4. How and when should I use the perfect?

4. When and How should I use the perfect?

This is why I am so fond of an answer here on ELL which I have christened FumbleFingers‘ Perfect Truism. (FumbleFingers speaks specifically of the past perfect, but the principle may be generalized).

NEXT: 5. ELL questions about the perfect

This is why I am so fond of an answer here on ELL which I have christened FumbleFingers‘ Perfect Truism. (FumbleFingers speaks specifically of the past perfect, but the principle may be generalized).

NEXT: 5. ELL questions about the perfect

A: Have you seen Dancing With Wolves?
B: Yeah. I’ve seen that, , that’s, uh, that was a really good movie. Probably one of the best things about it was the scenery and, uh, I thought the story was pretty good, too. I, I think Kevin Costner did a really good job with it.
A: Have you ever lived in that part of the country?
B: No. I haven’t.
A: Have you ever visited it?
B: Um, I’ve visited theWyoming area. I’m not sure exactly where Dances With Wolves was filmed.
A: I think it was the Black Hills of South Dakota.
B: Could be. I, n-, I haven’t been to South Dakota. Have, have you been up to that?
A: Well, I lived in Omaha ...

Time-shifting is not resricted to present perfects; it may also be employed with past and even future perfects:

A: Have you seen Dancing With Wolves?
B: Yeah. I’ve seen that, , that’s, uh, that was a really good movie. Probably one of the best things about it was the scenery and, uh, I thought the story was pretty good, too. I, I think Kevin Costner did a really good job with it.
A: Have you ever lived in that part of the country?
B: No. I haven’t.
A: Have you ever visited it?
B: Um, I’ve visited the Wyoming area. I’m not sure exactly where Dances With Wolves was filmed.
A: I think it was the Black Hills of South Dakota.
B: Could be. I, n-, I haven’t been to South Dakota. Have, have you been up to that?
A: Well, I lived in Omaha ...

Time-shifting is not restricted to present perfects; it may also be employed with past and even future perfects: