B. Present Perfect tense
1. The Meaning of the Present Perfect Tense
Present perfect tense, in Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary defined as verb form which expresses an action done in a time period up to the present, formed in
English with havehas and past participle.
15
Michael Agnes said, “present perfect tense indicates an action as completed or a state as having ended at the time of speaking but not any definite time in the past”.
16
From two definitions above, the writer concludes that present perfect tense can be defined as an action or events occurred in the past which are completely
finished but still have connection to the present or future.
2. The Form of the Present Perfect Tense
In a Practical English Grammar, A. J. Thomson and A. V. Martinet said, “The present perfect tense is formed with the present tense of have + past participle”.
17
They also said, “The negative is formed by adding not to the auxiliary, the interrogative is formed by inverting the auxiliary and subject”.
18
15
Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary, New York: Oxford University Press, 2000, new ed., p. 338
16
Michael Agnes, Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Canada: Cleveland-Ohio, 4
th
ed., p. 1136
17
A. J. Thomson and A. V. Martinet, Opcit, p. 165
18
Ibid
According to Raymond Murphy, “the present perfect tense is formed with havehas +the past participle”.
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Therefore, the writer formulates it as follows: a.
Affirmative S + havehas + V3
Examples: I have worked
You have been ill We have gone to Lampung
They have eaten breakfast He has been busy
She has arrived
b. Negative
S + havehas + not + V3 Examples:
I have not worked You have not been ill
We have not gone to Lampung They have not eaten breakfast
19
Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994, 2
nd
ed., p. 14
He has not been busy She has not arrived
c. Interrogative
1. The positive form
Havehas + S + V3 Examples:
Have I worked? Have you been ill?
Have we gone to Lampung? Have they eaten breakfast?
Has he been busy? Has she arrived?
2. The negative form
a. Havehas + S + Not + V3
Examples: Have I not worked?
Have you not been ill? Have we not gone to Lampung?
Have they not eaten breakfast? Has he not been busy?
Has she not arrived?
b. Haven’thasn’t + S + V3 contraction.
Examples: Haven’t I worked?
Haven’t you been ill? Haven’t we gone to Lampung?
Haven’t they eaten breakfast? Hasn’t he been busy?
Hasn’t she arrived?
3. The Usage of the Present Perfect Tense
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