Complex Tenses Review

Hi! 
In the post of this week we are going to continue with the review on English Tenses, in this case, with the Complex Tenses. 

The word forms of the complex tenses – the analytical word forms – do not consist of a single word, but of a combination of an auxiliary verb and a main verb.

3. Present Perfect Simple

Form:

•                     Afirmative: Subject followed by the Auxiliary Verb have inflected in its proper form (has when 3^rd person singular) and the main verb in the Past Participle. Past Participle is formed adding -ed to the main verb following the same rules as for the Past Simple Tense if the verb is regular. When the verb is irregular we have to learn it by heart.

•                     Negative: Subject followed by the Auxiliary Verb have inflected in its proper form (has when 3^rd person singular), the negative particle not and the main verb in the Past Participle.

•                     Interrogative: Subject and the Auxiliary Verb rotate, so have/has come before the Subject and then we find the main verb in the Past Particle.

Use:

•                     An action that began in the past and continues until the present. This is the reason why we can translate it into Spanish using the Present Tense.

I have lived in Sevilla for ten years.

•                     An action that took place at an undetermined time in the past, but it is connected to the present.

My mum has bought a new flat.

•                     No definite time is given for an event, but to emphasise the idea of recentness we can use just.

I've just broken my watch.

•                     Describe events that have not happened.

I haven't found her phone yet.

•         Series of actions in our life up to now.

I have been in France three times.

•         A habitual action in a period of time up to the present.

I have never worn a tie to work, and I refure to start now!

Time expressions

•                     Never, just, already and ever are used between the Auxiliary Verb and the Past Participle.

I' ve already finished my tasks.

•         Yet is found at the end of the clause.

I haven't read the book for the exam yet.

•         Just, never and already are used in the Afirmative, while in the Negative we use yet and in the Interrogative already, ever, just  and yet.

I have just fallen from my bed.

Have you ever been in New York?

•                     We use How long...? to ask when the action started (the action is still taking place).

How long have you lived here?

•         For is used to express the duration of an action and since to express when it started.

I have worked in the airport for two years / since 2009.

Present Perfect Continuous

Subject here is followed by the Auxiliary Verb  to be (have/has been) inflected in the Present Perfect Tense and the main verb in the -ing form.

The Present Perfect Continuous can also describe a state which lasts up to the present moment.

I've been living in this house for five years.

There is a little difference in meaning between simple and continuous in this case, or with How long questions.

How long have you lived/been living in this house?

We use this tense to emphasize the duration of the action, sometimes because of annoying.

I have been waiting for you for a million years!

Verbs like wait, sit, lie, stay... prefer the present perfect continuous.

I have been sitting next to you the whole time and you haven't noticed

4. Past Perfect Simple

Form:

•                     Afirmative: Subject followed by the Auxiliary Verb have inflected in the Past Tense (had) and the main verb in the Past Participle. Past Participle is formed adding -ed to the main verb following the same rules as for the Past Simple Tense if the verb is regular. When the verb is irregular we have to learn it by heart.

•                     Negative: Subject followed by the Auxiliary Verb have inflected in ithe Past Tense (had), the negative particle not and the main verb in the Past Participle.

•                     Interrogative: Subject and the Auxiliary Verb rotate, so had come before the Subject and then we find the main verb in the Past Participle.

Use:

•                     A completed action which took place before another action in the past, which is expressed in the Past Simple.

By the time he arrived home, his mum had already dead.

It is used to make it clear that one past event happens before another past event. The earlier event is expressed in the Past Perfect.

I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten my keys.

CLASS ACTIVITY:
This activity is recommended for groups of at least, 10 people. You have here ten different verbs. Construct a sentence using any of the tenses that you have just reviewed. Time expressions are recommended to use.

 EXERCISES:

 

Finally, I have selected two videos for you: the first one Present Perfect in movies and Tv shows is just for you to listen English during a few minutes. The second one would help you to clarify the difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect: Present perfect or past simple