The past perfect tense emphasises on that one action/time/event was completed or up to a certain point before another took place. It can also be used to show that an action/event happened before a specific time in the past.
Do you know how to use phrases like, They'd finished the project by April or Had you finished work before I called?
The past perfect simple refers to the completion of an activity. The past perfect continuous focuses on the activity and duration of the activity.
The past perfect can be used often with ('since' and 'for')
Past perfect simple positive, negative and question forms:
+ Subject + had + verb + ed/past participle + object
- Subject + had + not + verb + ed/past participle + object
? Had + subject + verb + ed/past participle + object
Past perfect continuous positive, negative and question forms:
+ Subject + had + been + verb + ing
- Subject + had + not + been + verb + ing
? Had + subject + been + verb + ing
We use the present perfect simple to talk about:
Results: I had sent my resume twice by the time I got a job in Scotland.
2 Actions: We knew them after they had built their company.
2 linked events: Had she not completed the research because she had lent her computer?
We use the past perfect continuous to talk about:
Duration: I had been sending my resume by the time I got a job in Scotland.
2 actions: We had been knowing them for a week when they had built their company.
Causes: Had she not been completing the research because she had been lending her computer?
The present perfect tense is a grammatical combination of the present tense and perfect aspect that is used to express a past event that has present consequences. It puts emphasis on the result & duration.
Do you know the difference between ( We've painted the room ) and ( We've been painting the room )?
The present perfect simple & continuous express both finished and unfinished actions, states, events etc.. that started in the past and are still true or going on in the present. It's often used with stative verbs:
The present perfect can be used often with ('since' and 'for')
Present perfect simple positive, negative and question forms:
+ Subject + have/has + verb + ed/past participle + object
- Subject + have/has + not + verb + ed/past participle + object
? Have/has + subject + verb + ed/past participle + object
Present perfect continuous positive, negative and question forms:
+ Subject + have/has + been + verb + ing
- Subject + have/has + not + been + verb + ing
? Have/has + subject + been + verb + ing
We use the present perfect simple to talk about:
Experience: I have worked in a farm.
Completed action: Nora has just eaten my meal!
Past event present result: Khalid has broken his arm.
Time: Have you not learnt English yet?
We use the present perfect continuous to talk about:
Duration: I have been working in a farm for a long time.
Unfinished actions: Nora has been eating my meals since a week ago!
Past evens ongoing results: Khalid has been breaking his arms in different places.
Near future: Have you not been learning English yet?
The future perfect tense is a verb form or construction used to describe an event that is expected or planned to happen before a time of reference in the future This is simply the past in the future.
future perfect tense is a verb form that expresses action completed by a specified time in the future
Do you know the difference between ( We will have eaten dinner ) and ( We will have been eating dinner )?
The future perfect simple used for actions that will be completed before some other point in the future. The future perfect continuous used to describe actions that will continue up until a point in the future.
Present perfect simple positive, negative and question forms:
+ Subject + will + have + verb + ed/past participle + object
- Subject + will + not + have + verb + ed/past participle + object
? Will + subject + have + verb + ed/past participle + object
Present perfect continuous positive, negative and question forms:
+ Subject + will + have + been + verb + ing
- Subject + will + not + have + been + verb + ing
? Will + subject + have + been + verb + ing
We use the future perfect simple to talk about:
Time: By next September, Hanna will have lived in her new house.
Two actions & more: Before Abraham arrives, we will have eaten dinner and the guests will have left.
We use the future perfect continuous to talk about:
Duration: Next September, Hanna will have been living in her house for 5 years.
Two actions & more: By the time Abraham arrives, we will have eaten dinner then the guests will have been leaving.
