Last session, I discussed about SIMPLE TENSES which includes Simple Present, Simple Past and Simple

Future. Let us have a short review of the verbs we have learned to use in the SIMPLE TENSES.

1. Regular Verbs – are verbs whose past tense and past participle forms end in -d or -ed.
PRESENT PAST PAST PARTICIPLE
study studied Studied
decide decided decided
2. Irregular Verbs – are verbs whose spelling change when they are formed to past tense and past
participle.
PRESENT PAST PAST PARTICIPLE
know knew known
write wrote written
With IIREGULAR VERB FORMS, there is no pattern, there’s no rule to follow, you just need to memorize
it.

We define TENSE as denoting the time of the action indicated by a verb. While tense refers to the time
when actions occur (ie. Past, present, or future), ASPECT indicates time features such as the completion,
duration, or repetition of an action.

There are 3 major tenses in English – PRESENT, PAST, and FUTURE. These 3 tenses may be used in
combination with 4 different aspects - SIMPLE, PROGRESSIVE, PERFECT, and PERFECT PROGRESSIVE.

The tense and aspect combinations produce 12 verb tenses:

To sum up the rules in the verb conjugation of the different tenses, we have this table as our guide:

SUBJECT Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Progressive

+ (Progressive)
Present 1st form + s/es am/is/are + verb + ing has/have + 3rd form has/have + been +
(past participle) verb + ing

Past 2nd form (past was/were + verb + ing had + 3rd form (past had been + verb + ing
simple) participle)

Future will + verb will be + verb + ing will have + 3rd form will have + been + ing
(past participle)

Since we are done with the basic tenses, we shall now proceed with PERFECT TENSES.

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE is used to say that an action happened at an UNSPECIFIED TIME before now.

Example:

Rina has seen that show two times.

Astronauts have traveled to outer space.

***WHEN SHOULD WE USE THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE?

-When there is a connection between the present and the past. Think of it as a bridge that’s connecting
the present and the past. Let’s talk about situations where we use the Present Perfect Tense.

Present Perfect Tense is used:

1. when something started in the past and continues in the present.

Ex: They have been married for three years.

She has read many books

2. to talk about life experiences

Ex: He hasn’t travelled overseas before.

3. To talk about change that has happened over a period of time

Examples:

• James has grown since the last time I saw him.

• My English has improved since I moved to the United States.

4. To list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. A specific time cannot be used.

• Examples:

• The students have learned how to swim.

• The doctor has cured many diseases.

5. To talk about a past action that has a result in the present.

Examples:

• I have lost my wallet.

• Glenn has gone to Canada.

6. It is used to say that an action that we expected has not happened and that we are still waiting for the
action to happen.

Examples:

• Karen has still not arrived.

• The fight has not stopped.

Let’s talk about when to use the PAST SIMPLE AND PRESENT PERFECT TENSE because this is often the
confusing part.

To enlighten our confusion, we need to think about TIME, finished time and unfinished time. So think
about LAST WEEK, yesterday, last month, last year, 2012 – its finished time. THIS WEEK – unfinished
time. Let us compare some examples.

Last month, I visited my brother three times. (finished time) – PAST SIMPLE

This month, I have visited my brother twice. (the month isn’t finished yet and I may visit him again) –
(PRESENT PERFECT TENSE)

He borrowed my car yesterday. (PAST SIMPLE because it’s finished time)

Now try to change it to the present perfect tense. What do you need to do? TWO THINGS – you need to
add the auxiliary verb has – He HAS borrowed my car TODAY/THIS WEEK. and also the TIME
EXPRESSION.

In short, when we are talking about a time period that has finished – we need to use the PAST SIMPLE
TENSE. But when we’re talking about a time period that is unfinished, like today, this week, this
year, next month, we should use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
Since we are trying to differentiate the usage of PAST SIMPLE from PRESENT PERFECT TENSE, Let’s try
transforming and identifying sentences in its appropriate tense.

I have here a comic strip. Instruction is to complete the sentences by using Present Perfect where
possible. Otherwise, use the PAST SIMPLE.

ANSWERS:

1.

2. PAST PERFECT TENSE – It shows an action that happened before another action in the past.

Examples:

I had studied my lessons before my friends arrived.

She had completed the task when we entered the room.

-It shows that an action started in the past and continued until another action in the past happened.

Example:

By the time Nicole finished her studies, she had been in South Korea for almost five years.

***We use the past perfect tense when we are talking about 2 events that happened in the past and
when one event happened before the other event. Think about the past perfect as helping us to create a
timeline.

Ex.: I had just stepped outside when it started to rain.

So there are two actions here, right? I stepped outside. It started to rain. Now, if you use just the past
simple for both of these events, well then we don’t know which one happened first. All we know is that
both events happened in the past. By using the past perfect in one of these actions, we will eventually
know which action happened before the other.

Ex.: She had just finished her exam when the timer went off.

I could not go out for dinner because I had left my wallet home.

***So the Past Perfect helps our story to unfold over time.

HOW IS IT USED?

 To show the order of things that happened in the past, the first event happens in the Past
Perfect Tense while the second happens in the Past Simple.
 ***Interestingly, it doesn’t matter which order the events are in the sentence. It’s the tenses that
tell us what happened first. Take a look at these sentences:

I had just smelled smoke when the fire alarm went off.

When the fire alarm went off, I had just smelled smoke.

***In both of these sentences, what is the first event? I smelled the smoke FIRST, it happened just
before the alarm went off.

Now, you practice. I will give two events in the past and you need to create a meaningful sentence
using the past perfect tense.

Event 1: I decided to leave.

Event 2: The boss called me for a meeting.

Answer: I had decided to leave when the boss called me for a meeting./The boss called me for a meeting
when I had decided to leave.

Event 1: She looked around for help.

Event 2: A salesperson appeared. (immediately after)

Answer: She had just looked around for help when a salesperson appeared./A salesperson appeared
when she had just looked around for help.

You did a great job today! Moving on to the next tense, the FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

3. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE – It shows an action that will be completed sometime in the future.

Example:

I will have graduated by the time I turn nineteen. (means that I will turn nineteen in the future and at
some point before then, I will also graduate.)

The snow will have stopped by April.

(by April shows the specific time in the future when this action will have happened.)
By the time he graduates, he will have completed five years of study.

(By the time he graduates – is the specific time in the future. The specific time mentioned can come at
the end or beginning of the sentence.)

Her arm will have fully healed by this summer.

When to use the Future Perfect Tense?

1. Before specific time

- By next July, they will have moved to the States, they will have started new jobs, and they will have
bought a home.

***meaning to say, By next July, these three things will have happened already.

2. before another action

Before you arrive, we will have eaten dinner and the kids will have gone to bed.

- ***before you arrive, certain things will already have happened. Everything will still happen in the
future, but in that future, what will happen first? What will happen next? So in this sentence, we’re
linking it to another action in the future.

3. common expressions

Before, by the time, by 9:00AM, by Monday, by next summer

***These are some common expressions you can use when you’re using Future Perfect.

LET’S PRACTICE MORE!

PERFECT CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE TENSES

• is a tense which connects/links both the present and the past.

• is an action which started in the past and continues up to the present time.

***It is a special tense, in terms of time. It connects or links both the present and the past.

CHECK THESE SENTENCES: They are from 2 different tenses and see how they are different?

***What’s the difference between the two sentences? Is there a difference in its meaning?
 I have cooked dinner. (PRESENT PERFECT TENSE)

***It means I cooked it in the past and now its ready. The sentence is focused more on the results –
which is I am done cooking.

I have been cooking dinner. (PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE)

***I started cooking in the past and I am still cooking now, I am not yet done. Focus is more on the
process or activity – I am not done cooking yet.

There are basically two uses for the Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped

2. An action continuing up to now

Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Progressive

(Progressive)

Present 1st form + am/is/are + verb + ing has/have + 3rd form has/have + been +
s/es (past participle) verb + ing

Past 2nd form was/were + verb + ing had + 3rd form (past had been + verb + ing
(past participle)
 
simple)
 

Future will + verb will be + verb + ing will have + 3rd form will have + been + ing
(past participle)
 

1. Present Perfect Progressive

- is a verb tense used for actions that started in the past and may continue.

Examples:

You have been living there since January.

(this statement may be uttered true right now and may still continue)

She has been struggling to arrive on time.

(the statement sounds like maybe she will arrive on time or may be not in the future)

There are basically two uses for the Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

1. An action that has just stopped or recently stopped

Example: I’ am tired because I have been running

Okay, so those were all examples of the Present perfect tense in POSITIVE SENTENCES. What about
negative forms? Of course we need to add NOT to the grammatical structure.

Has/have + not + main verb (past participle)

Compare these sentences:

Last month, I visited my brother three times. (SIMPLE PAST)

This month, I have not visited him at all. (the month isn’t over yet, I may still visit him.) (PRESENT
PERFECT)
He ate so much yesterday. (simple past)

He has not eaten a lot today. (present perfect)

For question forms:

Grammatical Structure: have/has + subject + main verb (past participle)

As with all English question forms, our auxiliary verb needs to change position.

Ex:

Has he cleaned the bathroom?

Have you eaten enough?

Has it rained today?

Have they finished yet?

COMPARE:

Did you go to Thailand last year?

(This is a SIMPLE PAST question so the auxiliary verb DO takes the tense-it becomes DID.)

Have you been to Thailand last year?

(At any time in the past, it talks about a life experience – the person may still go in the future.)

The MAIN DIFFERENCE here is the TIME REFERENCE. You see, there’s a lot of things to think about when
using the Present Perfect Tense. I hope that this lesson made everything a little easier for you, especially
the basics.

***In PRESENT PERFECT TENSE, the word HAVE/HAS is an AUXILLIARY VERB OR A HELPING VERB. It’s not
the main verb in the sentence. The MAIN VERB is in PAST PARTICIPLE FORM, not in PAST SIMPLE FORM.

- It cannot be used with specific past time expressions such as yesterday, one year ago, last week, and
the like. It can only be used with UNSPECIFIC time expressions including, but not limited to the
following: as, ever, never, so far, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, and yet.
Difference between present perfect and present perfect continuous tenses
The present perfect tense is used to talk about a finished action or situation.

The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about a continuous, but not
necessarily finished action or situation.

Temporary and permanent

The present perfect continuous tense is used to talk about more temporary actions and
situations; the present perfect tense is used to talk about longer-lasting or permanent
situations.

 That boy has been standing at the gate for hours. (Temporary action or
situation)
 The temple has stood on the hill for hundreds of years. (Longer-lasting or
permanent situation)