perfect tense
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
[edit] English
[edit] Noun
perfect tense, plural perfect tenses
- a verb form indicating that an action or state has been completed at the present time, in the past, or will be completed in the future. English has three perfect tenses:
[edit] Usage notes
English forms the perfect tenses with a verb phrase made up of the auxiliary verb have plus the past participle of the main verb (e.g., love).
| Verb | Present perfect | Past perfect | Future perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| love | has/have loved | had loved | will/shall have loved |
| go | has/have gone | had gone | will/shall have gone |
In addition to the regular perfect tenses, English can create other variations with various other auxiliary verbs. The verb phrase in the main clause of the first example could be called a conditional perfect tense:
- "He would have ridden his bicycle if it had not rained."
- "She was about to have gone home." (Or "She was going to have gone home.")
- "They had been going for a swim every Thursday."
