1. The Perfect Aspect
The Present Perfect, The Past Perfect and the Future
Perfect
TThhee PPeerrffeecctt AAssppeecctt iiss uusseedd ffoorr aa ppaasstt
TThhee PPeerrffeecctt AAssppeecctt iiss uusseedd ffoorr aa ppaasstt
hhaappppeenniinngg wwhhiicchh iiss sseeeenn iinn rreellaattiioonn ttoo aa llaatteerr
hhaappppeenniinngg wwhhiicchh iiss sseeeenn iinn rreellaattiioonn ttoo aa llaatteerr
ttiimmee oorr eevveenntt..
ttiimmee oorr eevveenntt..
2. The Present Perfect
PPPPaaaasssstttt aaaaccccttttiiiioooonnnn
This morning, I have drunk three cups of coffee.
PPPPrrrreeeesssseeeennnntttt ttttiiiimmmmeeee
3. The Past Perfect
By ten o’clock this morning, I had drunk three cups of
coffee.
PPPPaaaasssstttt aaaaccccttttiiiioooonnnn
PPPPaaaasssstttt ttttiiiimmmmeeee
4. The Future Perfect
By ten o’clock tomorrow morning, I will have drunk
three cups of coffee.
PPPPaaaasssstttt aaaaccccttttiiiioooonnnn
ffffuuuuttttuuuurrrreeee ttttiiiimmmmeeee
5. All three perfect tenses—present, past and future—
can be used in the continuous form:
I have been drinking
TThhee ccoonnttiinnuuoouuss ffoorrmm iinnddiiccaatteess tthhee
((lliimmiitteedd)) dduurraattiioonn ooff aann eevveenntt aanndd
The continuous ffoorrmm iinnddiiccaatteess tthhee
((lliimmiitteedd)) dduurraattiioonn ooff aann eevveenntt aanndd
tthhaatt tthhee eevveenntt mmiigghhtt nnoott bbee
tthhaatt tthhee eevveenntt mmiigghhtt nnoott bbee
ccoommpplleettee..
ccoommpplleettee..
I had been drinking
I will have been drinking
6. The Simple Present Perfect
• actions occuring at an indefinite time in the past;
She has eaten at that restaurant.
• actions occurring in an incomplete period of
time; I have done my homework today.
• incomplete actions; they have been in that
restaurant for two hours (or since 8:00 o’clock).
• recent actions; they have just finished eating.
7. The Simple Past Perfect
• an action which occurred before another action
past time or action;
Before he started breakfast, he (had) made a big pot
of coffee.
After she (had) corrected her students’ exams, she
entered the marks on her computer.
When Stephanie arrived at the arena, the team had
finished its practice.
8. The Simple Future Perfect
• an action which will be completed before another
future time or action;
By the time we next see each other, I will have
graduated from college.
9. The Simple Present Perfect vs.
The Present Perfect Continuous
The Simple
Present Perfect
The Present
Perfect Continuous
Indefinite time She hhaass eeaatteenn aatt tthhaatt
Incomplet
e period of
time
Incomplet
e actions
rreessttaauurraanntt..
SShhee hhaass bbeeeenn eeaattiinngg
ppoooorrllyy..
I have done my homework
today.
TThheeyy hhaavvee bbeeeenn
ssttuuddyyiinngg hhaarrdd tthhiiss
yyeeaarr ..
They have been in that
restaurant
for two hours.
WWee hhaavvee bbeeeenn
ddaanncciinngg ffoorr hhoouurrss..
10. Unlike the Present Perfect Simple, the
Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the;
• duration of an action; She has been sleeping
poorly (for a couple of weeks now).
• continuation of an action; They have been
studying hard this year (as they always have).
• temporariness of an action; We have been
dancing for hours (we will need to stop soon).
11. The Past Perfect Continuous
• an ongoing action which occurred before
another past time or action; It
had been snowing heavily for two days when the
police finally closed the roads.
12. The Future Perfect Continuous
• an ongoing action which will be completed
before another future time or action;
By the time I finish College, I will have
been studying for more than a decade!
13. Present perfect vs.simple
past
haven’t attended
1. I (attend, not) ______________ any parties
since I came here.
14. Present perfect vs.
simple past
went
2. Al (go) ___________ to a party at Sally’s
apartment last Saturday night.
16. Present perfect
/progressive?
Epidemiologists (warn)_________ that the next
pandemic could sicken one in every three
people on the planet.
17. Present perfect or
progressive?
Epidemiologists have warned that the next
pandemic could sicken one in every three
people on the planet.
18. Present perfect or
progressive?
Epidemiologists (warn)_________ for some
time that the next pandemic could sicken one
in every three people on the planet.
19. Present perfect or
progressive?
Epidemiologists have been warning for some
time that the next pandemic could sicken one
in every three people on the planet.
20. Future perfect simple or
continuous?
They (talk) __________________ for over an
hour by the time Thomas arrives.
21. Future perfect simple or
continuous?
They They will have been talking for
over an hour by the time Thomas arrives.
22. Past perfect simple or
continuous?
(Study you)_____________English before
you moved to New York in 2005?
23. Past perfect simple or
continuous?
Had you studied English before you moved
to New York in 2005?
24. Past perfect simple or
continuous?
Had you studied English before you moved
to New York in 2005?
The perfect aspect is used for a past happening or action seen in relation to a later time or event.
The perfect aspect tense is used for a past happening or action seen in relation to a later time or event.
The perfect aspect tense is used for a past happening or action seen in relation to a later time or event.
In the first two examples the sequence is clear. It is not necessary to use the past perfect except in formal writing. In the third example the time sequence is unclear.
The dependent clause refers to the future but uses the simple present.
Key terms: By…, Before…
The continuous form indicates the (limited) duration of an event and that the event might not be complete.
It emphasizes the duration of an ongoing action and may indicate that the action is a recent one: “His hands were dirty because he had been gardening.”
