In all the variety of times in English language perfect times(perfect or completed) are remarkable in that you will not find their analogues in Russian grammar. Perhaps for this reason, many people have difficulty mastering the perfect tenses. Let's learn to understand and use these useful and interesting English Times verbs.
Strictly speaking, in English there are only two tenses (tense), where only the semantic verb is present: present (We walk) and past (He left).
All other tenses of verbs in English, and there are about thirty of them, use auxiliary verbs.
There are six main tenses, understanding which, you can understand the entire tense structure of English verbs.
- Present Simple ( Present Indefinite): We play. - We play.
- Present Perfect: We have played. - We played.
- past simple(Past Indefinite): We played. - We played.
- past perfect: We had played. - we played (before specific event in the past).
- Future Simple(Future Indefinite): We will play. - We will play.
- Future Perfect: We will have played. - We will play (until a certain event in the future).
Learners of English as a foreign language most often experience problems with Perfect at times. This is due to the fact that they are formed a little more complicated than their "simple" counterparts: with the help of auxiliary verb and past participles (III form of the verb).
- Run (run)- ran - run
- play (play)- played - played
Auxiliary verbs ( auxiliary verbs) the forms of the verbs are usually be, can, do, may, must, ought, shall, will, have, has, had. It is these verbs and their forms that should be given.
Present Perfect Tense (Present Perfect)
Tom will repair his car on Monday. (Future Simple) - Tom will be fixing his car on Monday.
She hopes that Tom will have repaired his car by Monday evening. (Future Perfect) - She hopes that Tom will have his car fixed by Monday evening.
Present Perfect Simple
1. Time name
Present Perfect Simple
2. Method of education
3. Changefinal letters
Tat (short vowel syllable) + ed = tatted
Silent e + ed = ed
Ty + ed = tied
4. Education approval
Subject + have\has + V3 + minor members suggestions
5. Question formation
Have\has + subject + V3 + secondary clauses?
6. Formation of negation
Subject + have\has + not + V3 + minor members of the sentence
7. Words are indicators of time
Ever, never, yet (the word yet in interrogative sentences in last place), already, just, since, for (non-continuous verbs) not only lately, recently, the first (second) time, superlatives.
8. Time value
An action that just happened.
The action happened in the past, but we see the result now.
An action that began at a certain moment in the past and has continued until now or has just ended (non-continuous verbs) or state verbs.
An action that began at a certain moment in the past and continues to this day.
That which never was.
FROM superlatives comparisons.
An action that happened 1, 2, 3… times.
9. Modal verbs and designs
Modal verbs:
- Can-have\has\had to
structures are not used.
Present Perfect - Real Complete
You and I have already gone through 2 present tense, which we called "simple" and"long". Now we will consider present complete - Present Perfect. It sounds paradoxical, but in English, some types of completed actions can refer to the present, not the past tense. Such actions are mentioned in the context of a period of time that has not yet ended. For Russian-speaking students, this phenomenon may present some difficulties, because we convey it using the past tense. However, the situation will become clearer once you understand the difference. Look at the following pair of sentences in Russian that use the past tense:
In English, these two sentences will be used in 2 different tenses.- I traveled to the US last spring.-- refers to the Simple Past, which we have already gone through with you. the key phrase is " last spring ", i.e. a period of time that has already ended. -I went to the USA last spring
- I have traveled to the US three times in my life.-- refers to the Present Complete, because time interval " in all my life " has not yet been completed, despite the fact that the action has already taken place. - I have gone to the USA three times in my life
- For Education Present Perfect You need to put the verb "Have" in the appropriate subject form (Have / Has) after the subject, and after that the verb, to which the ending "ed" is added. It should be noted that have verb in Present Perfect is auxiliary and does not carry the meaning "to have". It just helps to form the Present Perfect Tense.
| present | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| be | were, were | been |
| become | became | become |
| begin | started | begun |
| blow | blew | blown |
| break | broke | broken |
| bring | brought | brought |
| build | built | built |
| burst | burst | burst |
| buy | bought | bought |
| burst | burst | burst |
| catch | caught | caught |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| come | came | come |
| cut | cut | cut |
| deal | dealt | dealt |
| do | did | done |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| drive | drove | driven |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| fall | fell | fallen |
| feed | fed | fed |
| feel | felt | felt |
| fight | fought | fought |
| find | found | found |
| fly | flew | flown |
| forbid | forbade | forbidden |
| forget | forgot | forgotten |
| forgive | forgave | forgiven |
| freeze | frozen | frozen |
| get | got | got |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| grow | grew | grown |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hide | hidden | hidden |
| hold | held | held |
| hurt | hurt | hurt |
| keep | kept | kept |
| know | knew | known |
| lay | laid | laid |
| lead | led | led |
| leave | left | left |
| let | let | let |
| lie | lay | lain |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| meet | met | met |
| pay | paid | paid |
| quit | quit | quit |
| read | read | read |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| run | ran | run |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| seek | sought | sought |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| shake | shook | shaken |
| shine | shone | shone |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sit | sat | sat |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| spend | spent | spent |
| spring | sprang | sprung |
| stand | stood | stood |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| swim | swam | swum |
| swing | swung | swung |
| take | took | taken |
| teach | taught | taught |
| tear | tore | torn |
| tell | told | told |
| think | thought | thought |
| throw | threw | thrown |
| understand | understood | understood |
| wake | woke (waked) | woken (waked) |
| wear | wore | worn |
| win | won | won |
| write | wrote | written |
| Subject | have / has (not) | Past Participle | Abbreviations |
| I | have (not) | written | I "ve (not) (I haven't) |
| you | have (not) | worked | you "ve (not) (you haven't) |
| he | has (not) | understood | he "s (not) (he hasn" t) |
| she | has (not) | played | she "s (not) (she hasn" t) |
| it | has (not) | broken | it "s (not) (it hasn" t) |
| we | have (not) | cooked | we "ve (not) (we haven't) |
| they | have (not) | met | they "ve (not) (they haven't) |
Questions:
| Where | have
|
I/you/we/they
|
been? |
| Have | you | been | to Ukraine? | Yes, I have |
| Has | she | written | a letter? | No, she hasn't |
| Have | they | visited | their parents? | Yes, they have. |
The present completed tense in English is called Present Perfect. This form of the verb denotes an action that happened in the past, but is relevant to the present. This is one of the most complex shapes verb, since on the one hand the action has already ended and is translated into Russian in the past tense. But, on the other hand, it is associated with the present and in English it refers to the present tense. There is some duality. Let's first look at how this form of the verb is formed.
FormationpresentPerfect
In the formation of the Present Perfect, the auxiliary verb to have in the present tense and the third form of the main verb (infinitive + ending - ed - for regular verbs). Let's look at examples of the formation of this time.
affirmative proposals.
In an interrogative sentence, the auxiliary verb have is placed before the subject.
Interrogative sentences.
In negative sentences, the particle not is placed after the verb have.
negative suggestions.
The verbs have and has are usually abbreviated:
| I have = I've | We have = we've |
| You have = you've | You have = you've |
| He has = he's She has = she's It has = it's |
They have = they've |
The negative form is also reduced:
have not = haven't
has not = hasn't
ApplicationpresentPerfect
1. To express an action that has already ended by the time of speaking. At the same time, adverbs of indefinite time are often used in the sentence: just - just now, ever - ever, already - already, yet - still, never – never, lately - recently, etc.
He hasn't listened to the latest news yet.
He hasn't heard the latest news yet.
He's already finished his work.
He has already finished his work.
2. If the action has already ended, but the period of time to which it refers is still ongoing, for example: today - today, this month - this month, this summer - this summer (if it is still summer).
She's written two letters today.
She wrote two letters today.
I've seen him this week.
I saw him this week.
3. If the action took place in the past, but its result is felt at the moment of speech in the form of acquired experience or knowledge:
He's read this book.
He has read this book. (He knows its contents).
My sister has translated four English books into Russian.
My sister translated four English books into Russian. (Now they can be read in Russian).
4. If an action that started in the past is still going on. At the same time, the preposition for is often found in the sentence - during, denoting an unfinished period of time. Or the preposition since - since.
I've known this man for years.
I have known this man for many years. (I knew before the conversation and I know now).
I haven't met him since 2000.
I haven't met him since 2000. (I have not met since 2000, and now too).
5. The Present Perfect is often used to start a conversation. Or at the beginning of a news review. If the conversation continues on the topic already mentioned, then it goes with the use of Past Simple.
"You look brown, have you been away?"- You're on fire. Have you traveled anywhere?
"Yes, I've been to the South." Yes, I've been to the south.
"Did you have a good time?" – Did you have a good time there?
"Yes, I had a very good time." Yes, I had a wonderful time.
It should be emphasized that the Present Perfect is not used if there is an exact indication of the time in the past, or it is clear from the context, and this period of time has already ended. Because the connection with the present moment is broken. In this case, it is used past time simple.
At first glance, everything seems very confusing and complicated. But experience and conversational practice will help you understand these tenses and forms of verbs. Over time, you will automatically apply right time without thinking about the rules of grammar. Therefore, it's time to start speaking practice on the Zello channel "English - speak freely!" We are waiting for you on the air.
Present Perfect (present perfect) is used to denote an action that took place in the past and has a result in the present.
Education Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to have in the present tense ( have, has) and past participle forms semantic verb. This form the verb is also called the "third form of the verb" and is conventionally denoted as V3 (verb 3). For regular verbs, this is the infinitive with the ending -ed, for irregular verbs - the third column in ):
I have played.
He has played.
We have played.
Interrogative form: have (has) + subject + V3:
Have I played?
Has he played?
Have we played?
In a special question, have (has) is preceded by the necessary interrogative pronoun:
Where have I played?
Why has he played?
With whom have you played?
In a question to the subject, an interrogative pronoun who is placed before the predicate instead of the subject itself (in this question, the auxiliary verb has is always used):
Who has worked?
Negative form: have (has) + not + V3:
I have not played.
He has not played.
We have not played.
Interrogative-negative form: have (has) + subject + not + V3 or haven "t (hasn" t) + subject + V3:
Have I not played?
Has he not played?
Have we not played?
In colloquial speech, abbreviations are used:
have not = haven"t = "ve not
has not = hasn"t = "s not
have = "ve
has="s
I haven't played. = I've not played.
I"ve played.
Haven't I played?
| affirmative form | negative form |
|---|---|
| I have play ed He (she, it) has play ed We have play ed You have play ed they have play ed | I have not play ed He (she, it) has not play ed We have not play ed You have not play ed they have not play ed |
| Interrogative form | Interrogative-negative form |
| Have I played? Has he (she, it) play ed ? Have we play ed ? Have you play ed ? Have they play ed ? | Have I not play ed ? Has he (she, it) not play ed ? Have we not play ed ? Have you not play ed ? Have they not play ed ? |
Using Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect is used:
1. To express an action that took place in the past, but has a result in the present. The presence of such a result connects the past action with the present:
I have lost my keys. I lost my keys.
(lost in the past, but there is a result - now I don't have them, I can't open the door)
Has the rain stopped? Has the rain ended?
(interested in the lack of rain at the moment)
The time of action may not be indicated (as in previous sentences) or may be expressed in adverbs just, ever, never never, already, yet(in questions and negatives), lately, lately, recently recently. At the same time, the sentence should not contain adverbs indicating the past tense:
I have never been in London. I've never been to London.
He hasn "t come home yet. He hasn't come home from work yet.
But compare:
My mom has already cooked dinner. Mom has already cooked dinner.
My mom already cooked dinner yesterday. Mom already cooked dinner yesterday. (yesterday
indicates the past tense, so it is used )
Note. With the adverb just now, Past Simple Tense has just been used:
I broke it just now. I just broke it.
2. To express both a single action and an action repeated several times in the past (there may be words in the sentence often twice etc.) and in sentences that respond to question how much/many how much :
I have read that book twice. I have read this book twice.
I have been in London three times. I have been to London three times.
I "ve ironed 8 skirts. I ironed 8 skirts.
3. Present Perfect is used with adverbs denoting periods of time that have not yet elapsed today today, this week this week, this month this month, this year etc.:
Have you listened to the radio today? Have you listened to the radio today? (not expired today)
It has not expected this week. It didn't rain this week. (this week has not expired)
But if the specified period of time has already ended, then the Past Simple Tense form is used:
I have drunk coffee this morning. I drank coffee this morning.(said in the morning)
I drink coffee this morning. I drank coffee this morning.(the morning has already passed, it is said, for example, in the afternoon or in the evening)
4. Present Perfect is used to express an action that began in the past and continued until the moment of speech or is still ongoing at the moment of speech. The sentence should contain the prepositions since with (from some past moment to the present) or for during. At the same time, the Present Perfect can be translated both in the present tense and in the past, depending on the situation.
a) with verbs that are not used in Continuous (for more details, see):
I haven "t seen you for ages. I haven't seen you for ages.(did not see and just saw at the moment of speech)
Has not been here since two o "clock. He (is) here since two o'clock.(started at two o'clock and is still here)
I have known him for three years. I know him for three years.
b) with some verbs instead of Present Perfect Continuous, if the speaker wants to focus not on the duration, but on the fact of the action.
I have lived in Moscow for five years. I have been living in Moscow for five years.(important fact)
I have been living in Moscow for five years. I have been living in Moscow for five years.(duration, process is important)
The Present Perfect is also used with since since. In that Present case Perfect is used in the main clause, and in the subordinate clause starting with since, the Past Simple is used:
I have written only one letter to my relatives since I left. I have only written one letter since I left.
I haven't letters received from him since he left. I haven't received a letter from him since he left.
Present Perfect is also used with the adverb since since:
We moved to a new flat last year, and we haven't met our friends since. We moved last year and haven't seen our friends since.
5. Present Perfect is used to express a perfect future action instead of Future Perfect in circumstantial subordinate clauses time and conditions that are introduced by unions after, when, as soon as, until (till), if etc. At the same time, Present Perfect is translated by the future tense of the perfect form:
He will wait for you until you have come. He will wait for you until you arrive.
Cases of using Present Perfect Tense
- Action, the result of which is available in the present tense (in Russian it corresponds to the past tense).
- An action repeated several times in the past.
- With circumstantial words denoting periods of time that have not yet elapsed.
- To express an action that began in the past and continued until the moment of speech or still ongoing at the moment of speech: instead of Present Perfect Continuous (in Russian it corresponds to the present and past tense).
- Future perfect action in subordinate clauses of time and condition (in Russian it corresponds to the future tense).
The present perfect tense, or Present Perfect Tense, is a rather complicated tense form for a Russian-speaking person. And the thing is that in Russian there is no equivalent of this grammatical form. We are immediately confused by the fact that the Present Perfect tense refers to both the present and the past tense. How is this possible? Let's figure it out!
What is Present Perfect Tense?
Present Perfect Tense (Present Perfect Tense) is a tense form of a verb that expresses the connection of a past action with the present tense. That is, the present perfect tense conveys an action performed in the past, but the result of this action is visible at the present moment. For example:
- We've bought a new car. — We bought a new car → On this moment we have new car, i.e. the action happened in the past, but the result is visible at the present moment.
Present Perfect is translated into Russian in the same way as Past Simple - past tense. For example:
- Present Perfect: I've written many letters - I wrote a lot of letters
- Past Simple: Last month I wrote many letters - Last month I wrote many letters
The difference in the meaning of these tenses lies in the fact that the Past Simple expresses a past action, timed to a certain moment in the past and not related to the present. Present Perfect expresses a past action that is not timed to any moment in the past and has a result in the present. The difference between the Past Simple and Present Perfect times can be seen in the following example:
- What have you done? - What have you done? (The questioner is interested in the result)
- I've cooked dinner - I cooked dinner (Lunch is ready now)
- What did you do an hour ago? What were you doing an hour ago? (The questioner is interested in the action itself, not its result)
I cooked dinner - I cooked dinner (It doesn't matter if dinner is ready at the moment)
If the time of the past action is indicated by the circumstances of the time or context, the Past Simple is used. If the time of the past action is not indicated by the circumstances of the time and is not implied by the context, the Present Perfect is used.
Present Perfect is mainly used in colloquial speech when describing events in the present tense that are the result of past actions.
Rules for the formation of Present Perfect Tense
Subl. + have/has + Past Participle ...
In the interrogative Present form The Perfect Tense auxiliary verb to have is placed before the subject, and the Past Participle of the main verb is placed after the subject.
Have/ Has + Gen. + Past Participle …?
The negative form is formed by negating not, which comes after the auxiliary verb and, as a rule, merges with it into one whole:
- have not → haven't
- has not → hasn't
Subl. + have / has + not + Past Participle ...
Conjugation table of the verb to lie in Present Perfect Tense
| Number | Face | affirmative form | Interrogative form | negative form |
| Unit h. | 1 2 3 |
I have (I've) lied You have (you "ve) lie He/ She/ It has (He "s/ She's) lie |
Have I lied? Have you lied? Has he/ she/ it lie? |
I have not (haven "t) lied You have not (haven "t) lied He/ She/ It has not (hasn't) lied |
| Mn. h. | 1 2 3 |
We have (we"ve) lie You have (you "ve) lie They have (they "ve) lied |
Have we lied? Have you lied? Have they lied? |
We have not (haven "t) lied You have not (haven "t) lied They have not (haven "t) lied |
Rules for using Present Perfect Tense:
1. To express the past action associated with the present time, if the sentence does not contain any circumstances of time. Examples:
- I've seen wolves in the forest - I saw wolves in the forest
- We've heard so much about them - We've heard so much about them
- The snow has stopped you can leave - The snow has stopped, you can leave
- I have fallen off a horse - I fell off a horse
- You've got nine - You got nine
- He has become part of our life - He has become part of our life
2. If the sentence contains such circumstantial words or adverbs of indefinite time and repetition as:
- ever - ever
- never - never
- often - often
- always - always
- yet - still
- seldom - rarely
- already - already
- rarely - rarely
- several times - several times
- I haven't had lunch yet - I haven't had lunch yet
- He has already made good progress - He has already made good progress
- She's always been hardworking person - She has always been a hardworking person
- Have you ever been to London? - Have you ever been in London?
- No, never - No, never
3. If in the sentence the indicated period of time has not yet ended by the time of speech with such circumstantial words and adverbs of a certain time as:
- today - today
- all day - all day
- this morning - this morning
- this month
- just - just now
- I haven't had time to look at the paper today - I didn't have time to look at the paper today
- She hasn't seen me today - She didn't see me today
- They must be there, I've just seen them - They must be there, I just saw them
Present Perfect use with the preposition 4. If the sentence contains such circumstances of time that indicate the period during which the action took place (starting from a certain moment past to present):
- for a long time - for a long time
- for the past two years (days, months, hours) - during the last two years (days, months, hours)
- for three days (hours, months, years) - within three days (hours, months, years)
- for ages - an eternity
- how long - how long
- up to now
- up to the present- until now
- lately - recently
- Have you bought anything new lately? Have you bought something new recently?
- She hasn't written to me up to now - She hasn't written to me yet
- Where have you been for the past two years? Where have you been for the last two years?
- We haven't seen each other for ages - We haven't seen each other for ages
Or if the sentence contains circumstances of time that indicate only the beginning of such a period:
- since - since, since then, since
- They have been partners since 2005 - They have been partners since 2005
- I have owned this flat since my parents bought it for me - I have owned this apartment since my parents bought it for me
- I haven't seen you since May, have I? "I haven't seen you since May, have I?"
This was the basic information on the present perfect tense (Present Perfect Tense). As you can see, everything is not so difficult. It is important to learn circumstantial words and adverbs that indicate the present perfect tense, and then everything is simplified at times. Other nuances of this time of the English language you will comprehend already in the process of improving the language.
