What is difference between past tense and present perfect?
The present perfect tense says that an action was completed at a time before the present, and the results or consequences of the action are relevant now. The past perfect tense says that an action was completed at a time before another action happened in the past.
How do you know when to use past perfect or present perfect?
So what’s the difference between the present perfect and the past perfect? In short, we use the present perfect to talk about recent or past events that happened at an indefinite time, and we use the past perfect to refer to something that occurred before something else.
Is the present perfect a past tense?
The present perfect tense refers to an action or state that either occurred at an indefinite time in the past (e.g., we have talked before) or began in the past and continued to the present time (e.g., he has grown impatient over the last hour). This tense is formed by have/has + the past participle.
What is past perfect tense and example?
For example: subject + had + past participle = past perfect tense. Some examples of the past perfect tense can be seen in the following sentences: Had met: She had met him before the party. Had left: The plane had left by the time I got to the airport.
When should I use past perfect tense?
We can use the past perfect to show the order of two past events. The past perfect shows the earlier action and the past simple shows the later action. When the police arrived, the thief had escaped. It doesn’t matter in which order we say the two events.
Is past perfect necessary?
The past perfect is necessary when the sequence of past events may otherwise be unclear. Compare: She cooked dinner when I arrived. She had cooked dinner when I arrived.
Where do we use past perfect tense?
When do we use present perfect?
The present perfect is often used for an action that started at some time in the past and is still continuing now. In this case, the words for (with a length or period of time) and since (with a specific starting time) are usually used with the present perfect. He has lived in Canada for five years.
What are some examples of present perfect tense?
Present Perfect Tense Examples
- Has lived: She has lived here all her life.
- Have written: They have written three letters already.
- Have worked: I have worked here since I graduated school.
- Has done: He has finished his homework.
- Have been: We have been to Canada.
- Has forgotten: She has forgotten her folder.
When do you not use past perfect tense?
Past perfect for the earlier of two past actions It doesn’t matter in which order we say the two events. The following sentence has the same meaning. The thief had escaped when the police arrived. Note that if there’s only a single event, we don’t use the past perfect, even if it happened a long time ago.