English has long become the language of international communication, although so many people do not speak it. This is especially true for the inhabitants of our country. It seems that they are teaching this language at school, they want to make it one of the compulsory subjects when passing the USE, but still for many it presents a great difficulty.
Many people say that this language has a difficult grammar. English is too complicated to master. Present Perfect, for example, is generally very hard to even understand. In fact, everything is much simpler than many people think. Let's try to figure out what kind of "beast" - Present Perfect.
What is Present Perfect
For a Russian person, this temporary form is unusual in that it simply does not exist in the native language. This time is a cross between the past and the present. On the one hand, the action has already taken place, and on the other hand, there is always a connection with the present, in the form of the result of the performed action.
When you need to say just such sentences in English, Present Perfect is exactly the time that you need to use. In addition, there is another clue for us how to use this time. You need to turn to verbs in perfect form. After all, "perfect" is exactly what is translated - "perfect." So, is there a difference between words - did and did, drew and drew, cooked and cooked? That's right, the second pairs of words are in perfect form, so when it becomes necessary to use words in this form, we will need this, such an important time.
How Present Perfect Forms
As a rule, in all grammar directories a laconic formula is given: to have + V3. Those who see these not-so-clear signs for the first time may have difficulty in starting to do something with them. In fact, there is nothing complicated.
The verb to have is an auxiliary verb, which for the pronouns he, she, it changes to has. As for the mysterious designation V3, there is also nothing complicated. This is just the third form of the verb or past participle. If the verb is incorrect, then this participle can be found in the third column, and if it is correct, then in this case, you just need to add the ending -ed to it. So, in order to successfully apply this time in your speech, you need to keep in mind the form of construction and, of course, do not forget the irregular verbs! To do this, you must first learn them so as not to stammer, remembering them.
Time use
So, when we have already figured out how Present Perfect is formed, it's time to move on to situations where this time is used.
- An experience or situation that has already been in life. A time that is ideal for such seemingly difficult moments of speech is Present Perfect. Examples of suggestions are as follows: I have already seen this film - I have already seen this film. We have met before - We met before.
- Achievements of one person or group of people. When it is necessary to highlight in speech exactly the action, the result of which was the visible or tangible result, Present Perfect is always used. Examples of proposals focusing on achievements: We have already done all this difficult work - We have already done all this difficult work. The engineers have already designed the project - Engineers have already designed the project.
- Various changes that occur over any period of time. If the moment when the changes began, appears, then it begins with the word since - since. Examples: Since we met last time, you have change a lot - Since we last met, you have changed a lot. The situation has become worse since they stopped working - The situation has become worse since they stopped working.
- Any situations where there is a tangible result after the action has passed. Wherever there is a sense of satisfaction from the performed action, as well as the completed action itself, you need to use Present Perfect. Examples of suggestions: I have just cooked the dinner - I just made dinner. The boy has done his homework - The boy did the homework.
How Present Perfect is different from Past Simple
Learning to distinguish between simple past tense and present completed is a big problem for beginners to learn English. In fact, there is no big difficulty in this, and it is enough to practice more after understanding the grammar in theory. So the differences are:
- Past simple or simple past tense has no connection with the present. All events occurred at some point in the past, and the exact designation of the time when this event occurred usually appears.
- There are specific keywords that immediately indicate a particular time. For example, for the past tense, these words are as follows: yesterday - yesterday, ago - back, last - past, exact indication of the date in the past. As for the second time, the words are: just - just now, already - already, yet - yet, since - since then.
- Also, this or that time is indicated by the form in which the verb stands: in the full form or not. If the view is imperfect, then this is the simple past tense, if not, then the present is perfect.
Present perfect continued
It turns out that there is also a completely unusual mixture of extended and perfect time. How rich is English! Present Perfect Continuous is the name of the time. It is unusual in that it combines two times.
This time is used for those actions that began at some point in the past, continued for some time, and by now there is already a definite result.
In order to build this time, you need to clearly know how to build a long time and completed. And the formula is as follows: to have + been + Ving. That is, the mandatory presence of the auxiliary verb have, which for the third person singular turns into has, the verb was and the semantic verb with the ending -ing, indicates the present continued tense.
A few examples of the use of this time:
I have been waiting for you for a long time - I have been waiting for you for a long time.
She has already been looking for a job for three months - She has been looking for work for three months.
Both of these examples show actions that began in the past, then continued to the present and had a result. In the first case, the result is a person who has been waiting for a long time, and in the second case, a person who remains without work to this day.
Conclusion
Despite the difficulty of using these two tenses for us, Russian speakers who have only one past, present and future tense in their native language, it’s not at all difficult to understand and start using them. It is only necessary that they "lay down", which requires a certain amount of time. It is during this period that a full understanding of what Present Perfect Continuous and Present Perfect will come. Examples of sentences that need to be passed through as much as possible, carefully analyzing each of them, will help to more clearly understand the meaning of these times.
It will take quite a bit, and you, without hesitation, will use these once incomprehensible times in speech with ease!