Questions tagged [present-perfect]
Questions related to the English Perfect Construction, which is sometimes called "the present perfect tense".
0
votes
0answers
11 views
Present Perfect and Past Simple on a specific example
I read several topics about this here and I also familiar with basic rules for detecting either Past Simple or Present Perfect in a sentence required but I still can't figure out what exactly I ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
“it was my dream since childhood” vs “it has been my dream since childhood”
i am not a native English and have a problem for understanding grammar.
Is the sentence bellow (A), explain that i am no longer have dream/ same dream after childhood? and is there any possibility ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Complicated conditional
I'm wondering which of these sentences is correct:
"If I had been asked to predict whether their marriage would last, I wouldn't have predicted that they would be together for twenty years."
"If I ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
Simple past of present perfect?
I wonder which one is correct:
David has made a decision to quit his job in spite of good salary.
David made a decision to quit his job in spite of good salary.
I think that 1 is correct, ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Simple Past vs. Present Perfect for recently completed actions
In the following dialogue:
A: Look! I have bought a new hat.
B: Nice! Where did you buy it?
or
C. Nice! Where have you bought it?
Which is correct, b or c? Or both?
0
votes
0answers
15 views
Who + Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous
Can I ask these questions, as to understand what happened while I was in the other room talking on the phone? Does the first one put emphasis on the complete result and the second one on the ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
get arrangements made? verb and voice confusion
I'm having a hard time parsing this dependent clause:
"If we manage to get the arrangements made,"
Is "made" functioning as an adjective, or is it a verb being used in the passive voice? I'm leaning ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
What’s the difference between “… a word you have said” and “…a word you said”?
Consider two sentences:
I don't understand a word you said
I don't understand a word you have said.
I know about usage of simple past and present perfect, but these kinds of sentences baffle me. ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Can I use simple past along with present perfect like this?
The sentence is, for example,
The researchers investigated and found that due to the rise
of AI bots, most of the existing works have focused on protecting
the email services from spam.
Is this ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views
Present perfect tense and specific time expression?
According to many grammar textbooks, present perfect tense should not be used with specific time expression. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to say "I have sold my house on 10 December 2018."
...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
When to add “been” to present perfect tense [closed]
I have asked my parents to loan me some money.
He has saved enough money to buy a car.
She has read many books.
You have been really helpful today.
They have been married for three years.
These ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Which is grammatically correct? we're having rain or we've been having rain
Can you believe all of this rain we've been having?
or
Can you believe all of this rain we are having?
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Even after + present perfect vs present simple
I came across the following sentence posted at the city of Melbourne public transportation rules, referring to the duties of the transportation officers:
They can check your ticket and concession ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
The meanings of these kinds of sentences such as “It has been three years.” “I have been married.” [closed]
I am learning the present perfect tense, and confusing a lot.
Here are three sentences.
a. It has been three years.
b. I have been married.
c. He has learnt a lot.
What do they mean exactly?
1
vote
1answer
46 views
Present Perfect and Simple Past in the same sentence
I have a short and simple question for you.
I know that in some circumstances I can use the Present Perfect and the Simple Past in the same sentence, but I am wondering if the following example is the ...
0
votes
2answers
51 views
At/from the outset
Consider the sentence:
We've been friends at/from the outset.
Which preposition is used?
1
vote
2answers
62 views
is “I've been scared of…” a passive sentence?
my teacher said the sentence "i've been scared of..." is not considered a passive voice. but I can't understand why (not sure if she was right about it). on the one hand, we have the "subject + have + ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Is it possible to use Present Perfect here?
There is a dialog between mum and son.
Mum:Mike, there is no food in the fridge,where is it?
Mike:Sorry mum, I've eaten all the food.
3
votes
1answer
261 views
Is it “since 1973, the festival has been running … ” or “since 1973, the festival has been run …” [closed]
I had this in a test. I wrote the first one, "has been running" and got it wrong and the teacher wrote the second one, "has been run". I want to understand who's correct and why.
1
vote
1answer
67 views
''Should you have decided'' Inversion
In an email I received from my university, the following is stated: ''Should you have decided to do the assignment, please send us an email.''
My question is whether the inversion and usage of should ...
1
vote
0answers
37 views
to last later for sb
I do not find "has lasted later for" appropriate here. Could sb plese explain it?
Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, page 711
iii Jill still goes to school, whereas Liz is already at ...
1
vote
1answer
544 views
“I have been travelling” or “I had been…” or “I was…”?
My teacher asked me where had I been because I was very late.
What would be the best answer?
I have been travelling from my hometown to here, so I have came late
I had been travelling from…
I ...
0
votes
2answers
32 views
Present perfect with a past temporal expression
I know the present perfect tense may not be used with temporal expressions which define a timeframe which does not include the present. For example:
WRONG: I've visited him on Monday.
However, when ...
2
votes
1answer
148 views
Switching tense in a sentence when describing events
I'm not sure whether the following sentences are grammatically correct:
A figure appeared at the window, waving happily.
and,
"Sure," he answered, pulling out a chair at the nearby table.
...
-1
votes
2answers
62 views
present perfect usage
I can't understand why we are using present perfect here:
to lose something temporarily by forgetting where you have put it
why this is not correct:
to lose something temporarily by forgetting ...
2
votes
1answer
131 views
How do durative sense verbs in simple perfective work with durative adverbial
I am reading the grammar book - A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language - these days. And now I am focusing on the 2 aspects - perfective and progressive - in Chapter 4: The semantics of the ...
0
votes
1answer
642 views
What does definite and indefinite mean in past tense and present perfect respectively
I am reading the grammar book - A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language - these days. I am confused about the meanings of definite and indefinite in Past Tense and Present Perfect.
I know ...
2
votes
1answer
179 views
“my email ID has changed” vs “my emil ID is/has been changed”
I want to ask one thing. Sometimes we hear people say
my email ID has changed.
As per my understanding present perfect tenses need a subject which is missing above.
I find these sentences little ...
0
votes
1answer
252 views
Why do we use forms of “have” with past participles to form the present perfect, as in “I have taken”?
We use has, had, or have with a past participle to form the present perfect. This contrasts with our use of a single verb for the present simple. We do not say “I taken the test,” but instead use the ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Infinitive and present perfect together?
I am not sure if the following sentence is correct
Nonetheless, I consider that living with and have trained my own dogs have helped me to gain hands-on experience
Can somebody please help me?
...
0
votes
1answer
611 views
Past simple vs past perfect; British- vs American English
According to this site the use of past simple and present perfect is quite strict in British English, while in American English you can normally use simple past instead of present perfect:
In ...
0
votes
1answer
192 views
What's the difference between “I've just <verbed>” and “I just <verbed>” [closed]
What's the difference between
"I have just started working on something..."
And
"I just started working on something..."
0
votes
0answers
1k views
“Yes, I did” vs “Yes, I have” - Answering with SP when the question is in PP
I was wondering about this for a while now -
If I ask someone - "Have you done your HW?" Is the answer must be in perfect or can one answer "yes, I did".
"Yes, I have" sounds better to me, but I ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
has been noun/adjective
What is actual time frame of below sentence , started in past and end in past or Started in past and still continue? I am really confused.
I have been a single after a really long time.
She has been ...
1
vote
0answers
44 views
“should never have” and “should not have”
Is there difference between "should never have" and "should not have". For example:
I should not have done what I did.
I should never have done what I did.
0
votes
0answers
930 views
got to know / have got to know
I want to say something like I got to know this person, but I'd like to say it using Present Perfect. --> I have got to know this person. But wouldn't it be confusing? I mean, it can be understood as ...
0
votes
0answers
80 views
He is in Coma for 2 years vs He has been in coma for 2 years
He is in Coma for 2 years ( is it correct if he is still in coma)
He has been in Coma for 2 years ( what is the difference )
Question : Why are you not coming to office?
Answer : I am Sick for 3 ...
2
votes
4answers
735 views
“I've been visiting with a friend”
My native english speaker boyfriend used the phrase:
"I've been visiting with a friend"
to express a friend of his was visiting him, but I've never heard of this kind of use for present perfect ...
0
votes
1answer
94 views
“There have been many inventions” Is this Present Perfect Continuous?
I'm uncertain whether this sentence is in the active or passive voice.
“There have been many inventions”
Can someone help to understand the grammar behind this? If it is passive, I'm expecting ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Simple past or present perfect? (in unknown point in time in the past) [duplicate]
Describing the typical Twitter user:
I criticize what you wrote/have written and then I block you, without
waiting for your reply.
Which one is correct? Thank you.
1
vote
1answer
488 views
Yes I have done it before today [closed]
Question : have you done the Homework?
Answer : Yes I have done it before today..
Is it Correct if I did my homework yesterday itself and I use present perfect answer the question? Since I can'...
0
votes
0answers
71 views
Forming questions - Present Perfect - with a 'for' at the end? How long have you slept? How long have you slept for?
Update
Asked some friends who did TESOL and here is their answer.
"How long have you lived in New York?" is a question in present perfect tense.
You can ask this to someone currently living in NY, you ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
“since two months ago”? [duplicate]
My students write sentences like this:
She hasn't gone out with him since two months ago.
so I want to know if this sentence is right or wrong in English grammar.
0
votes
3answers
49 views
Present Perfect Continuous “Has been she talking ?” [closed]
"Has been she talking on the phone ? " Is it correct ?
0
votes
0answers
31 views
About tense: past or persent prefect in descriping graphs
When making a general description about a graph which shows figures from 1979 to 1999, may I use 'has increased' rather than 'had increased' in the sentence below?
There were 10-million overseas ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
They have lived in Paris for 5 years NOW (?) [duplicate]
The sentence you see in the title is from my English lesson. Thought I was OK with the Present Perfect, but I'm not so confident now.
The explanation says that I can translate this sentence as "they ...
1
vote
0answers
68 views
Is it correct to use Present Prefect with “past week”?
I am having hard time judging if the use of present perfect is correct in the following question: "How many times have you done these things in the past week?"
According "Practical English Usage", we ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
What's the correct present passive form of “to lead”? [closed]
There are plenty of examples of the present active form ("Dave leads the team") and the past tense ("Dave led the team"), though I can't find any which clarify the spelling when phrased as "The team, ...
1
vote
3answers
2k views
“might have been” vs “might be”
I have a question about the present perfect and present simple. Here's a sample dialogue.
A: "I can't find my umbrella. Have you seen it?"
B: "It might be in the car."
Why don't we use the "...
0
votes
1answer
277 views
Sara has lived in Paris [closed]
I don't understand. What does the sentence mean? Is she still living in Paris or has she moved out?
