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.
224
questions
0
votes
1answer
13 views
What goes after until?
Which is correct (or what's the difference between):
He kept going until he saw the river.
OR
He kept going until he had seen the river.
1
vote
1answer
36 views
“be in love” vs. “fall in love” in a perfect construction
Which one is correct grammatically?
I've been in love with you ever since I saw you
I've fallen in love with you ever since I saw you
0
votes
0answers
11 views
I want to have come there by the evening
I am a little confused with Perfect infinitives:
I will have come there by the evening
It's an action which will have happened before some moment in the future . Our moment here is "the evening".
...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Past perfect / present perfect
Which one is correct?
I had wet.
I had got wet.
I have wet.
I have got wet.
1
vote
1answer
35 views
What is the difference between “have interviewed” and “are interviewing” in this sentence?
Could you please explain the difference in meaning in the following sentences.
The detectives have interviewed two people this week.
The detectives are interviewing two people this week.
...
0
votes
0answers
28 views
Replacement of “in” with “to”
Should I always replace "in" for "to" in Perfect Sentences after "to be" forms?
I have been TO America\TO the party
He said he had been TO America\TO the party
When she comes he will have been TO ...
0
votes
0answers
17 views
What is better: I'm (I have been being) in the middle of it all my life [duplicate]
What is better:
I'm in the mainstream of it all my life.
OR
I have
been being in the mainstream of it all my life.
I want to emphasize that I am (or I have been being) in the center (in ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
“Has someone smoked” vs. “Has someone been smoking”
If I come into a room full of smoke, should I ask:
A: "Has someone smoked here?"
or:
B: "Has someone been smoking here?"
I can literally see the smoke, but the person who was smoking has ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
present simple + recently
Today I got into argument with my colleague about the answer of below question.
She claims both are possible but choice 2 is the better one saying that "economics is a branch of science and if we ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
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.
...
0
votes
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
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. ...
20
votes
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 ...
-1
votes
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 ...
1
vote
1answer
38 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 ...
0
votes
0answers
30 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
40 views
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.
0
votes
2answers
41 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 ...
-1
votes
1answer
35 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 ...
6
votes
3answers
627 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
23 views
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
37 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
237 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
146 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.
1
vote
1answer
44 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
65 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
votes
2answers
38 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
44 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
45 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
122 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
45 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 ...
0
votes
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
55 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
62 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
1k 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.
2
votes
1answer
5k 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"?
0
votes
4answers
678 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
83 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
45 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.
...
0
votes
1answer
436 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 ...
0
votes
2answers
58 views
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
0
votes
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
...
1
vote
1answer
52 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
74 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 ...
0
votes
2answers
93 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 ...
0
votes
2answers
3k 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
324 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
1k 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
481 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 ...
