perfect

  • In English grammar, the ‘perfect’ aspect is often incorrectly called a tense.
  • It indicates an action or circumstance that occurred before the time we are considering.  (perfect = complete)
  • Our attention is often focused on the result instead of what happened earlier.
  • The verb phrase/construction contains a form of ‘HAVE’ plus a past participle. 

to be being

C2, continuous, infinitive, PASSIVES, perfect, VERBS

There is no entry in the English Grammar Profile for the continuous infinitive passive.  Therefore, we say this is a C2 grammar structure. A search in NOW corpus for: * to be being * 1 BELIEVED TO BE BEING HELD 18 The following example has past passive + infinitive + continuous passive: The driver of the lorry was believed to be being held by police.

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past perfect continuous passive

C2, continuous, PASSIVES, PAST, perfect

Because there is no past perfect continuous passive in the English Grammar Profile, we can say it is C2. A search in NOW corpus shows that this grammar is extremely rare. 1   HAD BEEN BEING TREATED 10 The woman had left the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, where she had been being treated. belfastlive.co.uk 2   HAD BEEN BEING ABUSED 7 3   ‘D BEEN BEING ABUSED 7 4   HAD

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WILL HAVE BEEN + PP (future perfect passive)

B2, FUTURE, GSE, participle, PASSIVES, perfect

The future perfect passive is formed with the structure:  WILL HAVE BEEN + PASSIVE PARTICIPLE Here’s an EXPERT EXAMPLE of future perfect passive: If you live to 90, then 32 years will have been spent entirely asleep. TED The ending -t in (spent) is an irregular inflection for the passive participle, which regularly ends in -ed: PEARSON GSE 67 B2+ future perfect passive simple

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Having been + PAST PARTICIPLE

background, C2, CLAUSES, complements, explanation, non-finite, PASSIVES, perfect, PREPOSITIONS, subordinate

Here’s an example of the preposition ‘after’ complemented by a non-finite perfect form of the passive ‘having been p.p.’ Roughly a month and a half after having been laid, the surviving eggs hatch. Listen In the English Grammar Profile, there are two similar C2 points in the category of passives: Point 38: non-finite ‘-ing’ perfect forms of the passive as the complement of prepositions. Point

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NOT ONLY + present perfect continuous (inversion) + BUT

ADVERBS, C2, continuous, FOCUS, inversion, PAST, perfect, PRESENT

Adverb expressions such as ‘not only’, ‘not just’, and ‘not simply’ emphasize that something is true, but it is not the whole truth.  These co-ordinate clauses. In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 92 in the category of PAST is defined: present perfect continuous, invert the subject and affirmative auxiliary verb with ‘not only … but’

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present perfect simple (unfinished)

B1, indefinite, PAST, perfect, PRESENT, simple, time

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 20 in the category of PAST is defined: present perfect simple: UNFINISHED refer to a state or period of time which is unlimited or indefinite. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: I have already gotten several wrong numbers this month. Japanese female level 4 grammar class   EXPERT EXAMPLES: It‘s been proven to me time and time again as people have walked up to me this week  simply because of what I‘m wearing, and we‘ve had great conversations.

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present perfect simple negative (YET)

A2, expectation, FUTURE, NEGATIVE, PAST, perfect, PRESENT, simple

Here’s a student example of ‘present perfect simple negative‘: Today I can play very well with someone, even when I haven’t played for a long time. PELIC Portuguese female level 3 writing. A2 point 5 in the category of  NEGATION/AUXILIARY VERBS is defined: negative statements of main verbs in the present continuous and present perfect with ‘be’ and ‘have’ + ‘not/n’t’. A2 point 13 in the category of PAST is

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present perfect simple (range)

A2, ACL, B1, NEGATIVE, PAST, perfect, PRESENT, PRONOUNS, range, simple, VERBS

There is no listing in the English Grammar Profile for a ‘wide‘ range of main verbs with present perfect simple.  So, here’s an expert example of present perfect simple using academic collocation: In the course of my professional life, I have acquired knowledge and manual skill.    (linotype.com) Here are some general range points in the English Grammar Profile in the category of

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present perfect simple + SINCE

B1, duration, PAST, perfect, PRESENT, simple

Point 33 in the category of PAST is defined as: present perfect simple + ‘since’ to talk about duration. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: I have read a lot of books about cooking since then. Chinese male, level 3 writing class.   We have been friends since we were high-school students. Korean female, level 3 writing class. An iWeb search for: _VH _VVN since *we removed ‘had’ 1 HAS CHANGED SINCE 11097

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present perfect simple + ALREADY

ADVERBS, B1, emphasis, expectation, perfect, PRESENT, simple, time

In the English Grammar Profile, B1 point 22 in the category of PAST is defined as: present perfect simple with ‘already’ to emphasise that something is done, often before the expected time. FOR EXAMPLE: He is the most joyful person that I have ever met, and in just over a year, he has already made the world a better place.   A search in iWeb for: _VHZ already _VVN 1 HAS ALREADY BEGUN 7505 2

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had not + PAST PARTICIPLE

B1, PAST, perfect, simple

Point 24 in the category of PAST perfect simple: negative forms. PELIC STUDENT EXAMPLE: At that time, I had not found my job and I had a lot of free time. Chinese male, level 3 writing class. A search on iWeb for: _VHD _XX _VVN 1 HAD N’T SEEN 10519 2 HAD NOT SEEN 8370 3 HAD N’T HEARD 6433 4 HAD N’T THOUGHT 5405 5

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had been + VERBing

B1, background, continuous, PAST, perfect

Point 27 in the category of PAST is defined as: past perfect continuous: an action or event which began before a point in the past and was still continuing up to that point, often with ‘for’ or ‘since’, to give background information. Point 32 in the PAST is defined as: past perfect continuous: background action

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