Present and past perfect tense

Present perfect verbs These are actions that happened sometimes before now or continue until now Combines the word has or have with a verb in the past tense

Here are some examples… Has seen Has flown Have known Have been Has been Shows that something happened at some time but you are not sure of what time or when exactly it happened. Note that have and are combined with the verb

Past perfect verbs Shows an action that began in the past and ended in the past. Combines the word had with the verb in the past tense.

Some examples… I had given my lunch to Christy. (this shows that one thing happened before another thing happened) We had lived in Jackson for three years when we moved to Clinton. (this shows that something continued until something else happened)

Test prep… Which of the following sentences does not use past perfect tense? A) By the end of the storm, the tree had fallen to the ground B) Mrs. Setzer had a beautiful magnolia tree in her backyard. C) Mr. Setzer had nurtured the tree from a sapling. D) Losing the old tree had broken their hearts.

And the answer is …. B) Mrs. Setzer had a beautiful magnolia tree in her backyard.