Ch 7 · Lesson 18English · Chapter 7 · Lesson 18 · Grammar primer
Looking back: the perfect, and how to choose a tense
Have, had or will have + the third form looks back from a point: now, the past or the future. Then three questions that pick the tense for you.
The short version
The perfect looks back from a point
.
Why?Hide
Have, had or will have plus the third form looks back from one point to something before it. The point can be now (I have finished), the past (I had finished) or the future (I will have finished).
The perfect: looking back
The perfect looks back from one point to something before it. The point can be now, a time in the past, or a time in the future.
had finished: before a past point
a point in the past: we arrived
have finished: before now
will have finished: before a future point
Timeline from past to future, with now marked.
| Back from... | Example |
|---|---|
. | |
. | |
, . |
Of these three, the present perfect is the one you will use most: its rules, and the split with the past simple, are on the present perfect page. The other two are on past perfect and future continuous and future perfect.
How to choose: three questions
Going further: Time and aspect: two choices and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
Practise this lesson
10-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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