The effective way to teach verb to have

TABLE OF CONTENT

PAGE
NUMBER

TABLE OF CONTENT

2

PART I:

3

INTRODUCTION

1. Aims of the study

3

2. Contributions of the study in teaching

4

PART II: DEVELOPMENT

5

CHAPTER 1. SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

1.Theoretical background
2. Practical background

CHAPTER 2. THE REALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING THE

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KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO THE VERB “ TO HAVE” AT TRIỆU THỊ TRINH
3RD UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL
CHAPTER 3. The usage of TO USE THE “TO HAVE” VERB IN ENGLISH

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3.1. The pronunciation of the verb “ HAVE” in different cases

18

3.2. “HAVE” as an ordinary verb

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3.3. “HAVE” as an auxilary verb

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CHAPTER 4. VERIFYING THE SOLUTION OF THE STUDY

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PART III: CONCLUSION

28

REFERENCES

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PART I:

INTRODUCTION
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1.1. Rationale
English is one of the necessary subjects for students in general, and even more
important for high school students because it is not only a compulsory subject at school
but also a subject of decision in the important contests as high school exams and
university entrance exams. It is considered as a main key to open the treasure of human
knowledge. Similar to other languages, English verbs are the main ingredients in the
English sentence. Among the many verbs, the verb TO HAVE is used and how to use it
can be said to be the most diverse.
For students, the knowledge related to the verb TO HAVE and distinguish the
differences in each structure is not simple. Therefore, I have decided to choose the
topic "The knowledge related to the verb TO HAVE in English" to systematize in a
relatively full useage and to help students learn more effectively.
1.2. Aims of the study
This study is conducted to help students of Trieu Thi Trinh 3 rd High school to
understand the verb TO HAVE more clearly. Furthermore, it is hoped that sts learn
how to use the knowledge realating to the verb TO HAVE. To summarize the above,
my study is aimed at:
- Providing the theretical background about the verb “ to have”
- Analyzing the types of the verb TO HAVE and its specific usages
- Some difficulties posibly encountered by sts at Trieu Thi Trinh 3 rd Upper

secondary school when using the verb “ TO HAVE” .
- Suggesting some feasible solutions to help teacher and students at the school
improve the quality of teaching and learning English skills, especially in
mastering English grammar rules.
1.3

Scope of the study

Given the rationale and the aims of the study , it is necessary to limit the study to the
areas which are manageable. Benefits of summarizing the knowledge involved with “to
have” verb create the effectiveness of students’ learning and grammar which focus on
two factors: developing students’s motivation and understanding of the lesson. The
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subject under the study are the 11 th – form students at Trieu Thi Trinh 3 rd Upper
secondary school.
1.4.

Methods of the study

To complete this study, the following steps implemented:
- Collected references and books related to English grammar are analyzed in
details to form the theoretical background this paper.
- The available theory concerning with “to have” verb is studied and followed in
my study paper.
- Ideas of some possible difficulties are got from my understanding the English
learning and teaching English at Trieu Thi Trinh 3 rd Upper secondary school as
well as my gained experiences in training course.
PART II: DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1. SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

1.Theoretical background
Nowadays, English is a language widely used in the world. It is the official language
of many countries and many people use it as a second language.It is used as the
language of many important fields, such as: aviation, sports, business, engineering,
etc. It can be easily seen that we need to master English to be able to have better access
to human knowledge, and with international integration.
Therefore, equipping students with good knowledge of this language and the skills to
use it is very important.
In reality, English has been a core subject in schools in Vietnam for many years.
Equipping teaching conditions as textbooks, reference books are always interested by
teachers.
However, It is the fact that each book refers to different aspects of an issue.
To master the knowledge in a systematic way is not easy task ,the learner must
synthesize from many different sources, and not everyone can find the suitable books.

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The knowledge related to TO HAVE verb in English is also not an exception. For
having the knowledge system to students adequately on this verb, I have also refered
to many different books. In this study, I am focusing on the following key issues:
- The pronunciation of the verb HAVE in cases
- The HAVE verb used as a verb.
+ Meaning "possess"
+ Other meanings
- The HAVE verb used as auxiliary verbs in different structures.
2. Practical background
English verb is a main ingredient in sentence and TO HAVE verb in the English

language is also. Moreover, this verb is also used in many sentence structures with
many different meanings.
Obviously, TO HAVE verb along with TO BE verb has the most diverse usage in
English. These are the verbs which the students meet regularly during the process of
learning English at school.
However, in the proces of teaching English, we can see that not all students who can
master the knowledge system related to this verb.
There are many reasons why students can not master this knowledge well. The first
reason is because of

the English learning environment. Primarily, students often

practise writing to memorize grammatical structures and do not pay attention much on
practising speaking. The second one is that students themselves are not aware of the
necessity of learning English subject and learn English as a compulsory task. The
limited ability of the students for absorbing English lessons is also considered as a
reason students can not achieve high results whereas some students have tried to spend
much time on learning English. The fourth reason is because students do not know how
to systematize the knowledge accordingly so that they can master the basic content of a
lesson.
It is a fact that students try to remember the formula mechanically, or think
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carelessly and sometime do not find out the nature of the problem clearly to infer basic
conclusions.
Therefore, teachers should provide a fairly complete knowledge system to their
students , and help them understand carefully the knowledge learned.
CHAPTER 2. THE REALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING THE

KNOWLEDGE

RELATED TO “ TO HAVE” VERB IN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL

For high school students in general and at Trieu Thi Trinh 3rd High School ,
learning about the TO HAVE verb is usually used as a verb and they have seen
that it is different from other verbs. If regular verbs in the present tense on
confirmation is divided as V, Vs or Ves with most verbs (eg I like ... or ... He likes; I
watch ... or He watches ...), the HAVE verb can be divided into “HAVE” or “HAS”
Students also have to distinguish the difference between HAVE and HAVE GOT . The
negative forms of “HAVE” are used as “ DO NOT HAVE” or “DOES NOT HAVE”
while “HAVE GOT” being “HASN”T GOT” or “GOT”.
In the next lesson, the students have distinguish usages of “HAVE” meant as
“possess” (sở hữu). It is a fact that most of the students have translated an English
sentence "I have breakfast at 6:30 a.m" into Vietnamese : " Tôi có bữa sáng lúc sáu
rưỡi sáng."
They also have to keep in mind that “ HAVE” meant as "possess", it is not used in
the continuous tenses. However, the verb “HAVE” has other means used in the
continuous tenses.
For example, we can say: "I'm having breakfast." but we can not say, "She is having a
new car of the her own now".
The verb“ TO HAVE” with the function of an auxiliary verb is also complicated. It
can be used as auxiliary verb in the present perfect tense, present perfect continuous
tense, past perfect tense , past perfect continuous tense, future perfect, future perfect
continuous (active and passive sentences ). Besides, it is used in such structures as:
must have + past participle, might(not) have + past participle, should(n’t) have + past
participle, need(n’t) have + past participle, could(n’t) have + past participle,
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would(n’t) have + past participle, was/were to have + past participle. Each structure
has different meanings. In addition, it is also appeared in several special structures:
have somebody do something; have something done; have somebody doing something ,
etc.
In short, to teach students how to understand and distinguish the different usages of
the verb“ TO HAVE” is very difficult, and it is more difficult to help students how to
systematize this knowledge in a fairly full way.
CHAPTER 3. SOME WAYS OF USING THE TO HAVE VERB IN ENGLISH
3.1. PRONUNCIATION
Being a special verb , “TO HAVE” is conjugated : “has/have” for the present tense
and “had” for past tense . In affirmative form or negative from; present tense or part
tense, the verb has its abbreviation:
“have” can be pronounced as [hæv ] or [həv]
“has” can be pronounced as [hæz] or [həz]
We pronounce [hæv]/ [hæz] when there is stress and [həv]/[ həz] when there is no.
I have – I’ve [aiv]
He has – He’s[hi:z]
She has – She’s [∫i:z]
It has - It’s[its]
We has – We’ve[wi:v]
You have – You’ve [ju:v]
They have – They’ve[ðeiv]
have not = haven’t [hævnt]
has not = hasn’t [hæznt]
had not= hadn’t [hædnt]
Eg:
has [həz]

Has anyone seen my pencil?
He has been here.

She has got a book.
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[s]

It’s fallen on the floor
What’s happened?

[hæz] Has he got a ballpen?-> yes, he has
He hasn’t seen it yes.
have [həv] Where have you been?
I have got a book
They have gone
[hæv] Have you got a pen? -> yes, I have
I haven’t seen you for weeks
Have you finished?
had [hæd] He had a headache yesterday.
I hadn’t a car
3.2. HAVE AS AN ORDINARY VERB
3.2.1. HAVE and HAVE GOT meaning “possess”
This is the basic mean of HAVE.
3.2.1.1. The present form of HAVE as an ordinary verb
Affirmative full

Short form

Negative short form

form

I have

I’ve

I don’t have

You have

You’ve

You don’t have

He has

He’s

He doesn’t have

She has

She’s

She doesn’t have

It has

It’s

It doesn’t have

We have

We’ve

We don’t have

They have

They’ve

They don’t have

3.2.1.2. The past form of HAVE as an ordinary verb

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a chance


Affirmative full form Short form
I had
I’d

Negative short form
I didn’t have

You had

You’d

You didn’t have

He had

He’d

He didn’t have

She had

She’d

She didn’t have

It had

It’d

It didn’t have

We had

We’d

We didn’t have

They had

They’d

They didn’t have

a chance

3.2.1.3. The present form of HAVE GOT
Affirmative full form Short form
I have got
I’ve got

Negative short form
I haven’/ I’ve not got

You have got

You’ve got

You haven’t/ You’ve not got

He has got

He’s got

He hasn’t/ He’s not got

She has got

She’s got

She hasn’t/ He’s not got

It has got

It’s got

It hasn’t/ It’s not got

We have got

We’ve got

We haven’t/ We’ve not got

They have got

They’ve got

They haven’t/ They’ve not got

a chance

3.2.1.4. Notes on the form of HAVE and HAVE GOT meaning POSSESS HAVE
and HAVE GOT (= possess) are often interchangable but there are differences between
British and American usage.
a, HAVE GOT is basically a perfect form.
Compare the following:
a, get (= obtain)

b, have got (= possess)

A: Go and get the tickets.

A: Have you got the ticket?

What have you got?

B: Yes, I’ve got the tickets.

B: I’ve got the tickets.

(= I posess them)

(= I have obtained them)
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In British English, HAVE GOT can be used as the perfect form of GET to mean
“have obtained” as in “a” above. This meaning is emphasized in the American English
form “have gotten” which always means “have obtained”. However, in British English
(more rarely in American English) HAVE GOT can also mean “possess” as in “b”
above.
“I have the tickets” and “I’ve got the tickets” are equivalents.
Indeed, in spoken , idiomatic British English
“I’ve got the tickets” is more common than “I have the tickets”
b, In British English, questions and negative with HAVE = POSSESS can be formed in
the same way as for BE.
We say:

“Are you ready?”
“Have you a pen?” (= Have you got a pen?)
“Aren’t you ready?”

“Haven’t you a pen?” (= Haven’t you got a pen?)
“You aren’t ready.”
“You haven’t a pen.” (= You haven’t got a pen.)

There is an alternative negative form for HAVE GOT.
I’ve not got a pen.
But this is less common than
I haven’t got a pen.
HAVE on its own (without GOT) can also form questions and negatives with do/does/
did. This is usual in American English and is becoming more common in British
English. To the extent that:
“I hadn’t a pen.” and “Had you a pen?” are becoming rare.
Common:

You don’t have a pen.
Do you have a pen?
You didn’t have a pen.
Did you have a pen?
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c, HAVE (= possess) is a stative verb. It can’t be used in the progressive though it can
be used in all simple tenses.
Present

: I have a Ford.

Past

: He had a Ford last year.

Present perfect

: She has had this car for five years.

Past perfect

: She told me she had had this car for five years.

Future

: I will have a new car soon.

Future perfect

: By March she will have had her car for five years

With modal

: I can have a Ford as a company car.

HAVE (= possess) is not normally used in the passive. The imperative (never with
GOT) is rare:
Have patience!
d, HAVE GOT (= possess) is normally used only for present reference:
I’ve got a Ford.
The affirmative “had got” is sometime possible in the past, “had” on its own is
generally preferred.
The bride looked lovely. Her dress had (got) beautiful flowers.
We can never use “had got” for certain states.

He had ( not “had got”) long hair when he was a teenager.
“had got” is generally used in its original sense of “had obtained”.
When I saw him, he had just got a new car.
“will have got” is only used in the sense of “will have obtained”.
By May I will have got / will have obtained a new car.
HAVE GOT in the passive is impossible.
e, HADN’T GOT is usually possible to DIDN’T HAVE
I didn’t have / hadn’t got an appointment so I made one for 4 p.m
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I felt cold. I didn’t have / hadn’t got a coat.
HADN”T on its own (always contracted) is possible.
I hadn’t an appointment.
I hadn’t a coat.
But not very usual.
In past questions, the usual form is:
Did you have a coat?
Did you have an appoitment?
When did you have one?
“Had you…?” sounds old-fashioned and formal.
“Had you got…?” can be used in Yes/No questions but sounds awkward in Whquestions, so is ususlly avoided.
Had you got an appointment?
But not usual:
When had you got …?
HAVE GOT is preferable to HAVE in WHICH subject-questions:
Which (pen) have you got? (or Which pen do you have?)
But not usual:
Which pen have you?
f, Some form of HAVE (= possess) are rare or not encounted at all.

-The short form of the affirmative, especially in the third person (he’s / she’s)
The full form is used
He/ She has a pen. ( not He’s a pen. )
-The uncontracted negative ( The contracted form is normal.)
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I haven’t/ hadn’t a pen.
-Some question forms, except when formed with DO
g, Compare
My bag’s old. It’s old. (= My bag is old. It is old. )
My bag’s got a hole in it. It’s got a hole in it.
(= My bag has got a hole in it. It has got a hole in it. )
h, The non-standard form “ain’t got” is commonly heard in place of “haven’t got” and
“hadn’t got”.
I ain’t got my bag.
She ain’t got her bag.
Similarly “have” and “has” are often omitted before “got”
I got my car outside.
3.2.1.5. When we use HAVE and HAVE GOT (= possess)
In all the examples below HAVE can be replaced by HAVE GOT in the present and
sometimes in the past. Short form with GOT ( I’ve got…) are much more common than
full form ( I have got… ) especially in speech.
a, In the sense of “own” or “possess”
I have (got) a new briefcase.
She has (got) a nice flat.
b, In the sense of “be able to provide”
Do you have/Have you got any ink?
(= Can you let me have some?)
Do you have/Have you got any fresh eggs?

(= Can you let me have some?)
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c, Have (got) + number (of things) / quantity of a substance.
I have (got) ten pencils.
He has (got) a lot of milk.
d, Possession of physical characteristics.
HAVE and HAVE GOT combine with nouns like:
a beard; blue eyes; long hair; a scar; a slim figure
to describe appearance.
You should see our baby. He has (got) big brown eyes.
Our dog has (got) long ears.
This plant has (got) lovely russet leaves.
Our house has (got) five room.
e, Possession of mental and emotional qualities
HAVE and HAVE GOT combine with nouns like:
faith; a good mind; patience; a quick temper
To describe character.
She has (got) nice manners but she has (got) a quick temper.
f, Family relationships
I have (got) a good brother.
He has (got) a lot of friends.
g, In the sense of “wear”
That’s a nice dress you have/ you’ve got on.
I can’t answer the door. I have (got) nothing on.
h, Illness

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HAVE and HAVE GOT combine with nouns describing pains and illness. For the use
of a/an with such nouns.
I have (got) a cold.
She has (got) a bad headache.
The baby has (got) measles.
i, Arrangements
HAVE and HAVE GOT combine with nouns like:
an appointment; a conference; a date; an interview; a meeting …
I have (got) an appointment with my dentist tomorrow morning
Sally has (got) an interview for a job today.
j, Opinions
HAVE and HAVE GOT combine with nouns like:
an idea; influence; an objection; an opinion; a proposal; a suggestion;
a point of view
I have (got) an idea.
Have you (got) any objection to this proposal?
k, In the sense of “There is”
You have (got) a stain on your shirt.
(= There is a stain on your shirt.)
He has (got) sand in his hair.
(= There is sand in his hair.)
3.2.2. HAVE meaning something other than “possess”
3.2.2.1. Formation of HAVE meaning something other than “possess” (denoting
action)
Imperative

: Have a cup of coffee!
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Simple present

: I always have milk in my tea.

Present progressive

: We’re having lunch.

Simple past

: We had a lovely holiday last summer.

Past progressive

: I was having a bath when the telephone rang.

Present perfect

: Poor Jim has just had an accident.

Present perfect progressive

: The children have been having a lot of fun.

Past perfect

: I woke up because I had had a bad dream.

Past perfect progressive

: I woke up. I had been having a bad dream.

Simple future

: I’ll have a haircut tomorrow.

Future progressive

: If anyone phones, I’ll be having a bath.

Future perfect

: You’ll have had an answer by tomorrow.Future

perfect progressive

: She’ll been having treatment all her life.

With modal verbs

: You could have a cup of tea if you like.

3.2.2.2. The formation of HAVE (= possess) and HAVE (other meanings)
a, HAVE in the sense of “eat, enjoy, experience, drink, take…” is a dynamic verb so it
is concerned with actions ( have a walk) not states like HAVE in the sense of
POSSESS ( I have got a car ). Because of this, it can be used in the progressive form of
all tenses.
Compare:
I have (= I have got) a drink, thanks.

( It’s in my hand. - stative )
I’m having a drink.
(I’m drinking. - dynamic )
I have a drink every evening before dinner.
(= I drink. – dynamic )
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HAVE GOT can never replace HAVE used as a dynamic verb
b, HAVE in the sense of TAKE ect is used like any other English verb. This means that
- questions and negatives in the simple present and simple past must be formed with
do/does/did.
Do you have milk in your tea?
I don’t have milk in my tea.
Did you have a nice holiday?
I didn’t have a nice holiday.
Does he have drinks everyday?
Compare HAVE meaning POSSESS
Have you got any milk in your tea? (= Is there any milk in your tea?)
I haven’t got any milk in my tea. (= There isn’t any milk in my tea.)
- It occurs freely in all active tenses as the context permits, but passive form are rare.
A good time was had by all.
- The passive infinitive sometimes occurs in:
I tried t buy some extra copies of this morning newspaper, but there
was none to be had. ( They were not available.)
c, There are no contracted form of HAVE (= take) as an ordinary verb in the simple
present and simple past.
I have a cold shower everymorning. (not I’ve)
Compare HAVE meaning “possess”
I have/I’ve/ I’ve got a new shower in my bathroom.

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d, The present and past perfect tenses of HAVE involve the use of HAVE as both
auxilary verb and main verb. For this reason, the present perfect and past perfect forms
are given in full below.
3.2.1.3. Formation of the present perfect of HAVE = TAKE
Affirmative

Short form

Negative short form

I have had

I’ve had

I’ve not had/ I haven’t had

You have had

You’ve had

You’ve not had/ You haven’t had

He has had

He’s had

He’s not had/ He hasn’t had

She has had

She’s had

She’s not had/ She hasn’t had

It has had

It’s had

It’s not had/ It hasn’t had

We have had

We’ve had

We’ve not had/ We haven’t had

They have had

They’ve had

They’ve not had/ They haven’t had

lunch

3.2.1.4. Formation of the past perfect of HAVE = TAKE
Affirmative

Short form

Negative short form

I had had

I’d had

I’d not had/ I hadn’t had

You had had

You’d had

You’d not had/ You hadn’t had

He had had

He’d had

He’d not had/ He hadn’t had

She had had

She’d had

She’d not had/ She hadn’t had

It had had

It’d had

It’d not had/ It hadn’t had

We had had

We’d had

We’d not had/ We hadn’t had

They had had

They’d had

They’d not had/ They hadn’t had

3.2.1.5. Notes on the form of “ have had” and “had had”
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lunch


a, These forms “have had” and “had had” are, of course, quite regular.
“I have had my lunch.” and “I had had my lunch.”
Work in the same way as:
“I have eaten my lunch.” and “I had eaten my lunch.”
Here are a few more examples of HAVE as an ordinary verb in the present perfect and
past perfect.
Have you ever had lunch at Maxim’s?

That boy looks as if he’s never had his hair cut.
I had never had a ride on an elephant before I went to India.
b, In general, the negative forms I haven’t had/ I hadn’t had are more common than
I’ve not had/ I’d not had.
I haven’t had dinner.
She hadn’t had a good holiday.
c, The following form should not be confused.
He’s ill. (= He is ill.)
He’s had lunch. (= He has had lunch.)
He said he’d have lunch. (= He said he would have lunch.)
He’d had lunch. (= He had had lunch.)
3.2.1.6. Common HAVE + noun combinations
HAVE combines with a great many nouns. In this respect, it is similar to other phrases
with such verbs as GIVE ( give a thought )

and TAKE ( take an exam ). For verb

phrases of this kind and for example with HAVE:
Let’s have lunch. I’d like to have a sandwich please.
Have you had breakfast? Have a cup of coffee.
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3.2.1.7. HAVE + noun in place of other verbs.
The verb “to sleep” etc can be expressed with HAVE + noun in the sense of “perform
that activity”
to dance = to have a dance
I had two dances with Molly.
to fight = to have a fight
Those twins are always having fights.

to look = to have a look
Just have a look at this.
to rest = to have a rest
I want to have a rest this afternoon.
to ride = to have a ride
Can I have a ride in your car?
to talk = to have a talk
Jim and I have just had a long talk.
to swim = to have a swim
Come and have a swim with us.
to wash = to have a wash
I must have a wash before lunch.
HAVE commonly replaces verbs like the following:
Receive: I had a letter from Jim this morning.
Permit:

I won’t have that kind of behaviour in my house.

3.2.1.8. The use of HAVE in the imperative
One of the most common uses of HAVE (= take etc) is in the imperative. It’s often used
after DO for emphasis and / or encouragement.
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Do have a ride.
Common sentences are.
offers :

Do have some oysters! Don’t have tomato soup!

suggestions:

Have a bath and a rest and you’ll feel better

encouragements: Have a go! Have a try! Have a shot at it!
good wishes:

Have fun! Have a good time! Have a good day!
(fixed expressions)

There are no direct references to appetite, digestion, etc (like “Bon appetit!” in French
or “Guten Appetit!” in German)
But expression with HAVE can be cointed to suit particular occasions.
Have a really good meal! Have a lovely party!
Have a really restful holiday!
Have a really interesting debate!
3.3. HAVE AS AN AUXILARY VERB
3.3.1. Formation and use of HAVE as an auxilary verb.
3.3.1.1. Formation
In present tense
Affirmative

Negative

Interogative

Negative interogative

I have/ I’ve

I have not/haven’t/I’ve not

have I?

have I not/haven’t I?

You have/ You’ve

You have not/haven’t/you’ve not

have you?

have you not/haven’t you?

He has/ He’s

He has not/hasn’t/ He’s not

has he?

has he not/hasn’t he?

She has/ She’s

She has not/ hasn’t/ She’s not

has she?

has she not/ hasn’t she?

It has/ It’s

It has not/ hasn’t/ It’s not

has it?

has it not/hasn’t it?

We have/ We’ve

We have not/ haven’t/ We’ve not

have we?

have we not/ haven’t we?

They have/They’ve

They have not/haven’t/They’ve not

have they?

have they not/ haven’t they?

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In past tense
Affirmative

Negative

Interogative

Negative interogative

I had / I’d

I had not/ hadn’t

had I?

had I not / hadn’t I?

You had / You’d

You had not / hadn’t

had you?

had you not / hadn’t you?

He had / He’d

He had not / hadn’t

had he?

had he not / hadn’t he?

She had / She’d

She had not / hadn’t

had she?

had she not / hadn’t she?

It had / It’d

It had not / hadn’t

had it?

had it not / hadn’t it?

We had / We’d

We had not / hadn’t

had we?

had we not / hadn’t we?

They had / They’d

They had not / hadn’t

had they?

had they not / hadn’t they?

*

Other tenses follow the rules for ordinary verb.
3.3.1.2. Use
HAVE is used with the past participle to form:
a, Present perfect tense
have / has + past participle
The present perfect tense is formed with the present tense of HAVE and the past
participle. This tense may be said to be a sort of mixture of present and past. It always
implies a strong connection with the present and is chiefly used in conversations,
letters, newspapers, television and radio reports.
He has just gone out.
Have you had breakfast? ~ No, I haven’t had it yet.
I’ve washed the car.
He has seen wolves in that forest.
Mary has rung up twice this afternoon already.
We have waited all day.
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Has the postman come this morning?
b, Past perfect tense
Had+ past participle
This tense is formed with HAD and the past participle. This tense is the past equivalent
of the present perfect.
When I arrived he had just left.
She had left her case on the 4.00 train.
I had served in the army for ten years, then I retired and married.

The past perfect tense is also the past equivalent of the simple past tense.
He met her in Paris in 1977. He had last seen her ten years before.
c, Future perfect
Shall/ will + have + past participle
This tense is formed with: shall/ will have + past participle for the first persons
will have + past participle for other persons
The future perfect tense is used for an action which at a given future time will be in the
past or will just have finished.
I save $50 a month and I started in January. So by the end of the year,
I will have saved $600.
By the end of next month, he will have been here for ten years.
We’d better wait till December, David will have had his exam by then
so he’ll be able to go with us.
d, Present perfect continuous tense
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have / has + been + present participle
This tense is formed by the present tense of HAVE + been + present participle . It’s
ued for an action which began in the past and is still continuing or has just finished.
I’ve been waiting for an hour and he still hasn’t turned up.
I’m sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?
I’ve been hearing all about this operation.
She has been having a tooth out.
e, Past perfect continuous tense
had + been + present participle
This tense is formed with HAD + been + present participle. It bears the same relation
to the past perfect as the present perfect continuous bears to the present perfect.
He had been trying to get her on the phone.
The boy was delighted with his new bike. He had been dreaming of

one for a long time.
It was now six and he was tired because he had been working since
dawn.
f, Future perfect continuous tense
shall / will + have+ been + present participle
This tense is formed with: will/shall have been + present participle for the first persons
and will have been + present participle for the other persons.
Like the future perfect, it is normally used with a time expression beginning with BY.
The future perfect continuous bears the same relationship to the future perfect as the
present perfect continuous bears to the present perfect.
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By the end of this year, he’ll have been acting for thirty years.
By the end of the month, he’ll have trained 600 horses.
g, HAVE can be used after modal verbs to express perfect conditional.
* may / might + have + past participle
This is used in speculation about past action.
He may / might have gone. (= perhaps he has gone.)
might must be used when the main verb is in a past tense.
He said that he might have missed the trained.
might not may must be used when the matter was never put to the test.
Perhaps we should have taken the other road. It might have been quick.
It’s a good thing you didn’t lend him the money. You might never have got it
back.
might / may can be used instead of would in conditional sentences to indicate a
possible instead of a certain result.
If you had left it there, someone would have stolen it.
= If you had left it there, someone might have stolen it.
* could + have + past participle

This can be used instead of may / might + have + past participle
He may / might / could have heard it from Jack.
This form is also used for past ability when the action was not performed.
I could have lent you the money. Why didn’t you ask me?
I walked up six flights of stairs. ~ You needn’t have walked up, you
could have taken the lift.
When we don’t know whether it was performed or not
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The money has disappeared. Who could have taken it?
This form can also express irritation at or reproach for the non-performance of an
action.
You could have told me ( = I’m annoyed that you didn’t tell me.)
* can’t / couldn’t + have + past participle
This expresses negative deduction about a past event.
A man answered the phone. I suppose it was her husband.
~ It can’t / couldn’t have been her husband. He’s been dead for ages.
couldn’t must be used when the deduction is made in the past or introduced by a verb
in the past tense.
She said I couldn’t have come on the Circle Line.
He said it couldn’t have been an airoplane.
* ought / should + have + past participle
This construction is used to express an unfulfilled obligation or a sensible action that
was neglected. In the negative, it expresses a wrong or foolish action in the past.
You ought to have told him that the paint on that seat was wet.
You should have told him that the paint on that seat was wet.
They ought to have stopped at the traffic lights.
She shouldn’t have opened the letter. It wasn’t addressed to her.
The Emergency Exit doors shouldn’t have been locked.

* must + have + past participle
This is used for deduction considering a past action
He must have come by taxi.
( There was no other way of making this journey.)
* needn’t + have + past participle
This form is often combined with could + have + past participle.
She stood in a queue to get an Underground ticket.
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