PAST SIMPLE, PRESENT PERFECT, PAST PERFECT

PAST AND PRESENT TENSE

USE

PAST SIMPLE PRESENT PERFECT An action which happened

at a definite moment in the past

e.g. Kate wrote her novel in 1970.

An action which began and finished in the past and is no longer valid under any form.

e.g. George was a trainer for 20 years. Now he is retired.

An action which happened at an unstated moment in time.

e.g. Kate has written many novels. (And is still writing)

An action which began in the past and is still valid in the present

e.g. George has been a trainer for 20 years. He is still working.

A finished action whose results are visible in the present.

e.g. Look! It has rained! The pavement is wet!

USEPAST PERFECT

An action which happened before another action in the past

e.g. She had taken an exam before she had an interview.

A finished action whose results were visible in the past

e.g. He had injured both his legs and had to use a wheelchair all his life. He then died in 2004.

FORM

PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECTAuxiliary verb have /

has (3rd person sg) + Past Participle (3rd form of the verb)

e.g. I have worked in this company for 10 years now.

She has worked for 5 years in the same company now.

Auxiliary verb had + Past Participle (3rd form of the verb)

e.g. I had worked there for 3 years before I moved to a different company.

NEGATIVE FORM

PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT

Have / has + not + Past Participle

e.g. They haven’t (have not) finished their project yet.

Had + not + Past Participle

e.g. We hadn’t arrived at the station before the train left.

INTERROGATIVE FORM

PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT

Have / has + subject + Past Participle

e.g. Has she gone out already?

Had + subject + Past Participle

e.g. Had they saved any money before they decided to buy the new car?

SPECIFIC ADVERBS

PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECTJUSTALREADYYETFORSINCEEVERNEVERBEFORESO FARHOW LONGRECENTLY

BEFORE BY THE TIME AFTER UNTIL ALREADY YET JUST

RULES TO REMEMBER1. THE PAST PARTICIPLE IS THE 3RD FORM OF

THE VERBa. Regular verbs : verb + -ed: play – played -

playedb. Irregular verbs: 3rd verb in the list of

irregular verbs: do – did - done2. WHEN THE ACTIONS HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY

ONE AFTER THE OTHER IN THE PAST, YOU CAN USE PAST SIMPLE FOR ALL THESE ACTIONS

e.g. I got in, took my coat off, and sat down.