present perfect

American  

[prez-uhnt pur-fikt] / ˈprɛz ənt ˈpɜr fɪkt /

noun

1. a verb construction, in English made up of the present tense of the auxiliary verb have followed by the past participle of the main verb, used to express an action or state that is complete at the time of speaking or writing and that is thought of with regard to its current relevance or effect, such as I have finished the book now, so you can have it and She has been with me through thick and thin.

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adjective

1. designating a verb construction used to express an action or state that is complete at the time of speaking or writing and that is thought of with regard to its current relevance or effect.

present perfect British  

adjective

1. grammar another term for perfect perfect

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Etymology

Origin of present perfect

First recorded in 1570–80

Compare meaning

How does present-perfect compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• present perfect vs. past perfect

Example Sentences

If you are writing for a course in history, art history, philosophy, religion, or a related discipline in the humanities, you generally will use the present tense or the present perfect tense in signal phrases.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

"As the future perfect turns into the present perfect, we can apply ourselves to creating a tolerable present and future — for ourselves and for the rest of life," Nijhuis writes.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2021

Lately I’ve been doing a deep dive into the origins of English grammar, specifically the difference between past participle and present perfect.

From New York Times • Apr. 23, 2020

It’s a commonplace that social media such as Instagram pressure us to present perfect versions of ourselves: here we are, beautiful and happy, living our best lives #blessed.

From The Guardian • Nov. 30, 2018

Ought has no past tense form, and so the present perfect infinitive is used to make the expression refer to past time.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd