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Latest post Thu, Aug 21 2008 10:58 PM by CalifJim. 2 replies.
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nands_krish  +  557265 Thu, 21 Aug 08 04:58 PM
Hi,

Could someone help me understand the difference between Present Perfect and Past Perfect ?  As far as I know in both tenses are used when an action begins in the past but continues into the present / holds relevance in the present.

Thanks...
N
Joined on Mon, Aug 18 2008
New Member 11
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Clive  +  557268 Thu, 21 Aug 08 05:16 PM
Hi,

Could someone help me understand the difference between Present Perfect and Past Perfect ?  As far as I know in both tenses are used when an action begins in the past but continues into the present / holds relevance in the present.

You'll find a lot of discussion on the Forum about these Perfect tenses, if you use 'Search'. However, here are a couple of simple comments for you to begin by considering.

As you know, use Present Perfect when an action has some relevance to the present.
eg I have passed my driver's test, so I'd like to borrow your car.

Use Past Perfect when an action has some relevance to a later point in the past.
eg He had an accident last Thursday. He had passed his driver's test.

eg Tom came home at 7pm. Mary cooked dinner. She cooked it after 7pm.
eg Tom came home at 7pm. Mary had cooked dinner. She cooked it before 7pm.

Best wishes, Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member 29,575
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CalifJim  +  557339 Thu, 21 Aug 08 10:58 PM
nands_krish
“As far as I know in both tenses are used when an action begins in the past but continues into the present / holds relevance in the present. ”
No.

Present perfect only is "used when an action begins in the past but continues into the present / holds relevance in the present".

Past perfect is used when an action began in the past but continued to another point in the past / held relevance at that point in the past.

Past perfect is the backshift of the past.  It is also the backshift of the present perfect.

John said, "I saw that movie last week".

John said that he had seen that movie last week. 

John said, "I've seen that movie several times".

John said that he had seen that movie several times. 

CJ 

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,379
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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