Present Perfect - Academic Mode

Definition of Present Perfect
Present Perfect is the form of a present that expresses an action started in the past and recently completed, or an action that continues in the present. It is also known as the "present perfect". Present Perfect is a combination of the past participle (ending with -n, -d or -ed) of the main verb and a form of auxiliary such as “has” in the case of a single subject or “have” "in the case of a plural subject.

Zum Example in excerpt: "The highway in front of him is empty. He forgot the numbers of the routes he took and the names of the cities he crossed "(Rabbit, Run, by John Updike), all forms of aids in these sentences are in the present form.

Daily use of Present Perfect
The company introduced new styles.
We got back to work.
Have you ever visited this museum?
She went to school.
He lived in this town all his life.
Examples for the Present Perfect in Literature
Example 1: The A-Gonna Fall of Heavy Rain (by Bob Dylan)
"I stumbled over twelve misty mountains.
I ran and crawled on six crooked freeways.
I I'm in the middle stepped by seven sad woods. “

All underlined words are examples of the present tense. All auxiliary verbs used in this example are in their current form, while the main verbs “stumble”, “go”, “crawl”. "And" step "are in past participle forms.

Example 2: This Terrible Masterpiece (by Ernie Pyle)
" One day, when peace has returned to this strange world, I want to come back to London and on a certain balcony on one Moonlight stand night and look out over the peaceful silver curve of the Thames with its dark bridges. "

Here the present tense" returned "informs the audience of the peace that began in the past and continues in the present.

Example 3: Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen)
" My dear Mr.Benne t, "his said One day wife to him, "Have you heard that Netherfield Park is finally rented out?" " Mr. Bennet replied no. "But it is," she replied; because Mrs. Long was just here and told me everything. "Mr. Bennet did not reply:" Don't you want to know who took it? "his wife yelled impatiently ... They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them. with consideration these last twenty years at least. ”

In this passage, the narrative action has taken place in the past. However, the conversation between the characters is in the present, perfect tense, as the underlined words show.

Example 4: For a Glory and a Covering (by Douglas Wilson)
“The language of the passage describes wisdom as a great lady who has prepared a great banquet. She built her house, she oversaw the slaughter of the cattle. She mixed the wine and set the table. "

This passage shows the underlined words with the current forms of the auxiliaries and past participles of the respective verbs.

Example 5: Cord (by Don Freeman)
" Oh, Mama! There is exactly the bear I always wanted. Not today, dear. Her mother sighed. I've already spent too much. Besides, it doesn't look new. He lost the button on one of his shoulder straps. “

All participles of the past“ wanted ”,“ spent ”and lost” appeared with auxiliary verbs in the present form.

Example 6: Cherry Orchard (by Anton Chekhov)
“Our Yaroslav aunt promised to send something, but I don't know when or how much. What sins have you committed? Oh, my sins ... I always scattered money without holding onto. I married like a madwoman to a man who was only in debt. What did you do to me, peter? I no longer love the cherry orchard as I used to. “

The author has used the present tense throughout this whole. Some actions started in the past and are also taking place in the present, as underlined verbs indicate. However, in the second example, there is always an adverb, before the verb, while the third example is in interrogative format

Present perfect function
The present perfect implies a connection of the past with the present, so it is mainly used In literature, newspapers, television, radio reports, letters and conversations, it helps to show habitual and continuous situations that occur in the present tense, it does not specify a particular time in the past for an event or action, it simply shows that a La Task has been executed at an unspecified time, which is great for short stories and novels where the time is not specified.