Lesson 2 · Lesson guide
Perfect Aspect: Present, Past and Future Perfect
Hello, my dear student!
Hello! At band 6.5, examiners want to see that you can show how events relate in time, not just that they happened. The perfect aspect does exactly this.
Every perfect form looks back from a point in time. The present perfect looks back from now: “Enrolment has risen since 2015.” The past perfect looks back from a point in the past: “By 2010, fees had already doubled.” The future perfect looks back from a point in the future: “By 2030, the number will have doubled.”
In Writing Task 1 these forms let you describe a graph that runs into the future. In Reading they tell you which event came first. In Speaking they help you talk about your experience. Today you will learn to choose the right one quickly and accurately.
See you in the exercises,Your teacher
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Three forms, one idea
Each perfect form connects an earlier action to a later reference point. Find the reference point first.
Looking back from now
Present perfect: have / has + V3
A period that continues to now (since, for, so far, in recent years), or a past action with a result now. No finished time words (in 2010, ago, last year).
- Enrolment has risen steadily since 2015.
- The university has opened two new campuses.
Looking back from the past
Past perfect: had + V3
The earlier of two past events, especially with by, by the time, already, before.
- By 2010, tuition fees had already doubled.
- When I arrived, the lecture had started.
Looking back from the future
Future perfect: will have + V3
An action that will be complete before a future point, usually with by + a future time. Very useful for projections in Task 1.
- By 2030, the number of online students will have doubled.
- I will have finished my degree by June.
Remember!
Reference point now → have / has + V3. In the past → had + V3. In the future → will have + V3.
Time signals
Tap to hear them. The time phrase often tells you which form you need.
since 2015, so far, in recent years, over the last decade
present perfect
in 2010, five years ago, last year
past simple (finished time)
by 2010, by the time, already … before
past perfect
by 2030, by the end of the decade, by then
future perfect
Mistakes I correct every day
Not: In 2015, the number of students has increased.Say: In 2015, the number of students increased.
A finished year → past simple, not present perfect.
Not: By 2010, fees already doubled.Say: By 2010, fees had already doubled.
By + a past time → past perfect.
Not: By 2030, the figure has doubled.Say: By 2030, the figure will have doubled.
By + a future time → future perfect.
Not: I study English since 2018.Say: I have studied / have been studying English since 2018.
Since + until now → present perfect.
A note from your teacher
These mistakes are small, but they are exactly what separates band 6 from band 7 for grammatical accuracy.
In the Speaking test
- Examiner
Have you ever studied online?
- Kamola
Yes, I have. I’ve taken three online courses so far, mostly in statistics.
- Examiner
Why did you choose online courses?
- Kamola
By the time I started university, I had already decided to work part-time, so I needed something flexible. By next summer I’ll have completed a full certificate.
Three perfect forms in two answers, each one natural and correct. That is grammatical range.
Check yourself
“By 2040, sea levels ___ (rise) by 20 cm.”
“When the inspectors arrived, the school ___ (close) for a week.”
Why is “has risen in 2019” wrong?
Now it’s your turn!
8 short parts, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time: mistakes are how we learn.
— Your teacher