Intro to Perfect Tenses

​Perfect Tenses

By Abdulwahab Alfeleej

Perfect Tenses

Identify the Different Perfect Tenses

• I have studied English for five years.

• I had finished my homework before dinner.

• I have been reading since 8 o'clock.

Perfect Tenses

Present Pefect

1. Present Perfect

Form:
Subject + have/has + past participle (V3)
e.g. I have visited London. She has seen that movie.

Use:

• Experiences: I have tried sushi.

• Actions with results now: She has broken her leg (so she can’t walk).

• Actions continuing until now: I have lived here for 10 years.

Perfect Tenses

Past Pefect

2. Past Perfect

Form:
Subject + had + past participle (V3)
e.g. I had finished my homework before my mother came.

Use:

• The “past of the past.” Something that happened before another past action.

• e.g. They had left when I arrived.

Perfect Tenses

Present Perfect Progressive

Form:
Subject + have/has been + verb-ing
e.g. I have been studying for three hours.

Use:

• Actions that started in the past and are still continuing now:
  She has been working here since 2020.

• Actions that have recently stopped but have visible results:
  He is tired because he has been running.

Comparison Chart

Tense Form

Present Perfect have/has + v3

Past Perfect had + v3

Present Perfect Progressive have/had been + v

Comparison Chart

Tense Use

Present Perfect Experience / Result now / Still true

Past Perfect had Past of the past

Present Perfect Progressive Ongoing / result visible

Fill in the Blank

By the time I arrived, my friend ...................... (leave).

Fill in the Blank

I ....................... (live) in Kuwait since I was a child.

Fill in the Blank

She ....................... (work) all morning, and now she is exhausted.

1. Think of something you have done recently.

2. Think of something you had already done before the class.

3. Think of something you have been doing today.

Real-Life Connection:

1. When do we use Present Perfect?

2. When do we use Past Perfect?

3. When do we use Present Perfect Progressive?

Questions for you:

Wrap-Up