English combines two tenses (past, present) and two aspects (progressive, perfect) into a rich system. This chapter completes the picture begun in Chapters [ch:present] and [ch:pastfuture], focusing on the perfect forms that give learners the most trouble.
Overview of the system
@lL3.4cmL3.6cmL4.2cm@ & Simple & Progressive & Perfect
Present & & &
Past & & &
Future & & &
Perfect and progressive can combine:
The present perfect
Form: + past participle ( — see Appendix [app:irregular]).
The present perfect connects the past to now. Use it when the time is indefinite or the situation continues into or affects the present. Never use it with a finished-time expression: \(\to\) /
Main uses
Life experience (time not stated):
Recent events with present relevance: Often with :
Unfinished periods:
States continuing to now, with :
+ a length of time (); + a starting point (). \(\to\) (Many languages use the present here; English requires the present perfect.)
Present perfect vs. past simple
@L6.2cmL6.2cm@ Present perfect & Past simple
time unstated or unfinished & finished, stated or implied time
(experience) &
(still does) & (no longer)
(recently — where is she?) & (e.g. at yesterday’s party)
American English often uses the past simple where British English prefers the present perfect, especially with : AmE BrE Both are standard within their varieties.
vs.
(she is there, or on the way now).
(she went and came back — experience).
The present perfect progressive
Form: + .
Duration of an activity up to now, emphasizing the process: (focus: the activity and its length)
Recent activity with visible results:
Repeated recent actions:
Compare result vs. process: (finished — result) vs. (activity — perhaps unfinished, or explaining the smell of paint). With , prefer the progressive for activities: With stative verbs, use the simple perfect: ().
The past perfect
Form: + past participle. It places one past event before another past reference point:
(starting happened first)
Compare: (arrival first, then the start)
After :
The past perfect is not needed for every earlier event — only when the order matters and is not already clear. With , the simple past is often fine: Do not chain long narratives entirely in the past perfect; establish the earlier time, then continue in the past simple.
The past perfect progressive () is the past version of the present perfect progressive:
Future perfect and future progressive
Future progressive (): an action in progress at a future time — Also polite inquiries:
Future perfect (): completion by a future deadline —
Future perfect progressive: duration up to a future point —
After time conjunctions (), use a present form for the future, not : \(\to\)
Exercises
Present perfect or past simple? Choose the correct form.
Shakespeare (has written / wrote) 37 plays.
I (have known / knew) Julia since university.
(Have you ever tried / Did you ever try) Vietnamese food?
We (have moved / moved) house three times when I was a child.
The company (has grown / grew) rapidly since 2020.
Sorry, I (have missed / missed) your call earlier this morning. (it is now afternoon)
Simple or progressive perfect? Put the verb in the present perfect simple or progressive.
You’re out of breath.
(you/run)?
She
(write) three novels so far.
How long
(they/learn) Japanese?
I
(read) that book for weeks and I’m still only halfway through.
Someone
(eat) all the biscuits — the tin is empty!
Past perfect Combine the events into one sentence using the past perfect where appropriate.
The train left at 9:00. We reached the station at 9:10. (By the time…)
She spent all her money. Then she asked her brother for a loan. (After…/ She asked…because…)
He never flew before. He was nervous at the airport.
Future forms Complete with future progressive or future perfect.
By 2030, the city
(build) three new metro lines.
Don’t phone at 8 — we
(have) dinner then.
In October, they
(be) married for 25 years.