Present Perfect vs Past Perfect

Exercises

Explanation

1. Present Perfect

Form: have / has + past participle (V3)

Examples

• I have visited Rome twice.

• She has lost her keys.

• They haven’t finished the project yet.

We use the Present Perfect when:

A. The action started in the past and has a connection to now

• I have known him for many years.
  (= I still know him.)

B. We talk about life experiences

• She has met many famous people.
  (= Experience in her life, time not important.)

C. Something has changed over time

• His cooking has improved a lot.

D. The action is unfinished

• We haven’t decorated the room yet.

Present Perfect = past action + present result

2. Past Perfect

Form: had + past participle (V3)

Examples

• I had eaten breakfast before the meeting started.

• They had never seen snow before their trip.

• Had she finished the letter before you arrived?

We use the Past Perfect for:

A. The earlier of two past actions

• She had left the café before I got there.
  (= She left first, I arrived later.)

B. Giving reasons for a past situation

• He was upset because he had failed the exam.

Past Perfect = “past before the past”

3. Present Perfect vs Past Perfect – Key Difference

4. “Have had” – Is it Present Perfect or Past Perfect?

Look at the first verb:

• I have had a headache all morning.
  → The first verb is have, so it’s Present Perfect.

• I had had the phone for years before it stopped working.
  → The first verb is had, so it’s Past Perfect.

Quick Summary

• Present Perfect = action started in the past + still true / still relevant now

• Past Perfect = action finished before another past action