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Myriora English › Grammar and punctuation › Chapter 3: Tenses

The perfect tense

Ages 9–11Chapter 3 · Lesson 4

In this lesson

Your turn

Which word fits? Oh no, I blank forgotten my lunch!

Show the answer

Have! It links the past to now, and with I, we use have.

The common mistake

Here's a common mistake. Lots of people say I have went. But with have, we use gone, not went. I have gone to the shops.

Try it at home

What has happened? Look around and say what has just happened (Someone has left the light on.). Then tell a short story about yesterday using had: When I got home, Dad had made tea.

Read the whole lesson

Hello, and welcome to Myriora English! The perfect tense links two times together. It uses have, has or had, plus a verb like eaten, finished or gone.

The present perfect links the past to now. I have finished my homework, so now I can play. She has lost her key, so she can't get in. Use have or has.

The past perfect goes even further back. It shows something that happened before another past event. When we got to the station, the train had left. First the train left, and then we arrived. Use had.

Let's try one together. Which word fits? By the time Mum got home, we blank cleaned the kitchen. Say it out loud!

Had! We cleaned the kitchen before Mum got home, so we use had. Well done if you said had!

Here's a common mistake. Lots of people say I have went. But with have, we use gone, not went. I have gone to the shops.

Your turn! Which word fits? Oh no, I blank forgotten my lunch! Pick the right card. You've got eight seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! Have! It links the past to now, and with I, we use have.

Quick review. The perfect tense uses have, has or had. The present perfect links the past to now: I have finished. The past perfect happened before another past event: the train had left. See you next time!