Questions tagged [perfect-aspect]
For questions about the perfect, a construction generally formed in English with a form of "have" followed by a past participle. The English perfect may be classified either as a grammatical "aspect" or "tense".
281 questions
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Tricky Past Perfect sentences
I'm having trouble establishing a sequence of events in the following sentences (italicized) and understanding why the past perfect is needed.
"Once upon a time, when I was a child reading fairy ...
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2
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Two past perfect verbs in the same sentence
Both these sentences contain two verbs (correct me if I'm wrong) that are in the past perfect tense. I'd like to ask how do they occur in chronological order.
Though my question is related to the one ...
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"Had been planning" or "were planning" What is the difference? [duplicate]
We_________(had been planning /were planning) to felicitate John at
our annual cultural fest when the news of his death______(had arrived
/arrived).
Can someone tell me which one to use and why, ...
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Past perfect example confusion
My text definition of past perfect tense tells me that it is used to refer to an action that is completed at some point in the past and before the commencement of another past action. I came across ...
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"I've gotten better-looking as I get older" When did "gotten" re-enter the BrEng vernacular?
This summer I went to Ireland, to be more precise Dublin. Overall good weather and good fun. Anyway, while I was staying in Dublin I'd buy the local newspaper and one tabloid headline caught my eye.
...
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present continuous tense, present perfect tense and present perfect continuous [closed]
What are the differences between following three sentences ?
A. I am living here for 3 years.
B. I have lived here for 3 years.
C. I have been living here for 3 years.
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2
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Can "would rather" be followed with a past perfect?
Can "would rather" be followed with a past perfect? Can it be used to express a regret, a wish the past had been different?
Example taken from First Certificate Language Practice by Michael Vince, ...
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"glad to receive something" or "glad to have received something"? [closed]
which is correct?
"I am glad to receive your letter."
or
"I am glad to have received your letter."
The intent is to talk about a specific letter recently received in the past.
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Use of present perfect after past simple as clauses of the same sentence
Here is the thing I've written lately. Now, when I look at it, I'm not sure whether this is the right (natural, basically) way to put things.
This post was written about a year ago, but it has been ...
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"We are finished" vs. "We have finished"
Is "we are finished" grammatically correct? I thought it would be more correct to say "We have finished".
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could be or could have been stolen? [duplicate]
Please consider the following. Supposing the context is such that the frame was never stolen, is it acceptable to use "could have been stolen" instead of "could be stolen"? What would be the ...
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Future tense and future perfect tense [closed]
Given two sentences:
If we goad him into doing what he should have been doing all along, then it will be a smashing success.
and
If we goad him into doing what he should have been doing all ...
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4
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Use of past perfect
We’re having a discussion here on whether or not to use the past perfect in following sentence:
The cargo was visible through the gap and was noted to have (had?) sustained damage.
Which is ...
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"How long have you stayed there?" vs "How long did you stay there?" [duplicate]
I have a doubt about the difference between those two questions.
Could you guys give me an appropriate examples and explanation?
Thanks in advance!
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"has scientists excited" or "has excited scientists"?
I saw the following on the Facebook page of Time. Is "has scientists
excited" or the perfect version "has excited scientists" correct?
What's the difference if both are correct?
The recent ...
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2
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Is this grammatically correct: "It has happened for a while now." [closed]
If not, why? I think it sounds awkward but I cannot be sure it's incorrect.
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Present Perfect with the word "ago"?
First, I check that my native language is not English, and the problem described below met on one of the exams.
With this sentence:
"The most important news is that my parents [...] a new ...
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Can I use the present perfect tense with a specific time expression? [closed]
Is it grammatical to combine the present perfect tense with time? For example,
I've seen that movie two days ago.
I've completed the 12-step program last summer.
The deadline was two days ...
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Responsibility, the Gerund, and the Perfect Aspect
In the process of answering this question on ELL, I hit upon something I can't explain.
The sentence in question is:
Who is responsible for leaving the window open?
I think anyone hearing that ...
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2
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"He denied having killed him" vs "He denied he had killed him"
I'm trying to understand the perfect aspect of the verbs and I am not sure whether both are correct:
He denied having killed him
He denied he had killed him.
If not, what is the problem?
...
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‘He decided’ vs. ‘He had decided’
He decided that I could have the apartment before he looked at my credit report.
I found that sentence in an exercise, and I wonder why it isn't:
He had decided that I could have the apartment ...
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Passive or Past perfect?
a) The train was left by then.
Or
b) The train had left by then.
Could you tell me which alternative is correct?
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5
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past simple vs past perfect [duplicate]
My question might seem to be stupid enough, it's basic grammar, I believe; however, I'm at my wits' end. Should we use Past perfect or Past Simple in the following sentence:
He promised/ had ...
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What does "It can't have been her you saw yesterday: she is abroad." become in indirect reported speech?
What does the sentence:
It can't have been her you saw yesterday: she is abroad.
become in indirect reported speech?
He told me it…
can't have been (?)
couldn't have been (?)
… her I had seen ...
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For a past situation: simple infinitive or perfect infinitive after "ought to"?
In Michael Vince's New First Certificate Language Practice, page 92, exercise 2, sentence number 10, you are given the sentence:
"I thought that you would know better!"
which has to be re-written ...
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1
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Present Perfect for the past? [duplicate]
I've come across the - more or less - following sentence in a book (American publisher):
"They have done it in the past"
I've always thought that "PAST" and "PRESENT PERFECT" can't go together. The ...
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"...mustn't have done..": can it mean reproach for a past action or prohibition of a future action?
Can "You mustn't have done that" have a similar meaning to "You shouldn't have done that" / "You were not supposed to do it (but you did)"?
(not logical probability but obligation)
Since we have the ...
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"meeting called to order" vs "meeting call to order"
Which do you think is more appropriate, "Meeting call to order" or "Meeting called to order" if it's used in a printed meeting program?
As for now, the program looks like this:
13:45 [Doors open]
14:...
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6
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Adverbs + Present Perfect
Here's my problem:
I've been confused about the placement of adverbs in present/past perfect phrases. For example, which sentence would sound better:
"We had been slowly drifting down the river ...
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"I would like to have come" vs "I would have liked to come"
I wonder why it is correct to say:
I would like to have come but I was not informed.
Wouldn't it be better to say: I would have liked to come?
(I found many examples on Google).
Is there a ...
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PrP Continuous vs. PrP | Nuance?
I have a question regarding the usage of the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous.
So first, here's the context: I was playing an online game with a couple friends and in this game you ...
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3
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Until you have confirmed + past or present?
Which one of these sentences is correct?
The contract will not be signed until you have checked the manuscript and confirmed that everything is
ok.
The contract will not be signed until you ...
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[pronoun]'ve for possessives [duplicate]
My sister just wrote me, "I've a meeting a noon." The contraction "I've" stuck out. I've always thought the contraction was limited to the perfect tense, and do not recognize it as an indicator of ...
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"I have been reading your letter with pleasure"? [closed]
Is this a correct choice of tense? If yes, what conditions would justify the use of Present Perfect Continuous?
It seems much more natural to say
I have read your letter.
(I have recently ...
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What is the difference between has gone and went in this context? [duplicate]
A: Is Mr. Bob at home?
B: Sorry, he isn't at home. He___to Hong Kong for vacation?
A. went
B. has gone
C. is going
Which one is correct answer? and why it is not the other ones?
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What does "Compound Tense" mean? [closed]
I have problems with learning about "Compound Tenses".
Please help me.
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"could have" vs. "could have been"
Can somebody explain when to use could have and could have been and under what circumstances? Please explain with an example.
Is it something to do with the active (could have) and the passive ...
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2
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confusion about the past perfect continuous
I'm writing the profile section of my résumé/CV.
I'm hesitating about the proper verb form:
During my work experience I have applied engineering methods to solve
problems.
I have been ...
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I only watched or I have only watched [duplicate]
If someone ask me
"Do you like Indian movie?"
Which tenses would fit the answer to the question ?
"yes I do. But I watched only some of them"
"yes I do. But I have wathed only some of them"
"yes I ...
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1
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I was able to re-introduce the process that had not been done anymore. Past perfect?
I am not sure whether or not there should be past simple or past perfect:
I was able to re-introduce the procedure that had not been being
followed anymore.
I was able to re-introduce the ...
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4
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Perfect vs Perfect Continuous
I saw this sentence the other day and it struck me as awkward. I went online and saw many instances of the present perfect being used in such manner.
She has worked here since 1995
Shouldn't this ...
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Future perfect or simple in this context
In a movie I saw, a young boy told to an old man that he would be gone for a long time when something happens. I'm trying to figure out what the boy actually said and what tense should have been used (...
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“Have been occupied” VS. “have been being occupied”
I have a question about the present perfect. Here's a sample dialogue.
Mary: Hey, John...Are you listening? Hello??
John: Oh hey Mary...I've been occupied with this dreadful thought.
Mary: What might ...
user41481
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Present Perfect or Past Simple to express duration in the past?
Have you ever danced?
This is kind of a usual question. What if I want to ask someone about his experience and find out how long it lasted. Can I say
Have you ever danced for 5 hours?
(and ...
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Should “If I ever had a philosophy” be in the past perfect?
Excerpted from The Hills of Triumph:
If I ever had a philosophy with which to govern my social life, even long after learning that social is often at the detriment of personal, it would have been ...
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perfect infinitives with main verbs
My question is about usage of perfect infinitives with main verbs e.g.
I would like to have lived in the 13th century.
She was going to have worked in her mother's business, but decided
...
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'have been' vs. 'went' with time words
Sometimes I see the following in ESL learners' writing:
I have been to America two years ago.
Am I correct in saying that it should be:
I have been to America.
I went to America two years ago.
My ...
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Simple Past and Present Perfect [closed]
could you possibly enlighten me about any differences between 2 sentences below:
(a) I went to Warsaw this year.
(b) I have been to Warsaw this year.
Thank you very much in advance!
user5323
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Usage of 'future perfect' versus 'future simple'
I have a question about the usage of the future perfect thingy: I know that it is used to talk about a completed action before a time in future, but is it wrong to use just plain future simple in this ...
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Should “How long were you at work?” have a simple or a compound tense?
I would like to know, if the following sentence can ever be correct in any context?
How long were you at work?
Or it must be:
How long had you been at work?
For example:
How long were you ...
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