A Journey with the Present Perfect, Part One
2021-01-29
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1Imagine that verbs, nouns, and other parts of language are competing with each other.
2One verb form or noun might beat a competing verb form or noun.
3Much like in the World Cup, the winners go to the next round and the losers no longer play.
4Keep that comparison in mind as we explore today's subject: the present perfect.
5Imagine you hear English speakers say the following words:
6Do you want to get some dinner?
7No thanks, I've already eaten dinner.
8The second speaker said I've already eaten, short for I have already eaten. This is the present perfect.
9It suggests that the action of eating has been completed.
10In other words, the speaker ate at some point in the past.
11But the speaker is not eating now.
12Note that the word already suggests that the event took place before the present point in time.
13Betty Azar's Understanding and Using English Grammar describes the present perfect in terms of form and meaning.
14The form is have + past participle.
15The meaning, notes Azar, is that "the perfect tenses all give the idea that one thing happens before another time or event."
16Other grammar experts have explored the present perfect in a slightly different way.
17In Understanding English Grammar, Martha Kolln and Robert Funk note that the present perfect can suggest a connection with the present.
18Here is an example of what they mean:
19Joe has lived in Washington DC since 1973.
20In this example, the present perfect suggests that Joe began living in Washington DC in the past and continues to live there in the present.
21The word since followed by the year 1973 gives you a clue about the meaning.
22These examples show you general ways in which the present perfect is used today.
23But the present perfect had different uses in the past.
24And it is also playing a part in a kind of language competition, as we will see.
25Xinyue Yao is a language expert.
26In 2014, she explored the English present perfect in the Journal of English Linguistics.
27Yao wrote that the modern present perfect came from the transitive have + past participle structure in Old English.
28In Old English, the structure often suggested a kind of possession.
29Yao notes, a statement such as I have finished my work in Old English would be different in modern English.
30It would mean something closer to "I possess or have my work in a finished condition."
31But the possessive meaning was lost over time, Yao adds.
32In the past, English speakers used a competing be + past participle structure to suggest completed actions.
33But that structure declined in use over time.
34In other words, the have + past participle structure won out.
35A 2018 paper in ORTESOL noted the difficulties in teaching the present perfect to English learners - especially learners of American English.
36One reason is that the present perfect is used much less often in American English.
37Mina Gavell, the writer of the paper, noted the present perfect is being replaced "by its main competitor, the simple past" in American English.
38She adds that the perfects, and especially the present perfect, "make up only 5 to 10 percent of spoken American English verb use, and are even less prevalent in speaking than writing."
39Prevalent is a term that means common or widespread.
40Think back to the words you heard at the beginning of this report.
41Do you want to get some dinner?
42No thanks, I've already eaten dinner.
43The second speaker used the present perfect.
44But, a speaker of American English might also use the simple past, as in:
45Do you want to get some dinner?
46No thanks, I already ate.
47Today, we explored how the present perfect has competed - and does compete - for use.
48In American English, the present perfect has been losing out to the simple past for some time.
49But, the present perfect is still in the game.
50In other kinds of English, such as British English, the present perfect is more commonly used.
51And in Australian English, the present perfect can have a very interesting, unusual meaning.
52But that is a subject for a future report.
53The next time you are reading a book, watching a film, or listening to the news, pay careful attention to the present perfect.
54Keep notes about the times you hear or read it. Over time, you will begin to use it with great ease.
55I'm John Russell.
1Imagine that verbs, nouns, and other parts of language are competing with each other. One verb form or noun might beat a competing verb form or noun. Much like in the World Cup, the winners go to the next round and the losers no longer play. 2Keep that comparison in mind as we explore today's subject: the present perfect. 3What is the present perfect? 4Imagine you hear English speakers say the following words: 5Do you want to get some dinner? 6No thanks, I've already eaten dinner. 7The second speaker said I've already eaten, short for I have already eaten. This is the present perfect. 8It suggests that the action of eating has been completed. 9In other words, the speaker ate at some point in the past. But the speaker is not eating now. Note that the word already suggests that the event took place before the present point in time. 10Betty Azar's Understanding and Using English Grammar describes the present perfect in terms of form and meaning. The form is have + past participle. The meaning, notes Azar, is that "the perfect tenses all give the idea that one thing happens before another time or event." 11Other grammar experts have explored the present perfect in a slightly different way. 12In Understanding English Grammar, Martha Kolln and Robert Funk note that the present perfect can suggest a connection with the present. 13Here is an example of what they mean: 14Joe has lived in Washington DC since 1973. 15In this example, the present perfect suggests that Joe began living in Washington DC in the past and continues to live there in the present. The word since followed by the year 1973 gives you a clue about the meaning. 16These examples show you general ways in which the present perfect is used today. But the present perfect had different uses in the past. And it is also playing a part in a kind of language competition, as we will see. 17History 18Xinyue Yao is a language expert. In 2014, she explored the English present perfect in the Journal of English Linguistics. 19Yao wrote that the modern present perfect came from the transitive have + past participle structure in Old English. In Old English, the structure often suggested a kind of possession. 20Yao notes, a statement such as I have finished my work in Old English would be different in modern English. It would mean something closer to "I possess or have my work in a finished condition." 21But the possessive meaning was lost over time, Yao adds. 22In the past, English speakers used a competing be + past participle structure to suggest completed actions. But that structure declined in use over time. In other words, the have + past participle structure won out. 23Present of the present perfect 24A 2018 paper in ORTESOL noted the difficulties in teaching the present perfect to English learners - especially learners of American English. One reason is that the present perfect is used much less often in American English. 25Mina Gavell, the writer of the paper, noted the present perfect is being replaced "by its main competitor, the simple past" in American English. 26She adds that the perfects, and especially the present perfect, "make up only 5 to 10 percent of spoken American English verb use, and are even less prevalent in speaking than writing." 27Prevalent is a term that means common or widespread. 28Think back to the words you heard at the beginning of this report. 29Do you want to get some dinner? 30No thanks, I've already eaten dinner. 31The second speaker used the present perfect. But, a speaker of American English might also use the simple past, as in: 32Do you want to get some dinner? 33No thanks, I already ate. 34Closing thoughts 35Today, we explored how the present perfect has competed - and does compete - for use. 36In American English, the present perfect has been losing out to the simple past for some time. But, the present perfect is still in the game. 37In other kinds of English, such as British English, the present perfect is more commonly used. And in Australian English, the present perfect can have a very interesting, unusual meaning. But that is a subject for a future report. 38The next time you are reading a book, watching a film, or listening to the news, pay careful attention to the present perfect. 39Keep notes about the times you hear or read it. Over time, you will begin to use it with great ease. 40I'm John Russell. 41John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. 42_____________________________________________________________ 43Words in This Story 44past participle - n. grammar: the form of the verb that is used with "have" in perfect tenses and with "be" in passive constructions 45clue - n. a piece of information or sign that helps a person find something or someone 46transitive - adj. grammar, of a verb : having or taking a direct object