Майк КангAfter decades of using English, I have come to terms with its reality: It is a language of detail and specificity. To that end, I have come to realise that there is a serious problem: new students of the English language often have difficulty understanding what perfect tenses are. So we will discuss one which often confuses the hell out of people — the present perfect simple.
It is a form of present tense which has the following usage:
To describe a past action or event that is now finished in the present with present results. ‘I have cooked dinner (Present perfect simple). Now it is ready to eat (Result described in present simple)’.
To describe life experiences one has had in the past. ‘I have eaten kangaroo steak before’.
It can also be used to describe unfinished action or event when describing time. ‘I have lived in Novosibirsk for 13 years’.
Note that usage 3 is particularly confusing for many because the word ‘Perfect’ in a grammatical context means completed. However, the English language is just filled to the brim with exceptions within exceptions.
Now take heed of the sentence construction — they pretty much all include ‘have + past participle form of the verb’. You know what this is — eat, ate, eaten. We use ‘eaten’ with both present perfect simple and past perfect simple. Because the past participle form of the verb was designed to be specifically used to form perfect simple tenses. It is often given the designation ‘V3’.
Still too confusing? I recommend the following: for now, just try using usage 2 everyday to describe past life experiences to others. These may include:
I have jumped out of an airplane using a parachute.
I have travelled to Turkey on a train.
I have swum with dolphins in the blue, blue sea.
Easy huh? Just start today and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to actually use in everyday conversations.
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