Test season coming up?

Having in mind that the test season is on the way, we’ve decided to help you out a bit by giving some additional links and explanations on those horrible, pain in the neck TENSES which all teachers like so much.

Anyway, one of the tenses which causes splitting headaches is, of course, the Present Perfect Tense. But, this is so wrong. It is not that bad. You just need to stop and ponder for a while and wait for that CLICK, after which everything will be clear.

First, let’s look at the form of Present Perfect Tense. So, as you can see we form the Present Perfect Tense by using the auxilliary verb have/has and the -ed form of the regular verb (the past participle) or the famous 3rd column of irregular verbs.

Now, WHY do we need this tense?

a) to talk about unfinished time – an activity which started in the past, but is still not finished

e.g. I have lived in Novi Sad all my life.

b) to talk about consequence or result of a past activity

e.g. I’ve lost my keys! (I don’t have them now. Can you help me find them)

c) to talk about experience

e.g. I’ve been to Italy 3 times. (and I have memory about it in my head now)

d) to talk about events that have just been completed at the moment of speaking.

e.g. A: Is Peter back yet? B: Yes, he’s just come in.

Most common time adverbials are: since, for, ever, never, just, yet, already…..

Here are a few links where you can practice further:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/pperf1.htm