The Tense and Aspect System Chapter 7, Part 6 ENGLISH 5050: English Syntax and Morphology Robert F. van Trieste, Ph.D. All quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from chapter 7 of The Grammar Book, 2nd edition.

Present Tense Perfect Aspect: 1 A situation that began at a prior point in time [i.e., in the past] and continues into the present: I have been a teacher since 1967. [Contrast this with I have been a teacher for thirty years. Spanish sometimes permits the use of present tense to express this time reference. Vivo aquí desde 1967.] An action occurring or not occurring at an unspecified prior time that has current relevance I have already seen that movie. [Contrast this with I already saw that movie.] A very recently completed action (often with just): Mort has just finished his homework. [just is really what conveys the idea of “very recently.”]

Present Tense Perfect Aspect: 2 “An action that occurred over a prior time period and that is completed at the moment of speaking: The value of the Johnson's house has doubled in the last four years. With verbs in subordinate clauses of time or condition: She won't be satisfied until she has finished another chapter. [future time reference future time reference ] Compare: She won't be satisfied until she finishes another chapter. What is the difference? If you have done your homework, you can watch TV. [past time reference (immediate) future time reference ]

Past Tense Perfect Aspect An action completed in the past prior to some other past event or time: He had already left before I could offer him a ride. She had worked at the post office before 1962. [He already left before I could offer him a ride. She worked at the post office before 1962. Only really necessary if when is the adv sub.] Imaginative conditional in the subordinate clause (referring to past time): If Sally had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.

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