Use the perfect verb tenses
Key Notes :
1. Understanding Perfect Verb Tenses
- Perfect verb tenses are used to show actions that are completed relative to another time.
- They combine the verb “to have” with the past participle of the main verb.
2. Types of Perfect Verb Tenses
- Present Perfect Tense
- Form: has/have + past participle
- Usage: Describes actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or that started in the past and continue to the present.
- Examples:
- “I have eaten lunch.”
- “She has visited France.”
- Past Perfect Tense
- Form: had + past participle
- Usage: Describes an action that was completed before another action in the past.
- Examples:
- “They had finished their homework before dinner.”
- “I had seen that movie before.”
- Future Perfect Tense
- Form: will have + past participle
- Usage: Describes an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
- Examples:
- “By next year, I will have graduated from school.”
- “She will have completed the project by Friday.”
3. How to Form Perfect Tenses
- Identify the main verb you want to use.
- Choose the correct form of “to have”:
- Present Perfect: have (for I, you, we, they) / has (for he, she, it)
- Past Perfect: had
- Future Perfect: will have
- Add the past participle of the main verb.
- Example: “finish” → “finished”
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing the perfect tenses with simple tenses.
- Incorrect: “I have went to the store.”
- Correct: “I have gone to the store.”
- Using the wrong form of “to have.”
- Incorrect: “She had went to the park.”
- Correct: “She had gone to the park.”
Let’s practice!
