THE Present Perfect and the past indefinite

The Past Indefinite shows that the action belongs to the past while the Present Perfect shows its connection with the present.

He often came here (but doesn’t any more).

He has often come here (so he may do it again).

The Present Perfect is never used with the adverbial modifiers of the past time (yesterday, last week).

We didn't see him yesterday.

Both tenses can be used with the adverbial modifiers, denoting the period of time that is not over,

I have talked to him today. I talked to him today.

With the adverb just the Present Perfect is used; with the expression just now the Past Indefinite is used.

I have just heard the news. I heard the news just now.

The Present Perfect is used with the adverb lately (последнее время) while the Past Indefinite is used with the adverbial phrase last time (последний раз):

I haven’t talked to him lately. Last time I saw him, he didn’t talk.

The Russian adverb “ давно ” can correspond to two different phrases in English: long ago which is used with the Past Indefinite and for a long time which is usually used with the Present Perfect:

I found it out long ago. I’ ve known it for a long time.

The Past Indefinite not the Present Perfect is used in When-questions. Both tenses can be used in Where-questions, but the Past Indefinite is more frequently used in them.

When did you come? Where did you find it? Where have you been?

THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

(THE PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE)

FORMATION

The forms of the Present Perfect Continuous are analytical. They are built by means of the present perfect of the auxiliary verb be (have/has been) and participle I of the notional verb.

Affirmative	Interrogative
I have been reading He, she, it has been reading We have been reading You have been reading They have been reading	Have I been reading? Has he, she, it been reading? Have we been reading? Have you been reading? Have they been reading?
Negative	Negative-Interrogative
I have not (haven’t) been reading He, she, it has not (hasn’t) been reading We have not (haven’t) been reading You have not (haven’t) been reading They have not (haven’t) been reading	Have I not (Haven’t I) been reading? Has he, she, it not (Hasn’t he, she, it) been reading? Have we not (Haven’t we) been reading? Have you not (Haven’t you) been reading? Have you not (Haven’t you) been reading?

THE USE OF THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Present Perfect Continuous tense is used to denote:

1. Actions and states that begin in the past and continue into the present:

She has been reading since morning and she hasn't finished yet.

2. Actions that begin in the past and continue till the moment of speaking:

Here you are at last. I have been waiting for you all day.

3. Actions in progress that both begin and end before the moment of speaking but are connected with the present:

I see you have been using my table again.

The Present Perfect and not the Present Perfect Continuous is used to denote a multiple action:

I’ ve ironed three shirts. How many music lessons have you had?

4. Future actions in progress before a certain moment in the future (in adverbial clauses of time and condition):

You will get used to them after you have been sitting at table with them for a couple of days.

THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE

(THE PAST SIMPLE)

FORMATION

The verb be has two forms of the Past Indefinite — was for the singular and were for the plural.

The affirmative forms of the Past Indefinite of other verbs are synthetic; they are represented by the second form of the basic verb forms. The interrogative and negative forms are analytical; they are built by means of the auxiliary verb do in the Past Indefinite (did) and the Infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to.

Affirmative	Interrogative
I came / danced He, she, it came / danced We came / danced You came / danced They came / danced	Did I come / dance? Did he, she, it come / dance? Did we come / dance? Did you come / dance? Did they come / dance?
Negative	Negative-Interrogative
I did not (didn’t) come / dance He, she, it did not (didn’t) come / dance We did not (didn’t) come / dance You did not (didn’t) come / dance They did not (didn’t) come / dance	Did I not (Didn’t I) come / dance? Did he, she, it not (Didn’t he) come / dance? Did we not (Didn’t we) come / dance? Did you not (Didn’t you) come / dance? Did they not (Didn’t they) come / dance?