Linguistic Overview
In English Language Teaching, the perfect aspect is simply considered to be a part of certain tenses. However, in the field of linguistics, aspects are regarded as distinct from — yet connected to — the time reference defined by context. We can say that:
Tense = Time Reference + Aspect(s)
The value of regarding the Perfect Aspect on its own is that it can then be applied in the same way to the various tenses that include it.
Meaning
Perfect means there is more emphasis on what happens after the verb than on what happened during. In many cases, a Perfect tense draws focus to the effects of the verb, whether they are direct or indirect, and whether they are the intended end result or an incidental byproduct.
The example, “She’d been saving up for the vacation all year,” references an action that the subject took for a while, but more importantly, it explains the subject’s situation at the end of that year (hopefully, that she then had enough money for the trip and was very excited for it). Similarly, “I will have cleaned the house by the time the guests arrive,” references an action the the subject will take, but more important it implies that the house will be clean when the context of guests arriving begins.
Timing
The reference time may be past, present, or future — and it may be real or unreal — but in any case, there is often a distinct barrier for that time frame. A past tense, for instance, may not be all past moments before the present, but may have a limited duration of a minute, a day, an eon, etc., having a specific start and end point. For Perfect tenses, the core of the verb occurred before the context’s start point; but more important is that the aftermath of the verb is relevant during the duration of the context.
Form
HAVE + Perfect Participle
The Auxiliary HAVE
Every Perfect tense must have some form of the auxiliary verb HAVE. That form is determined by (1) the auxiliary verb that precedes it, if any; by (2) whether the tense is past or not; and by (3) agreement with the subject.
- If there is a modal verb (including ‘will’) before it, use the form ‘have’.
- If there is no modal verb, …
- If the tense is past, use the form ‘had’.
- If the tense is not past, …
- If the subject is plural, use the form ‘have’.
- If the subject is singular and 1st or 2nd person, use the form ‘have’.
- If the subject is singular and 3rd person, use the form ‘has’.
This auxiliary verb can often be contracted (as ‘ve, ‘d, or ‘s) with the modal verb or subject before it.
The Perfect Participle
Whichever verb comes next in the verb chain should be in the Perfect Participle form. This is often the main verb of the clause. However, when the tense is also Continuous and/or when the Passive Voice applies, the verb that follows HAVE is BE. Therefore, that BE should take the Perfect Participle form of ‘been’.
When the main verb is the one that needs to be Perfect Participle, it typically takes on the -ed suffix. However, irregular verbs instead take an -en suffix or undergo some other change.
Applications
The Perfect Aspect maintains both its form and its meaning in all tenses that apply this aspect. Note the common features among all of the following tenses.
Furthermore, note that these tenses may or may not also have the Continuous Aspect. For the purposes of this page, we’ll regard Continuous verb constructions and non-Continuous verb constructions as two variations of the same tense.
Present Perfect Tenses
Present Perfect
The Present Perfect tense ties together an action that took place (or at least began) in the past with a current situation that is effected by it. Its form is ‘have’/’has’ + Perfect Participle. This tense is often used for long-term statuses (especially with stative verbs), for experiences, and for end-results. Visit the Present Perfect page for more.
Example: “Andy has sprained his ankle,” both refers to a past (recent) action and Andy’s current state.
Present Perfect Continuous
The Present Perfect Continuous is very similar to the Present Perfect tense, but it draws more attention to the duration of the verb. It is also more likely that the verb is unfinished, and more likely to explain an incidental byproduct of the verb. Its form is ‘have’/’has’ + ‘been’ + Active Participle. This tense is often used for long-term statuses with action verbs, and for emphasizing both the effort put into an action and its fallout. Visit the Present Perfect Continuous page for more.
Example: “I‘ve been slaving in the kitchen all day!” points to a past ongoing action that explains the current situation (that the subject is tired now, but also that there’s plenty of food to eat).
Past Perfect Tenses
Past Perfect
The Past Perfect tense takes place during some time frame in the past, but references a verb that occurred even earlier than that. Its form is ‘had’ + Perfect Participle. This tense is often used to provide an explanation (such as a backstory or a simple cause-and-effect situation) within a narrative. Visit the Past Perfect page for more.
Example: “Lucy had left the tickets at home,” explains why Lucy couldn’t get into the concert.
Past Perfect Continuous
The Past Perfect Continuous, once again, is very similar to the Past Perfect tense, but it draws more attention to the duration of the verb. Its form is ‘had’ + ‘been’ + Active Participle. This tense is more likely to continue up to the relevant time period — and perhaps even carry through it — than its non-Continuous counterpart.
Example: “Stan had been saving up his money all year,” explains why he was so disappointed when the long-awaited trip was cancelled.
Future Perfect Tenses
Future Perfect
The Future Perfect tense takes place during some time frame in the future, but references a verb that occurs prior to that future moment. It can take different forms, but is most often ‘will’ + ‘have’ + Perfect Participle, or possibly be ‘going to’ + ‘have’ + Perfect Participle. This tense is often used to set expectations for forthcoming situations.
Example: “The snow will have stopped by the weekend,” assures the listener that although the weather isn’t great now (or soon), it will be better during the weekend.
Future Perfect Continuous
Whereas the Future Perfect tense is typically completed by the time the designated future event occurs, the Future Perfect Continuous tense is likely to continue into that future time frame. The form of this tense is most commonly ‘will’ + ‘have’ + ‘been’ + Active Participle. This tense could be used to set expectations for the future, but applications of this particular tense are pretty rare.
Example: “By the end of this summer, I will have been working at the company for a decade,” draws attention to the length of time that the action took, but also points to a milestone for the specified time.
Teaching Tips
What Makes it Perfect?
The first Perfect tense students are likely to encounter is the Present Perfect tense. As you revisit this tense, we encourage you to point out to the students — or eventually, ask the students to tell you — what makes the tense Perfect? It’s beneficial to understand that what is true of the relevant time frame can be explained by what came before it, and for this reason, we use Perfect tenses.
If students can see the Perfect Aspect as one piece of a tense puzzle, then they can apply it to past and future tenses as well, and to Continuous tenses.
Context
Establishing the particular time frame of a context is crucial. When does that time reference begin, and when does it end? How do we know whether a particular verb takes place before, during, or after the context, or maybe straddles the line? This might be particularly hard for some students to grasp when the context is not the present.
Drawing a timeline will often help.
It may be challenging to establish the context in a short period of time, especially if you are running through multiple examples, each with their own context. Instead, consider using a single context for several examples; establish a time frame and a general situation, then drop in different verbs that occur in different places relative to that time frame. This way, students can think less about the full extent of the time frame and instead focus more on when the verbs occur relative to that time frame.
By the way, “when the verbs occur relative to the time frame” is practically the definition of aspect.
Link Auxiliary and Participle
As we’ve seen, verbs with the Perfect Aspect consistently have HAVE followed by the Perfect Participle form, regardless of time frame, voice, and mood. The exact form of HAVE varies, and which verb of that verb string will take on the Perfect Participle form depends on a few factors. But we do know that HAVE + Perfect Participle will always go together, in that order. Make sure students understand that this is a pair that cannot be separated.
Further Reading
| Related Concepts | Applied Grammar Topics |
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Bibliography
- Radden, Günter and Dirven, René. Cognitive English Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2007.
