Use the perfect verb tenses
key notes :
1. What Are Perfect Tenses?
Perfect tenses show actions that are completed in relation to a specific time. They use a form of the verb “have” + the past participle of the main verb.
2. Three Types of Perfect Tenses
- Present Perfect Tense
- Shows an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or started in the past and continues into the present.
- Structure: has/have + past participle
- Examples:
- She has finished her homework.
- They have lived here for five years.
- Past Perfect Tense
- Shows an action that happened before another action in the past.
- Structure: had + past participle
- Examples:
- She had already eaten when we arrived.
- The train had left before we reached the station.
- Future Perfect Tense
- Shows an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
- Structure: will have + past participle
- Examples:
- By next year, she will have graduated.
- They will have finished the project by tomorrow.
3. Key Words That Signal Perfect Tenses
- Present Perfect: ever, never, already, yet, just, so far, since, for
- Past Perfect: before, after, by the time, until
- Future Perfect: by, by the time, before, until
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the wrong helping verb (Incorrect: He have eaten dinner. Correct: He has eaten dinner.)
- Confusing past perfect and simple past (Incorrect: After she finished, she left. Correct: After she had finished, she left.)
- Forgetting “will” in future perfect (Incorrect: By noon, they have completed the task. Correct: By noon, they will have completed the task.)
Let’s practice!🖊️
