The Perfect Tense Examples

Remember that the tense of a verb refers to the time of the action or state of being.

The perfect tenses expresses action that is already completed.

The present perfect tense expresses a present action that began in the past and is now completed in the present.

The past perfect tense expresses an action that began in the past, was completed in the past before something else occurred.

The future perfect tense expresses an action that will be completed by some point in the future.

To form the perfect tenses, you must use auxiliary verbs.

Present Perfect-Present tense of have + past participle

Past Perfect-Past tense of have + past participle

Future Perfect-Will or shall + have + past participle

It is easier to understand the perfect tenses by looking at some examples:

1) I have put the money in the machine. (present perfect)

2) I had finished my homework before mom called me for dinner. (past perfect)

3) By the time the show is over, Marie will have danced for 40 minutes. (future perfect)

4) The class has been outside for recess. (present perfect)

5) Jeff tried to hide the vase because he had broken it. (past perfect)

6) By the time I am 18, I will have saved over $2,000. (future perfect)

7) My sister has taken martial arts lessons for six years. (present perfect)

8) I had watched almost all of the show before the power went off. (past perfect)

9) Do you think the lunchroom will have cooked enough pizza for all of us? (future perfect)

10) Will had won the race every year until this year. (past perfect)