Microsoft Word - GWC_PerfectTenses-1.docx

Lauren'Ann'Metskas'@May'2015'

The'‘perfect’'verb'tenses'(past,'present'and'future'perfect)'are'used'primarily'when'the'time'

period'over'which'an'action'was'performed'is'indefinite.'Perfect'verb'tenses'can'also'be'used'to'

indicate'sequential'orders'of'events,'particularly'when'one'action'was'completed'in'reference'

to'another'action'or'event.'

The$formula:${to$have}$+$participle$(non7continuous$verbs)$

What%makes%a%perfect%tense%past,%present%or%future%is%the%tense%of%{to%have}%

Identifying$the$Reference$Point'

Perfect'tenses'are'used'when'there'is'an'action'that'started'at'some'undefined'point'in'time'and'

continued'until'1)'another'undefined'point'in'time,'2)'the'present,'or'3)'a'specific'point'in'time.'

The'strongest'determinant'in'the'tense'is'the'completion'or'reference'point.'

Find'the'reference'point'in'these'examples: '

• Before'she'started'college,'Angela'had'competed'in'a'lot'of'races.

The%reference%point,%‘before%she%started%college,’%is%in%the%past.%Implied%in%the%sentence%is%that%the%

action,%racing,%ended%in%the%past;%we%can%assume%that%Angela%no%longer%competes%in%races.'

• Sean'has'traveled'to'Mexico'several'times.

The%reference%point%is%the%present%(implied).%Sean% traveled%to%Mexico%in%the%past,%but %not%at%a%

specific%time.%%'

• Have'you'finished'the'book'I'lent'you'yet?

The%reference%point%is%in%the%present.%The%action%either%occurred%in%the%past,%or%did%not%occur%at%all. %

• It'hasn’t'stopped'raining'yet.

The%reference%point%is%the%present.%The%action%began%in%the%past%and%has%continued%to%the%present.%

• By'this'time'tomorrow,'I'will'have'finished'writing'this'tuto rial!

The%reference%point%is%in%the%future,%‘this%time %tomorrow.’%The%action%began%at%an%unspecified%time.%

Now'that'you'know'how'to'find'a'reference'point,'you'can'figure'out'what'tense'to'use.'The'

verb/action'may'have'occurred'in'the'past,'present'or'future,'but'always'before'the'reference'

point.'As'you'can'see'in'the'figure'below,'the'time'over'which'the'action'was'performed'can'

overlap'between'the'tenses ,' but'the'reference'point'cannot.'For'example,'the'a ction/verb'could'

have'been'performed'in'the'past'and'still'be'suitable'for'past,'present'and'future'perfect'tenses,'

but'if'the'reference'point'is'in'the'future,'then'you'use'the'future'perfect'tense.'

Graduate$Writing$Lab$

Yale'Center' for' Teaching'a nd'Learning'

Perfe c t$T enses $

Past'' ' ''''''''''Present' ' '''''''''''Future'

Some$More$Practice$with$Perfect$Tenses'

We'can'shift'the'tense'by' changing'the'ref erence'po int.'For'example,'Angela'competed'in'15'races'

during'high'school.'

• Past'perfect:'Before'she'started'college,'Angela'had'competed'in'a'lot'of'races.'''

o Angela%competed%in%races%in%the%past,%but%not%at%a%specific%time%(not%“yesterday”%or%

“last%year”).%The%reference%point,%‘before%she%started%college’,%is%in%the%past.%The%action%

this%refers%to%was%completed%in%the%past.'

• Present'perfect:'Angela'has'competed'in'a'lot'of'races.'''

o The%reference%point%is%the%present%(implied/not%giv en).%The%action%began%in%the%p ast%

and%continued%into%the%present.'

• Future'perfect:'When'the'season'ends,'Angela'will'have'competed'in'many'races.'''

o The%reference%point%is%in%the%future.%The%action%began%in%the%pa st%(or%even%the%present%

or%future)%and%continues%into%the%future.'

For'the'next'example,'Sean'traveled'to'Mexico'three'tim es'in'the'past,'and'is'about'to'go'there'

again'next'month.'

• Past'perfect:'By'age'fifteen,'Sean'had'traveled'to'Mexico'twice.'''

o The%action%(two%trips%to%Mexico)%was%completed%in%the%past,%but%we%do n’t%know%the%

exact%dates.%Note%that%here%it%doesn’t%matter%that%he%is%in%Mexico%currently%or%that%he%

had%a%third%trip%somewhere%in%there.'

• Present'perfect:'Sean'has'traveled'to'Mexico'several'times.'''

o The%action%(multiple%trips%to%Mexico)%started%in%the%past.%The%reference%point%(imp lied)%

is%the%present.'

•

Future'perfect:'Counting'his'trip'next'month,'Sean'will'have'traveled'to'Mexico'four'times.'''

o The%reference%point%is%the%future.%While%technically%the%action%doesn’t%have%to%have%

been%completed%in%the%past%(all%of%the%trips%could%be%in%the%future),%in%this%case%the%time%

spans%from%past%to%future.'

Getting$Technical:$Uses$for$the$Perfect$Tenses$

1. Sequential'action'(completion).'The'action'was'completed'before'the'reference'point.''The

action'could'have'been'a'single'event'or'multiple'events.'This'is'a'way'to'sequence'events.

2. Duration'(completion).'The'action'began'before'the'reference'point'and'continued'until

the'reference'point.'Time'period'is'indefinite.

3. Unspecified'time'and'duration'(completion).'The'action'occurred'at'an'unspecified'time

before'the'present.'If'in'the'form'of'a'question,'the'action'may'not'have'occurred'at'all.

4. An'uncompleted'action'you'expect'to'happen/complete.'The'action'began'at'an

unspecified'time'before'the'present,'and'is'not'completed'yet.

Uses'#1\2' are'typical'for'the'past'and'future'perfect'tenses.'Uses'#3\4'ar e'typical'for'the'present'

perfect'tense.'

Go'through 'the'examples'above'and'determine'which'of'these'four'uses'applies'to'each'example.'

A$final$note$about$continuous/non7continuous$verbs:$

The'past,'present'and'future'perfect'tenses'typically'use'“non\continuous”'verbs.''For'continuous'

verbs,'use'the'Past/Present/Future'Perfect'Continuous'tense.'

Sources$and$Further$Reading/Practice:$

• http://www.perfect\english\ grammar.com/present\perfect\use.html

• http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html

• http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/pastperf.htm