Scribd
Upload
98 views1 page

3.3. The Present Perfect

The document discusses the three perfect tenses in English - the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. It focuses on the present perfect tense. The present perfect describes an event that occurred before the present and has present relevance. It can be used resultatively, where the result of the past action is important now, or indefinitely, where the exact time is unspecified but the event occurred before now. Examples are given to illustrate the uses and values of the present perfect tense.

Uploaded by

Livia Moreanu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
98 views1 page

3.3. The Present Perfect

The document discusses the three perfect tenses in English - the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. It focuses on the present perfect tense. The present perfect describes an event that occurred before the present and has present relevance. It can be used resultatively, where the result of the past action is important now, or indefinitely, where the exact time is unspecified but the event occurred before now. Examples are given to illustrate the uses and values of the present perfect tense.

Uploaded by

Livia Moreanu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

THE PERFECT TENSES

The three perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, future perfect) express the completion or
perfection of an action before / by a given time or leading up to another time, e.g. present perfect
leads to present, past perfect leads to past.
3.3. THE PRESENT PERFECT
3.3.1. THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Form: It is formed of the present tense of the auxiliary have and the past participle of the main
verb: I have worked, etc.
Uses and values:
The present perfect describes a past event which is related in some way to the present time. This
tense may be said to be a sort of mixture of present and past: it is used to relate events or states
taking place in the past to a present time of orientation. it always implies a strong connection with
the present and is chiefly used in conversation, letters, newspapers, television and radio reports.
The present perfect simple is used to express the completion or perfection of an event before the
present moment NOW. The event happened at an unspecified indefinite time in the past (the events
are located somewhere before the moment of speaking).
Within this very general use of the present perfect several subtypes can be identified:
(1) Resultative use / value
The present perfect is used to express an action which was completed in the past but which still has
present significance / relevance. The value of the present perfect is called resultative because,
although no longer continuing in the present moment, the verbal form implies the result, the effect
of the respective action at the present time.
With this value the present perfect does not require reinforcement by adverbials (it is used
without any time adverbials): we are not interested when the action took place, we are interested
only in the fact that the past action has some effect at the present time, has present relevance: Ive
lost my key. (I cant find it)
Hes recovered from his illness. (He is now well again)
He has gone to Canada. (He is in Canada now).
Have you seen my pen? (Do you know where it is?)
I have read the instructions but I dont understand them.
I cant write any more because my pen has run out of ink
(2) Indefinite use
This value is called indefinite because the time of the event is unspecified (the events happened
at an unknown time in the past). The present perfect expresses indefinite events in a period leading
up to the present time. This value is also known as perfect of experience: what has happened once
or more than once within the speakers experience.
The present perfect with an indefinite use is often accompanied by an adverbial of time:
- adverbials of indefinite time and frequency: already, always, ever, never, often, seldom, just,
lately, recently, so far, etc. The present perfect implies that the action happened at some indefinite
moment within a period of time extending up to the present moment:
Have you ever lost anything?
He has never borrowed money in his life.
I have already seen that movie.
Ive been to France three times.
They havent finished yet.
He has never met her before (before is often used with both ever and never with the meaning
before now)

You might also like