries five hours if I play for
another thirty minutes

Past Perfect Continuous Present Perfect Continuous Future Perfect Continuous

I had been playing darts for I have been playing darts I will have been playing
twelve years for seven months before I darts for over four hours by
moved to the UK the time you arrive
Don’t worry….
We are only going to focus on three of them :)

Past Perfect
Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous

To do this properly I have to drag another tense

into the story: Past Simple
Past Perfect
• How do make the Past Perfect?
had + past participle (=volt deelw)

• When do you use the Past Perfect?

- two events that took place in the past,
but one before the other
Not at the same time!
Past Perfect
Yesterday

18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 etc

A B B C

A I left school at 6 o’ clock

B Neil started preparing dinner at 6.30 and 7 o’ clock
C I got home at 7.3o

When I got home, Neil had finished preparing dinner.

C B
Present Perfect
• How do make the Present Perfect?
has/have + past participle (=volt deelw)

• When do you use the Present Perfect?

- finished action in the past
- started in the past, continues in the
present and may continue in the future
Present Perfect

A B
I have been to Bath I have lived in Brighton for two years

Finished past action Started in the past, continues in the

present and may continue in the future
Past Simple versus Present Perfect

C D
I went to Leeds last month I have been to Leeds

Finished past action Finished past action

You want to communicate You do not want to communicate when you did
when you did something something
 Time markers
Time marker: a word that indicates the time
when an action is performed

Which time markers can think of? Discuss in

pairs and make a list

Example: yesterday
 Time markers for the Past Simple
(: Finished time expressions)
Yesterday
The day before yesterday
Last (week, month, year, etc)
Ago
When (for joining two past sentences)
Time markers for the Present Perfect
(: Words for an unfinished time)
Already
Yet
Still
Ever
Never
 Time markers: Already – Yet – Still
• Already: used to emphasize that an action has
been accomplished in the past
I have already read that book.

• Yet: used to signify the intention to do something

I haven’t read that book yet.

• Still (like yet, it is used to signify the intention to

do something) also follows an unusual pattern.
I still haven’t read that book.
Are you still with me?
The other use of still (used to emphasize an
ongoing action), which is commonly used with a
positive verb and the Present Continuous.
I am still waiting for your call.
Present Perfect Continuous
• How do make the Present Perfect Continuous?
has/have + past participle + verb+ing

• When do you use the Present Perfect

Continuous?
- started in the past, continues in the
present and will definitely continue in the
future
Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

E F
I have lived in Geuzenveld for two months. I have been living in Geuzenveld for
two months.

Started in the past, continues in the Started in the past, continues in the present
present and may continue in the future and will definitely continue in the future

When in doubt (=bij twijfel), use the Present Perfect

The End