Present Perfect, Past Perfect, etc.

Question

Hi there, I'm really confused and I'd like you may help me please.

She did the dishes. (Past simple)

She has done the dishes. (Present Perfect)

She would have done the dishes. (?)

What exactly means this phrase? Why in this structure it uses HAVE and not HAS in 3rd?

And my doubt about the Past Perfect is:

She had done the dishes when I arrived.

In Past Perfect, I always need to have two actions at the same phrase?

She had done the dishes (1)

I arrived (2)

And the 2nd action always needs to be in simple past?

Thanks.

Demaryi · Accepted Answer

Pleaase, I'm still waiting for a reply. Anyone can help me??

Dimsumexpress · Answer

demaryiShe did the dishes (yesterday, now it's your turn ). (Past simple)
She has done the dishes. (or just finished with the dishes, implying its relationship to the present) (Present Perfect)

Both are correct.

demaryiAnd my doubt about the Past Perfect is:
She had done the dishes when I arrived.
In Past Perfect, I always need to have two actions at the same phrase? Yes, it's true, grammatically speaking.
She had done the dishes (1)

This is my approach toward past perfect:

If the context is relatively simple and recent, often times we can express the two events with simple past tense. For example: Bob showed up at my door after work asking me to try a new restaurant with him after I (had) started cooking already. "Had" is correct, but not always necessary in everyday conversation and still considered correct.

But if the contexts go years back in time, or involves several time periods, then past perfect is required in order to demonstrate the events relevance to time. I.e. He had tried numerous times with different methods to quit smoking for years and nothing seemed to work until he met this Chinese doctor last year, who had used accupuncture and the herbal treatment to help many quit smoking. Bob had treatments two times a week for 3 months. He now is smokless.

Did that help?

Demaryi · Answer

Yees, thanks so much. So, basically, when I use the past perfect I can, perfectly, use the simple past. Only when I want express something older I use the past perfect.

What about it:

She would have done the dishes. (?)

What exactly means this phrase? Why in this structure it uses HAVE and not HAS in 3rd?

Can anyone help me?

Dimsumexpress · Answer

demaryiShe would have done the dishes. (?)

This sentence can't stand alone becasue it is a statement with condition. What you can say is this:

She would/ could have done the dishes, if she hadn't got mad at you.

I would have waited for you had I known you were coming.

Take a look at this site for 3rd conditional:
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-conditional_4.htm

Third Conditional: no possibility

The first conditional and second conditionals talk about the future. With the third conditional we talk about the past. We talk about a condition in the past that did not happen. That is why there is no possibility for this condition. The third conditional is also like a dream, but with no possibility of the dream coming true.
Last week you bought a lottery ticket. But you did not win. :-(

	condition	result
	Past Perfect	WOULD HAVE + Past Participle
If	I had won the lottery	I would have bought a car.

Present Perfect, Past Perfect, etc.

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