By Sofea, Doreen and Jeremy

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE &

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

• The present perfect tense shows

1. something that started in the past and was completed at some unspecified time in the past,

2. or still continues into the present.

• It always involves more than one period of time.

EXAMPLES :

• I have reviewed the material.

With the use of the verb to have, the action started in the past and was completed at another undetermined time in the past.

• I reviewed the material.

In this case, all of the action is completed in the past. There is only one period of time here.

• The men have worked for a long time.

With this example, the action started in the past and is still continuing in the present. The men started working in the past and are still working.

• The men work for a long time.

Here, the action is limited to the present. The action did not begin in the past.

• To form the present perfect tense of all verbs, use the base form of the verb to have before the past participle of the main verb.

• Here is an example of all the pronoun cases for the present perfect tense of the verb to work.

Pronoun case Singular Plural

1st person I have worked We have worked

2nd person You have worked You have worked

3rd person He/she/it has worked

They have worked

• Notice that the verb to have is also conjugated according to the pronoun case.

• Use has with third-person singular.

• With all other singular and plural cases, use have.

Exercise

For each of the following sentences, take the present tense verb and change it to present perfect tense.

Example : She eats berries.

(present perfect) – has eaten

1. Bill and I walk to the store.

2. She gives her manager an answer.

3. Our friends purchase concert tickets.

4. Robert dreams of winning an award.

Have walked

Has given

Have purchased

Has dreamed

5. Kristina’s cousin finishes projects

6. We complete our work.

7. Melissa and Jenna play checkers.

Has finished

Have completed

Have played

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

• We use the Present Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and has continued up until now

• "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be used with the Present Perfect Continuous.

• Requires the auxiliary verb to have and to be, along with the present participle of the main verb.

• Form :

[Has/ have + been + present participle]

Examples :

Matt has been dating a young woman.

• The action here began in the past and is continuing into the present.

• Notice how the meaning changes when the sentence is in present continuous tense.

Matt is dating a young woman.

• In this example, all of the action continues in the present tense. There is no hint of the past here.

They have been trying to settle the disagreement.

This sentence demonstrates that the action started in the past and is on-going. The sentence has a different meaning in the present perfect tense.

They have tried to settle the disagreement.

In this example, all of the action takes place in the past. The action began in the past and ended at an unspecified time in the past.

• To form the present perfect continuous tense of all verbs, you need two auxiliaries followed by the main verb.

• Use the base form of the verb to have, the past tense of the verb to be and the present participle of the main verb.

• You must adhere to this specific order of verbs.

Pronoun case

Singular Plural

1st person I have been

trying

We have been

trying

2nd person

You have been

trying

You have been

trying

3rd person He/she/it has been

trying

They have been

trying

• Here’s an example of all the pronoun cases for the present perfect continuous tense of the verb to try :

• Notice the irregularity of the verb to have.

• It must be conjugated in the present tense, according to the pronoun case.

• In the third person singular, the present tense of the verb to have is has.

• For all other cases, use have.• All of the pronoun cases take

the past participle of to be and the present participle of the main verb.

• Exceptions in spelling :

Exceptions in spelling when adding -ing

Example

final e is dropped(but: ee is not changed)

come – coming(but: agree – agreeing)

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

sit – sitting

‘L’ as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British

English)

travel – travelling

final ie becomes y lie – lying

Exercise:

For each of the following sentences, take the present tense verb and change it to present perfect continuous tense. Look out for irregular verbs.

Example :

Vanessa drives to school.

Has been driving

1. Jenny comes to the gym.

2. We enjoy the party.

3. They visit her sister.

4. Isaac auctions rare artworks.

Has been coming

Have been enjoying

Have been visiting

Has been auctioning

END OF SLIDE.THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION!

References :

Lindner, M. (2011). English Language & Composition : Up your score on school & college essays. Selangor D.E. : Advantage Quest Sdn. Bhd

English Grammar Online. (2010). Present Perfect Progressive.Retrieved from http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-perfect-progressive