Why Is I HAVE EATEN AN APPLE Considered Present Perfect and Not Past Perfect?

by James
(Katy, Texas, Harriss)

The verb EATEN tells us that the action is complete, therefore it happened in the PAST.

Since the action is complete, and it happened in the PAST, why wouldn't it be PAST PERFECT?

Thanks.

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Dec 29, 2012
 Answer
by: Chelsey

Both present perfect and past perfect mean the action is complete.

Present perfect does not mean the verb should be in present tense.

Past perfect is a form of the verb that shows that action was complete before some time in the past.

The different uses of past perfect are:

1. an action that happened before another action in the past

2. an action that happened before a specific time in the past

3. a state that started in the past, and continues up to some time in the past
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Present perfect is a form of the verb that shows that action was complete before the present.

The different uses of present perfect are:

1. an action that happened at an unspecified time before the present

2. an action that ended recently

3. a state that started in the past, and is still going on

I have eaten an apple would be present perfect because it is an action that ended recently and happened at an unspecified time before the present.

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