CHAPTER 4 : PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. Past present future

1-She has married since 1990.

It is an action that is still going on or that stopped recently, but has an influence on the present.

2- I have worked in the school for three years. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Present Perfect

Form of the Present Perfect tense

We form the Present Perfect with have and the past participle (regular verbs: infinitive + -ed; irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs)

have/has + past participlehas: 3rd person singular (he, she, it)have: all other formspast participle:

- regular verbs: infinitive + -ed- irregular verbs: 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs.

For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed

Example

after a final e only add d love – loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowelor l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled

admit – admittedtravel – travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i

hurry – hurried

For irregular verbs, use the participle form

Infinitive Simple Past Past Participle

alight alighted, alit alighted, alit

arise arose arisen

awake awoke, awaked awoken, awaked

be was, were been

bear bore borne, born

beat beat beaten, beat

become became become

beget begot begotten

begin began begun

bend bent bent

cost cost cost

creep crept crept

crow crowed crew, crowed

How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?

1-Experinces We can use the Present Perfect to describe your

experience. I have been to Canada.

This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in Canada . Maybe you have been there once, or several times.

He has never traveled by train.

2- Change over time We often use the Present Perfect to talk about

change that has happened over a period of time.

1- My English has really improved since I moved to U.S.A .

2- She has grown since the last time I saw her.

3- Accomplishments We often use the Present Perfect to list

the accomplishments of individuals and humanity.

1- Kids have learned how to read.2- Scientists have split the atom.

4- An Uncompleted Action You Are ExpectingWe often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.

1- Carlos has not finished his homework yet.

2- she has still not reached .

5-Multiple Actions at Different

TimesWe also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred in the past at different times.

1-I have had one project and two quizzes so far.

2- We have had many problems while working on school.

Form of Present Perfect

Positive Negative Question

I / you / we / they

I have eaten.

I have not eaten.

Have I eaten?

he / she / it

He has eaten.

He has not eaten.

Has he eaten?

1.Signal Words of Present Perfectalready, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now.

1- Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey. 2-We have just got back from our holidays. 3-Have you ever seen a ghost?4-Where have you been up to now?5-Have you finished your homework yet? No, so far I’ve only done my history.

Simple Past–Present Perfect Simple

In English, the use of Simple Past and

Present Perfect is quite strict. As soon as a time expression in the

past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the past or if its consequence in the present is important.

The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week.

NOTICE "Last -----------" and "in the last ---------" are very

different in meaning. Ex "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.

I went to Damam last year.(I went to Damam in the calendar year before this one).

I have been to France in the last year.(I have been to France at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now).

Past tense 1-Finished events in the past with no

connection to the present:Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa.The Vikings invaded Britain.

2-With a finished time word (yesterday, last week, at 2 o'clock, in 2003):I went to the cinema yesterday.We visited Japan in 2007.

3-For stories / lists of events:He went to a café, sat down and lit a cigarette.Yesterday I went to the library, met a friend for lunch, and played tennis.

4Details of news:I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder when I was painting my bedroom.I've been on holiday. I went to Spain .

Present Perfect and Simple Past

Simple Past Present Perfect

is used when the time is clear. is used when the time is not specific

is used when giving older information.

is often used when giving recent news.

is used with (when the actions have already finished).

is used with( for and since) when the actions have not finished yet.

A finished action with no result in the present:

A finished action with a result in the present:

With a finished time word (last week, last month, yesterday):

With an unfinished time word (this week, this month, today):

Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?

Certain event in the past or how often so far?

Simple PastPresent Perfect

Simple

certain time in the pastExample : I finished my work 5 minutes ago.

just / already / not yetExample :I have just finished my work

Simple PastPresent Perfect

Simple

certain event in the past Example:He went to Uk last summer.

whether / how often till now Example : Have you ever been to UK ? I have been to UK twice.

Emphasis on action or result?Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to emphasis the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?

Simple PastPresent Perfect

Simple

Emphasis on actionExample : I bought a new bike. (just telling what I did in the past.)

Emphasis on resultExample : I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually want to express that I have a new bike now.)

Signal Words

Simple PastPresent Perfect Simple

•yesterday•... ago•in 1990•the other day•last ...

•just•already•up to now•until now / till now•ever•(not) yet•so far•lately / recently

Difference between gone and been

We use the present perfect of be when someone has gone to a place and returned.

Where have you been?But when someone has not returned we use have/has gone:

I’ve just been out to the supermarket.

Where is Maria? I haven’t seen her for weeks. B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She’ll be back tomorrow.

HAVE you ever + present perfect form?

Past perfect tense

We use the past perfect tense fairly often in English.

1: A completed action before something else in the past.

When we arrived, the film had started. (= first the film started, then later we arrived)

2: To explain or give a reason for something in the past.

I'd eaten dinner so I wasn't hungry. It had snowed in the night, so the bus

didn't arrive.

Which one present perfect or simple past These two tenses are both used to talk about

things that happened in the past. However we use past perfect to talk about something that happened before another action in the past, which is usually expressed by the past simple.

For example: "I had already eaten my dinner when he

called." In other words, First I ate my dinner, then he called. The past perfect is often used with already, yet, just and even.

To talk about a past action that ended before another action or time in the past, we use before and after. We use the simple past too.

The film had started before we arrived

He came to my house.( Simple Past Tense) I had already left. (Past Perfect Tense)He came to my house after I had already left.

After he had taken his music lesson,

he made a telephone call.

Ali had repaired his car , before he went fishing.

Before (simple past), (past perfect).After ( past perfect),( simple past) .