English Grammar Help: Present Perfect and Past Perfect

ENGLISH GRAMMAR HELP: PRESENT PERFECT AND
PAST PERFECT
KELLY D
Some of the most confusing tenses in the English language are the present perfect and
past perfect. They become especially confusing when you have to identify which tense
to use and which one is being used. So today, let’s practice both of those tenses.
Present perfect:
The present perfect is formed by using ‘has’ or ‘have’ and the past participle of the verb.
For example, “I have watched the movie” or “She has watched the movies.”
So when do you use the present perfect? That is a great question. We use the present
perfect when we are talking about an event that started in the past and the event still
has some influence in the present. This influence could be something that you have
experienced in your life that still has an impact on your life. It could also be used for
things that have changed over a time, or a task that was unfinished in the past and will
be completed in the future. Let’s take a look at each example:
An experience: “I have been to India.”
Change over time: “Her English has improved since she joined EF English Live.”
An unfinished task: “He has not finished cleaning the house. “
All of these tasks started in the past, but something about them still applies in the
present time. Something about them could change in the present or future.
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Past perfect:
This is formed by combining ‘had’ with the past participle of the verb.
The past perfect is very similar to the present perfect because the event also started in
the past. However, the difference between the events is that the past perfect event also
ended in the past. This can be used with a specified time. For example, “I had studied in
China last year”. This also implies the event happened a long time ago.
This diagram may help to explain further:

Also, a confusion that students tend to have is when they see ‘have had’ placed together
in a sentence. For example, “I have had a cold”. So is this the present perfect because of
‘have’, or is the past perfect because of ‘had’? In order to identify the correct tense,
always look at the first ‘have’ or ‘had.” In this sentence, we first used ‘have’, therefore
this sentence is the present perfect.
What's the difference? Present Perfect and Past Simple

Present Perfect Simple Past Simple
Unfinished actions that started in the
Finished actions:
past and continue to the present:
 I knew Julie for ten years (but then she moved
 I've known Julie for ten years
away and we lost touch).
(and I still know her).
A finished action in someone's life

A finished action in someone's life (when the person is
(when the person is still alive: life
dead):
experience):
 My great-grandmother went to Mexico three
 My brother has been to Mexico
times.
three times.
A finished action with a result in the

present: A finished action with no result in the present:
 I've lost my keys! (The result is  I lost my keys yesterday. It was terrible! (Now
that I can't get into my house there is no result. I got new keys yesterday).
now).
With an unfinished time word (this With a finished time word (last week, last month,
week, this month, today): yesterday):
 I've seen John this week.  I saw John last week.

Click here for more information about the present perfect tense
Click here for more information about the past simple tense
Remember:
1. We use the past simple for past events or actions which have no connection to the
present.
2. We use the present perfect for actions which started in the past and are still happening
now OR for finished actions which have a connection to the present.
3. We CAN'T use the present perfect with a finished time word:
o NOT: I've been to the museum yesterday.
4. 12 Tenses and Example Sentences in English Grammar
5.
Tense Example
Simple Present I play basketball every week.
Present Progressive I’m playing basketball now.
Simple Past I played basketball yesterday.
Past Progressive I was playing basketball the whole evening.
Present Perfect I have just played basketball.
Present Perfect Progressive I have been playing basketball for 3 hours.
Past Perfect I had played basketball before Mary came.
Past Perfect Progressive I had been playing basketball when Mary came.
Future – will I will play basketball next week.
Future – going to I’m going to play basketball this afternoon.
Future Progressive I will be playing basketball next Sunday.
Future Perfect I will have played basketball by tomorrow.

English Grammar Help: Present Perfect and Past Perfect

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ENGLISH GRAMMAR HELP: PRESENT PERFECT AND

An unfinished task: “He has not finished cleaning the house. “

This diagram may help to explain further:

What's the difference? Present Perfect and Past Simple

A finished action in someone's life

A finished action with a result in the

 I've seen John this week.  I saw John last week.

Simple Present I play basketball every week.

Present Progressive I’m playing basketball now.

Simple Past I played basketball yesterday.

Past Progressive I was playing basketball the whole evening.

Present Perfect I have just played basketball.

Present Perfect Progressive I have been playing basketball for 3 hours.

Past Perfect I had played basketball before Mary came.

Past Perfect Progressive I had been playing basketball when Mary came.

Future – will I will play basketball next week.

Future – going to I’m going to play basketball this afternoon.

Future Progressive I will be playing basketball next Sunday.

Future Perfect I will have played basketball by tomorrow.

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