Questions tagged [perfect-constructions]
Perfect constructions employ a form of HAVE as an auxiliary and the past participle of a lexical verb to express past events as a current state.
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1answer
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Present perfect been/ gone: to or in?
Do we ask
Has he ever been to Germany?
OR
Has he ever gone to Germany?
OR
Has he ever been in Germany?
Negative:
He has never gone to Germany.
OR
He has never been in Germany.
...
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1answer
22 views
How to differentiate between got and receive
If I ask someone "have you got my email?", is it wrong? Or should I ask "have you received my email?"
Which one is gramatically correct, and other than this scenario, how do we differentiate these ...
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1answer
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How can that be correct: “Have you ever been fishing”?
In a british movie, two students in a boarding school are sitting in a classroom environment and are talking about their school and teacher.
Student A: I wish the teacher would let us go fishing. ...
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8answers
6k views
“My boss was furious with me and I have been fired” vs. “My boss was furious with me and I was fired”
I have a question and I hope you can help me. I've been learning English for many years but I'm still struggling with the difference between simple past and present perfect.
For example this sentence ...
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1answer
28 views
English studying tense
Accouncement:”BIKE RACE 9 a.m.-10 a.m”
Someone said:„At 8 a.m. the race hadn’t started”
Why someone used Past Perfect in this sentence?
Accouncement:”SKI JUMPING COMPETITION 11 a.m.-1 p.m.”
Someone ...
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1answer
36 views
Present perfect continuous for the verb to sign?
On the same exercise there is that sentence
He has been signing up for a historical tour to exactly these places
The reason of choosing the continuous form is that it is a temporary action.
But ...
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0answers
23 views
Differences between “must have made”, “must have had made”, and “must have had”?
It must have made you cry!
If I am remembering it correctly I have read this sentence in a drama book once and it made me think about it(if it is grammatically correct) and about other ways on how ...
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2answers
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Present Perfect and Present Continuous tenses in one sentence with only one subject
Are the tenses in this sentence correct:
We have placed order for required parts and waiting to get them.
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2answers
37 views
Do I have to use the perfect infitnitive
I was taught, that if we had some action which can hhapen before some moment in the future, I had to use Perfect. For example:
I will have done it by the morning.
Some days ago I had to say a ...
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1answer
33 views
Perfect infinitive in the Future
Which is correct?:
I will have had enough time to come by Monday
I will have had enough time to have come by Monday
I will have enough time to have come by Monday
If all of them are ...
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3answers
288 views
Is “If he had come tomorrow, I would have gone.” grammatically correct
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
If he had come tomorrow, I would have gone.
I am trying to convey that
He will not come and I can't go. Does it convey the same meaning?
Can "If +had ...
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vote
2answers
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Future perfect progressive tense with 'if'
I would just like to ask if the part of the sentence marked bold is correct.
My friend started her chemo yesterday and will be checked next month to know if she will have been responding well to ...
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1answer
28 views
When…+present perfect [closed]
Is
Susan does not live here,When I first came here three years ago, she has moved to another city.
Or
Susan does not live here,When I first came here three years ago, she had moved to another ...
6
votes
2answers
154 views
“Have never won” v/s “had never won”
In a book I found a sentence like this:
The 2010 FIFA World Cup culminated in an epic final with two teams
that have never won the World Cup.
I'm wondering why have never won is used instead of ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views
Passive infinitive + verb third form
Which kind of stretchers is it. Passive infinitive + verb third form. As it is written here (may have been decimated). May have been is passive infinitive and decimated is verb third form.
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1answer
41 views
Can WANT be used with PERFECT INFINITIVE to refer to the past?
It seems that "I want to have seen you when I was in USA" is not very correct. However, I can see the sentences like:
So I do feel some sympathy for him, some feeling toward him. I want him to have ...
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votes
1answer
56 views
To be or to have been
The parcel appears to have been opened before it was delivered.
Could you let me know if it is possible to use 'to be opened' instead of 'to have been opened', and if not, why?
3
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2answers
37 views
Present perfect and since
I learned that present perfect is used with “since” when we talk about duration, something began in the past and continues to the present, with non continuous verbs, like:
I have known her since I ...
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1answer
42 views
what do you think about these 4 past perfects?
Gillian visited (to visit) her friend Ann in Hull. She went (to go) there by train. Before she arrived (to arrive), Gillian had fallen (to fall) asleep and nearly missed the station. After she had ...
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2answers
40 views
Is it possible to use past simple instead of past perfect in “…all the washing up HAD BEEN DONE…”?
There's the following sentence in my Grammar book:
It was a lovely surprise to find that all the washing-up HAD BEEN DONE while I was asleep.
The only answer mentioned in the answer key is past ...
3
votes
3answers
109 views
How about “When I saw Debbie, she had played golf”?
Oxford Guide to English Grammar; John Eastwood; Oxford University Press 1994-09
Page 94
Compare the past continuous and past perfect continuous.
When I saw Debbie, she was playing golf. (I ...
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votes
2answers
44 views
Is the textbook wrong?
Hi everyone. Thank you for clicking into my question page.
In my exercise book, I have a question as follows:
It_____and the streets were wet.
A. has been raining B.rains C. has rained ...
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1answer
58 views
wrong subtitle in a film
In the film "Basse Normandie" of Simon Regiani and Patricia Mazuy, I saw this subtitle, is it possible
I have been working while I wait for you
I think it should be:
while I was waiting or ...
3
votes
2answers
53 views
Why is the present perfect simple used in this sentence (and not the present perfect continuous)
I'm looking for some advice on why this sentence (from a FCE book) is in the the present perfect simple: I have spent ages preparing for the party.
This sentence requires the use of the present ...
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votes
2answers
57 views
Never in the present perfect and the past perfect
After another grammar repetition, I started thinking about adverb 'never' in the present participle and past participle.
The rules say that using 'never' in the tenses is possible, but what is the ...
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vote
1answer
929 views
“is said to be” vs. “is said to have been” [closed]
Can we use both of variants and are they interchangeable?
The house is said to have been built a century ago.
The house is said to be built a century ago.
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vote
1answer
3k views
“they got married” vs “they have got married”
Is
They got married
the same as
They have got married
Is word "have" is ommited from the first sentence? But both have the same meaning. If not, why is got used with an adjective "married"?
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4answers
528 views
Why is it “He has appeared in several films” instead of “He appeared”?
I have seen this sentence in an English book.
My brother is an actor. He has appeared in several films.
I can't find out that why we use present perfect here. Can someone explain it, please?
I ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Which is the gerund and participle?
What is compound gerund and how would I separate them from perfect participles? Like
I heard of his having gained a promotion
He went away having forgotten it
3
votes
1answer
81 views
Can I use present perfect in this context?
After finishing my homework I will check for the mistakes that I have made
I'm skeptical about if I can use present perfect in this context and
besides with conjunction can present perfect be used ...
1
vote
2answers
39 views
Improve the bracketed part of the sentence
Last week Tim went camping with his friends. They seemed (to have a good time).
To having a good time.
To have had a good time.
To be having a good time.
No improvement.
...
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1answer
294 views
Using “had just arrived”
I had just arrived at the hotel, checked in and gotten into my room.
here, the reason we say "had arrived" is because we want to show the order, the series of actions, right? So arriving at the hotel ...
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2answers
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Have and =Have been
What is difference between the two sentence below?
I have delivered the file yesterday
I have been delivered the file yesterday
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1answer
2k views
What is the difference between “I am always busy” and “I have always been busy”?
Here is the question:
Someone says: "Anyhow, I'd never have time to watch it."
Which of the following choice could be correctly added to the sentence?
A) because I was always busy
...
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vote
1answer
46 views
“I have had this book for 10 years' or ”I have this book for 10 years"
Good day.
Can I say "I have had this book for 10 years" if I want to say that I got the book 10 years ago and I have this book right now and i will have it in the future?
Or should I say "I have ...
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vote
1answer
69 views
When the guests had finished their soup they were brought plates of salad
When the guests had finished their soup they were brought plates of salad.
But what if I say:
When the guests finished their soup they were brought plates of salad.
Which one is more ...
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2answers
91 views
Use of past perfect tense without before-and-after events
I have problem with understanding why we have put this sentence in the past perfect tense.
Harold had known about it for a while
There is no two actions one happened before the other like when we ...
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votes
2answers
2k views
Have been trying or have tried?
Which of the following sentences is correct?
For nearly 30 years he has tried to persuade the Commission to let him walk across the Falls. At last he has been granted permission.
For nearly 30 years ...
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1answer
266 views
“would you be surprised” vs “would you have been surprised”
Which of the following is right grammatically? And why?
Would you be surprised if I had arrived yesterday without letting you know beforehand?
Would you have been surprised if I had arrived ...
1
vote
1answer
794 views
“have been reading” vs “have read”
Is that valid to say:
I've been reading 3 books this week.
Is this sentence grammatically correct?, I know that it is better to say I've read 3 books this week, But Is it grammatical to say the ...
1
vote
1answer
357 views
Is it correct to say 'I have been waiting for you for an hour, and I am leaving now'?
I am pretty sure this statement is wrong, and I'd better use 'have waited for you for an hour', that is I got annoyed and now I am determined to leave.
But, please dispel my doubts whether this may ...
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vote
1answer
1k views
I haven’t slept or I haven’t been sleeping for two days
I’m just wondering what is the difference between the following two sentences:
I haven’t slept for two days.
and
I haven’t been sleeping for two days.
The context is about someone regrets ...
1
vote
1answer
134 views
Present perfect for situations before another past event
This is a conversation from the exercise from the Advanced Grammar in Use by Cambridge University Press:
A: How was your weekend?
B: Not great, actually. I'd really been
looking forward to a ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
done / having been done + once
Having been chased by street dogs once, he doesn't dare to take that path.
An example relating to "___ (tell) many times, he still made the same mistakes" form http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/...
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1answer
76 views
Can we use Present perfect+past participle to express finished habit?
It has been 18 months since I worn the ring. (Does she still wear the ring or not? How to express she is still wearing it?)
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1answer
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Why is term been is using in Present Perfect ?
I thought that been in using in Present Perfect Continious only. But i find out
that sometimes it is using in Present Perfect also ?
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1answer
2k views
Is “have been enjoying” correct in “Since they were very young, the children have been enjoying…” ?
I am wondering whether the sentence below is right:
Since they were very young, the children have been enjoying travelling by plane.
Have been enjoying is appropriate here? Or any other more ...
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2answers
67 views
had been and the day before
Are the following sentences grammatically correct?
He asked me if I was depressed the day before.
He asked me if I had been depressed the day before.
Please explain. Thanks!
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1answer
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Is this grammatical? 'Having done the procedure allowed determining certain aspects of the problem in question'
Is this grammatical? 'Having done the procedure allowed determining certain aspects of the problem in question'
Namely, can I use the perfect gerund here if what I mean is that only after the ...
0
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1answer
50 views
Difference met and had met in english
Lalwani, who is much younger to Mallya, had met him when she was hired
as a flight attendant for Kingfisher Airlines in 2011.
Is the above sentence construction is correct spcially use of "had met ...
