Perfect Tenses

perfect tense is the past tense used to describe completed (thus "perfect") actions in the past.

The perfect can be contrasted to the imperfect tense, which describes incomplete (thus "imperfect") actions in the past. The imperfect is sometimes called past continuous.

In most languages the perfect is constructed by the use of an auxiliary verb (either to be or to have) in the present and the past participle^{[dubious – discuss]}. The tense thus describes an action which is presently in the past, in contrast to the pluperfect (for an action which in the past was already in the past) and the future perfect (an action which will be in the past).

Other names are sometimes given to the perfect tense. In English the perfect tense is often misleadingly referred to as the present perfect, an allusion to the auxiliary verb component in the present tense. The term "composed past" is also used in languages where this past tense is composed of an auxiliary and a participle.

In some languages, the perfect tense is effectively the same as the preterite tense, or the aorist tense, but these two terms are not actually synonymous with the perfect tense.

present perfect tense
1.S-Have/has+ Verb 3

We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experiences. It is important if we have done it in our lives or not. It is not important when we did it.

Examples
I have been abroad two times.
Anna has never broken a leg.
Have you ever eaten sushi?

Tip! We often use never and ever with the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experience.
2.

We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about an action which started in the past and continuous up to now.

Examples
I have been a teacher for more than ten years.
We haven't seen Janine since Friday.
How long have you been at this school?

Tip! We often use since and for to say how long the action has lasted.
3.

We also use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about a past action that has the result in the present.

Examples
I have lost my wallet. = I don't have it now.
Jimmy has gone to South America. = He isn't here now.
Have you finished your homework? = Is your homework ready?

Tip! We often use just, already and yet with the Present Perfect Tense for an action in the past with the result in the present.

Past perfect tense
formula:
(+) S + Had + verb-III + O
example

• I Had slept when you come to my house last night
• They had already gone to bandung when you called me
• When my brother arrived ,
• I had painted my motor cycleThe ship had left before I arrived

(-) S + Had + not + verb-III + O
example

• I Had Not slept when you come to my house last night
• They had Not gone to bandung when you called me
• When my brother arrived , I hadn’t painted my motor cycle
• The ship hadn’t left before I arrived

(?) Had + S + verb-III + O + ?
example

• Had I slept when you come to my house last night?
• Had They already gone to bandung when you called me?
• Had I my motor cycle , when my brother arrived ?
• Had the ship left before I arrived?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense (Waktu Berlangsung Sempurna Sekarang)
formula
(+) S+have/has+been+verb 1-ing+O
example

• She has been going to Malang since evening
• We have been riding a horse for three days

(-) S+have/has+not+been+verb 1-ing+O
example

• She hasn’t been going to Malang since evening.
• We haven’t been riding a horse for three days.

(?) have/has+S+been+verb 1-ing+O+?

• Has she been going to Malang ?
• Have He been riding a horse for three days ?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense (Waktu Berlangsung Sempurna Lampau)
formula
(+) S + had + been + Verb 1-ing + O
example:

• They had been living there for two month
• When they washed my drees , your father had been playing badminton

(-)S + had + not + been + Verb 1-ing + O

• They hadn’t been living there for two month
• When they washed my dress , your father hadn’t been playing badminton

(?) S + had + been + Verb 1-ing + O+ ?
example

• Had they been living there for two month?
• When they washed my dress , had your father been playing badminton ?