Perfect Tenses in English: Usage and Structures
Present Perfect Simple
Form: have/has + past participle
Uses:
- An action that began in the past and continues to the present. Example: My friends and I have been in South America since July.
- An action that took place at an unspecified time in the past and is relevant in the present. Example: We have stayed in this hotel.
Time Expressions: never, ever, already, just, yet, recently, lately, in recent years, for, since, how long…?
Past Perfect Simple
Form: had + past participle
Use: An action that took place before a specific moment in the past. Example: When we got to the airport, the plane had already landed.
Time Expressions: already, by the time, after, before, until, never, just, when, as soon as.
Present Perfect Continuous
Form: have/has + been + verb + -ing
Use: An action that began and continues to the present moment or whose results are still evident. Example: We’re tired.
Time Expressions: for a month/year, since 2004, all night/morning/day/week, how long…?
Past Perfect Continuous
Form: had + been + verb + -ing
Use: An action that continued for some time until another action in the past. Example: We had been driving for three hours before we stopped for a coffee.
Time Expressions: for hours, since last March, when, until, before, all night.