Uses Of The Present Perfect Sheet 2009 printable pdf download

Uses of the Present Perfect

! 1

The Rules:

The perfect tenses are used to describe action that is completed before another action or event

occurs. The present perfect is used to describe action that was completed before the present time.

Perfect Tenses

Use this tense when describing an action that is completed

Example Verb

before another time or event occurs.

Form

(form of to have +

past participle)

Present Perfect Describes events that were finished before now.

I have eaten

Ex. She has already purchased her lunch.

Past Perfect

Describes events that finished before another time in the past.

I had eaten

Ex. She had already found her keys before she arrived home.

Future Perfect

Describes events that will be finished before another time in the

I will have eaten

future.

Ex. She will have finished her essay by the time she exits the

train.

Other uses of the present perfect:

Describing events that have happened before now, the exact time of which is unspecified.

This usage is often indicated by adverbs such as ever, yet, never, still, and already.

Examples:

1. My teacher has never graded an assignment without also providing helpful advice and

encouragement. (the present perfect has graded indicates that the teacher's actions have

happened before now.)

2. Overuse injuries from running and cycling have never been successfully treated without rest.

(here the present perfect have been is used to emphasize that the rest treatment has happened

before the present.)

II. Describing an event that has occurred repeatedly from a point in the past up to the present

time, and may happen again.

Examples:

1. My sister has met many interesting people on her backpacking trip along the Appalachian

Trail. (here the present perfect has met is used to indicate that the sister met interesting

people multiple times, or repeatedly, on her trip.)

2. I waited for spring, and today it has arrived! (the present perfect has arrived is used to

indicate that spring's arrival is a repeated, cyclical action.)

3. My chemistry class has had three different substitute teachers in three weeks. (the present

perfect has had is used to emphasize the repeated replacement of substitute teachers.)

Uses Of The Present Perfect Sheet 2009

Related Articles

Related forms

Related Categories