Questions related to the English Perfect Construction, which is sometimes called "the present perfect tense".
16
votes
8answers
8k views
Is there any difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous?
I have studied "present perfect" and "present perfect continuous" for a week. I know forms, verb and helping verb I should use when I write them.
For me, they have nearly same definition because I ...
15
votes
2answers
1k views
Why is 'present perfect' present if it happened in the past? And why is it 'perfect'?
Why is 'present perfect' present if it happened in the past? And why is it 'perfect'?
11
votes
3answers
2k views
When will “Present Perfect vs. Past Tense” cases be affected by culture?
Regarding actions taken in the past, besides the differences those two tenses have semantically, my teacher shared that it could be a British vs American English case.
When talking about past ...
10
votes
6answers
981 views
Is using the present perfect old fashioned?
I was talking to a Singaporean (English is her native language. I think, closer to American rather than British) friend.
I learned in English class that you can use present perfect when there is a ...
10
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the grammatically correct form of Present Perfect Continuous in the passive voice? Does it exist?
Can the passive voice be correctly used for sentences in the Present Perfect Continuous tense?
I understand Present Perfect and its passive voice (have/has built, has been built). However, the ...
10
votes
3answers
7k views
Difference between “are you done” and “have you done.”
I was just wondering, how can we differentiate "are you done?" and "have you done?", and
what is the appropriate way to use each?
9
votes
3answers
4k views
“I didn't finish” versus “I haven't finished”
If I worked on something yesterday but it was not finished, should I use "I didn't finish it yet" or "I haven't finished it yet"?
9
votes
4answers
2k views
When is the present perfect tense used instead of the past tense?
When is the present perfect tense used instead of the past tense?
I know that the present perfect tense is used when some adverbs (e.g., never, ever) are present in the sentence.
8
votes
4answers
218 views
When was the form “is become” first used?
In the famous “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s Messiah, a line goes:
The kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord.
I’ve noticed similar forms in many biblical texts and ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
“She is gone” versus “she has gone”
When should I say "She is gone", and when should I say "She has gone" (and why)?
I think that when I mean "She went away and she's still there", it should be "She has gone". Are there exceptions ...
6
votes
5answers
599 views
Present perfect continuous and “for”
Why aren't you allowed to say "I have been knowing her for ten years" or "It has been broadcasting for many years"?
But you are allowed to say "I have been waiting for an hour".
6
votes
3answers
5k views
Simple Past vs. Present Perfect: “was” vs. “has been” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Did it close” vs “Has it closed”?
Which is correct: “has died” or “died”?
How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
...
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Is this correct: “I'd have to have had…”
This sentence makes my head hurt a bit, and it doesn't seem right, but perhaps you guys could help me sort it out.
"If I would've gone to Canada, I'd have to have had some kind of winter gear."
6
votes
4answers
680 views
“have been working” vs. “have worked”
What is the difference between the following two sentences?
I have been working here for 20 years.
I have worked here for 20 years.
The present perfect tense is used for repetitive or ...
5
votes
5answers
5k views
What is the difference between “I've been to China” and “I've gone to China”?
Both are in the present perfect, but one uses the verb 'to go' and the other 'to be'. Is there a rule for this?
Is there any chance that the differences between "I have been" vs. "I have gone", are ...
5
votes
1answer
502 views
Past simple with today
For example, I want to say that I found a ball today. But "today" means action in present, am I right?
I've already searched the Internet and it seems the right way is this:
I found a ball today
...
5
votes
2answers
122 views
Is there a verb that doesn't take the participle form when used in Present Perfect?
I remember about a month ago I was speaking to a friend and I said a Present Perfect sentence like "I have [VERB]". I forget the verb but I remember it was an everyday verb, not something exotic. But ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Subject + “have had” + bare infinitive … ever correct?
In writing an email today I came up with the following sentence:
"We have had two other ladies express an interest in the room."
I'm a native English-English speaker and this felt fine to me. My ...
4
votes
3answers
187 views
Is the use of the word “been” necessary or proper when discussing a completed event?
Is the use of the word "been" in the following sentence necessary or proper?
The arbitration between the claimant and the respondent has already been concluded.
Someone has been editing my paper ...
4
votes
2answers
12k views
“Has been” vs. “was”
Should one use has been or was in the following sentence, and why?
For many years the USA has been a British colony.
For many years the USA was a British colony.
4
votes
3answers
280 views
“Having influence” in perfect tense
I chatted on IRC and stumbled upon such a nice sentence:
On the opposite, Tom has been a good influence on my life since I met him.
For me it means that Tom is an influence, instead of Tom ...
4
votes
2answers
6k views
When to use “has lived” vs. “lived” vs. “had lived”
Jim has lived there.
Jim lived there.
Jim had lived there.
Are there any differences?
When do I use one or the other?
I'm trying to teach this to a foreign person and am having a hard ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
Which is correct: “has died” or “died”?
To me, using Present Perfect form means the event can occur again. So, saying
someone has died
may not be grammatically correct.
Also, I noticed (it might be just co-incidence):
passed ...
4
votes
2answers
174 views
Why present perfect in “When the night has come”?
In the song “Stand by Me”, we see a sentence like “when the night has come.”
I was taught that in a when clause, we use the past tense, yet the present perfect has been used in the sentence cited ...
4
votes
2answers
272 views
“I have been keeping ignoring you.”
Does this make any sense?
I have been keeping ignoring you.
Besides that it sounds awkward, my Chinese buddy who knows more grammar rules than I care to list said that the phrase is ...
4
votes
3answers
319 views
Why no Future Perfect in “At the end of the year there will be an exam on everything you've studied”?
At the end of the year there will be an exam on everything you've studied.
I'm just wondering why not use the Future Perfect tense here, as in:
At the end of the year there will be an exam ...
4
votes
2answers
333 views
Present Perfect usage
Today I saw this quote from Michael Jordan, and the usage of Present Perfect in all of his past failed experiences got my attention:
I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost ...
4
votes
2answers
387 views
Past simple or present perfect? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Present perfect for past action with present effect
Is this sentence correct? What exactly does it mean?
Person 1: Where did you hide my keys?
Person 2: I put ...
3
votes
3answers
449 views
Why don’t people ever say “I have wanted to ask”?
Why do people never say the following:
I have wanted to ask. . . .
Maybe it would be better to ask whether it’s correct to say:
I have wanted to ask. . . .
But really I think I’ve never ...
3
votes
5answers
640 views
I have a question regarding present perfect and simple past
I have this example:
Have you ever lost something valuable?
The answer is : No, I haven't, but my brother ___ his camera on a
trip once.
My question is this. With what should I fill the ...
3
votes
3answers
237 views
Correct tense for events which happend long time ago but still have direct connection with present time
Suppose that a man disappeared twenty years ago and I haven't had a notice about him since then. What should I say to my interlocutor if I want to tell him about this story?
You know, Harry has ...
3
votes
2answers
124 views
Tenses and completeness of actions
When one uses simple past tense for some action, does it imply that the action is complete?
For instance, when you say “I wrote my article yesterday,” does this imply that at this moment you have a ...
3
votes
2answers
199 views
Perfect tenses in conditionals
Why does one sometimes use the perfect tense in conditions of the first type? Say,
I will do something if you have done something.
I did something when he had done something.
instead of,
...
3
votes
5answers
2k views
Is there another way to say “needn't have done”?
I'm learning modal verbs now and get in trouble with "need" one.
In my textbook it is said that:
don't need to == needn't -- present simple
didn't need to -- past simple
needn't have done -- ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
“Whenever you arrive/are arrived/were arrived”
Which one of these sentences is grammatically correct? Would it be alright if the other sentences were being used in daily conversations?
Let me know whenever you arrive.
Let me know whenever ...
3
votes
3answers
411 views
About using “only” with present perfect
I have seen this sentence in a status from one of my facebook friends. It doesn't sound right to me.
We have only left the city for the day.
I think that it should be something like:
We have ...
3
votes
4answers
5k views
“I have received” vs. “I received”
The option of using simple past vs. present perfect in situations like the following has been bothering me for quite some time.
I sent you a letter a few days ago; I was wondering if you have ...
3
votes
3answers
514 views
Using present perfect continuous without mentioning time period
I am having a problem understanding the meaning of a sentence that uses the present perfect continuous without stating a period of time (how long, since, for, etc). Can the sentence still indicate ...
3
votes
2answers
399 views
Can you replace the present perfect continuous with present continuous when a concrete time period is specified?
As I have learnt, present perfect continuous should be used when we want to describe some activity which lasted for concrete period of time and is not finished still.
For example, "I've been waiting ...
3
votes
5answers
500 views
Present perfect passive voice
I have to put this sentence in passive:
She took a long time to write the composition, but at last she wrote it.
Trying to write this in passive, I wrote the following:
The composition took ...
3
votes
3answers
163 views
Is there any pragmatic implication in ‘Beaky has enjoyed London’ here?
It says on a grammar book that in some cases, the present perfect form has pragmatic meanings.
Joan has broken the teapot. (I have to get a new one.)
I’ve had a bath. (I’m now clean.)
Is ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
Which is more correct here: “find” vs. “have found”?
I recently came across this sentence from an e-mail I received and have pondering thoughts about it:
I have completed an evaluation of your application file and find that the items listed below ...
3
votes
1answer
177 views
The original usage of past participles
I have heard that the origin of the present perfect construction is that sentences like "I have it done" (passive) changed to "I have done it" (present perfect).
Is that true at all?
If that's the ...
3
votes
3answers
687 views
Conjunctions and modal verbs
What is the correct version?
They have contacted me and discussed
or
They have contacted me and have discussed
2
votes
3answers
663 views
Is “has died for several years” correct?
I know it is correct to say
He has been dead for three years.
I've learned the present perfect tense, and it's said that non-continuous verbs are allowed. Is this sentence correct as well?
...
2
votes
1answer
153 views
“There are several reasons proposed for the collapse of the bridge.”
There are several reasons proposed for the collapse of the bridge.
Is this present simple tense or the present perfect tense? I thought it might be the latter since there is a retrospective ...
2
votes
2answers
7k views
Which is correct: “when you have finished” or “when you will finish”?
From an English test on Facebook:
When you have finished to move the furniture, let me know.
or
When you will finish moving the furniture, let me know.
I think the correct one is the ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
How is “I have come” + infinitive different from Present Perfect?
Consider the following examples:
I have noticed that a lot of people are switching to Unity.
vs.
I have come to notice that a lot of people are switching to Unity.
or:
The Saddam I have ...
2
votes
4answers
597 views
Perfect tense usage
When is the Perfect tense used? All examples illustrating Perfect are always answer to the some question.
So there is no way when i can simple said:
"I have written a note" or "I had written a note"
...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Have lived vs. Have been living
What is the difference between the followings?
A. I have been living here for 5 years.
B. I have lived here for 5 years.
Am I correct that these two represent the same event, but A ...
