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Laborious Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Present Perfect Tense in English
Hi teachers,
I'd like to discuss with you something, please. It's the present perfect tense that I want to talk to you about.
I have read about its use many times and I have also asked you questions concerning it.
I've read that (1) we use it when something happens in a period of time that is unfinished.
We use it (2) to talk about our experiences from the past, but we don't specify the time of these experiences. We don't say when exactly we did something; we just just say if, up to now, we have had the experience of doing something or not.
We also use it (3) to describe a state / situation that started at some point in the past and has not finished yet, especially with the words "for" or "since".
Dear teachers, inspite of knowing these uses of the tense, I feel that I haven't mastered it yet. There have been situations where I have to stop and think for a short while that if I should really use it.
Could anyone of you please give me some points or tips on how I can become more efficient at using it?
I'd like to discuss with you something, please. It's the present perfect tense that I want to talk to you about.
I have read about its use many times and I have also asked you questions concerning it.
I've read that (1) we use it when something happens in a period of time that is unfinished.
We use it (2) to talk about our experiences from the past, but we don't specify the time of these experiences. We don't say when exactly we did something; we just just say if, up to now, we have had the experience of doing something or not.
We also use it (3) to describe a state / situation that started at some point in the past and has not finished yet, especially with the words "for" or "since".
Dear teachers, inspite of knowing these uses of the tense, I feel that I haven't mastered it yet. There have been situations where I have to stop and think for a short while that if I should really use it.
Could anyone of you please give me some points or tips on how I can become more efficient at using it?
Top answer
Write sentences with containing a present perfect form you are not sure about, and post them here for our comments.
- Write sentences with containing a present perfect form you are not sure about, and post them here for our comments.
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14 Answers
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Write sentences with containing a present perfect form you are not sure about, and post them here for our comments.
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Here is a sentence:
- A ten-year-old boy has been abducted form a playground near his house. The incident was reported around 8 p.m.
I understand that the second sentence contains the past simple because the time at which the boy was abducted has been specified. But I don't understand why the first sentence has the present perfect tense and the second
- A ten-year-old boy has been abducted form a playground near his house. The incident was reported around 8 p.m.
I understand that the second sentence contains the past simple because the time at which the boy was abducted has been specified. But I don't understand why the first sentence has the present perfect tense and the second
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LaboriousDear teachers, in spite of knowing these uses of that tense, I feel that I haven't mastered it yet. There have been situations where I have had to stop and think for a short whilethatif I sho
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teechrThe start of a news item/story is often presented in the present perfect. However, details of the story are usually in the past simple.OK, so the sentence "A ten-year-old boy has been abducted...." doesn't have anything to do with "to have had the experience of doing something" or "to have done something in an unfinished period of time". Right, teacher?
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A ten-year-old boy has been abducted form from a playground near his house. The incident was reported around 8 p.m.
The abduction of the boy took place first. That's why the present perfect is used. The report of the incident comes later.
Compare: It was reported that a ten-year-old boy has been abducted from a playground near his house.
The abduction of the boy took place first. That's why the present perfect is used. The report of the incident comes later.
Compare: It was reported that a ten-year-old boy has been abducted from a playground near his house.
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Laborious A ten-year-old boy has been abducted form a playground near his house. The incident was reported around 8 p.m.The boy is still in a state of having-been-abducted. The incident was reported at a past-time point.
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fivejedjonThe boy is still in a state of having-been-abducted.That seems a bit confusing. For ex, if I said ".... was abducted...." instead of ".... has been abducted.....", would it mean or imply that the boy has now been found?
fivejedjon The incident was reported at a past-time point.Yes, I got it. Thanks to you, teach
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teechrTwo good examples.One mistake.Thank you, teechr, for correcting the mistake.
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Laborious. For ex, if I said ".... was abducted...." instead of ".... has been abducted.....", would it mean or imply that the boy has now been found?No, but we usuallu use a past-time marker if we are going to use a past tense.
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LaboriousI've read that (1) we use it when something happens in a period of time that is unfinished. ...I'm unclear on the difference between (1) and (3). They are both about "unfi
We also use it (3) to describe a state / situation that started at some point in the past and has not finished yet, especially with the words "for" or "since".
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