NOTE: Building perfect constructions requires that you understand the different forms a verb may take, what are often called its ‘principal parts’:

• the ‘infinitive (I_^NF) form (identical with the 'present' form except with the verb BE)
• the ‘present’ (P_^R) form, and its 3d person singular variant (P_^R3)
• the ‘past’ (P_^A) form, sometimes called the -ed form
• the ‘present participle’ (P_^R·P_^PL), also called the ‘active participle’, ‘participle-gerund’, or -ing form
• the ‘past participle’ (P_^A·P_^PL), also called the ‘passive participle’ or -en form (in regular verbs, and some irregular verbs, identical with the 'past' form)

The Basic perfect (P_^F) construction

The English ‘perfects’ are a set of verb constructions which use a form of the auxiliary verb HAVE followed by the past participle (notated here as P_^A·P_^PL) of the following verb. In the ‘basic’ P_^F construction the following verb is the lexical verb (VERB), which is the verb which carries the ‘meaning’.

Here, for example, is how that works with the lexical verb WRITE:

Most forms of HAVE may be employed in this construction. Constructions employing a P_^R or P_^A ‘finite’ form are called the ‘present perfect’ (P_^R·P_^F) and ‘past perfect’ (P_^A·P_^F), respectively, and may be used wherever a finite verb is called for.

Constructions with the non-finite I_^NF and P_^R·P_^PL forms of HAVE may be used like ordinary infinitives and present participles in subordinate clauses.

HAVE ^I_NF (have) may also be employed as the complement of modal verbs; when the modal verb is will the construction is called the ‘future perfect’ (F_^U·P_^F).

Coleridge may have written ‘Kubla Khan’ in 1797, 1798, or 1799.
I will have written my paper by next week.

But HAVE ^P_R·P_PL is never employed in the progressive (P_^RG) construction BE + P_^R·P_^PL:

^∗Coleridge was having written ‘Kubla Khan’ in 1797, 1798, or 1799.

HAVE ^P_A·P_PL may of course act as the lexical verb (VERB) in the second position. In this case it has one of its ordinary senses, such as ‘possess’ or ‘experience’.

I have had a hard time with this essay.

Extended Pf constructions

P_^F constructions may also be combined with modal verbs (MODAL) and with progressive (P_^RG) and passive (P_^SV) constructions. The rules are basically very simple:

• These constructions follow a strict order: the MODAL component first, the P_^F component next, then the P_^RG, then the P_^SV, with VERB always at the end.
• Each construction is marked with a specific auxiliary verb, HAVE or BE, and there is a ‘ripple’ effect: the form (P_^PL or I_^NF) of each of these verbs is determined by the preceding component.

If the HAVE form is preceded by a MODAL verb it must take the I_^NF form, have. In all other cases the HAVE form is first. It can take any finite or non-finite form except the P_^A·P_^PL. It is always followed by the P_^A·P_^PL form of the next verb in the chain.

Perfect passive (P_^F·P_^SV) constructions

The basic P_^SV construction is built with a form of BE followed by the P_^A·P_^PL of VERB.

The P_^F·_^SV construction is therefore built as follows

• It starts with a form of HAVE.
• This is followed by the P_^A·P_^PL form of BE (been). That completes the P_^F part of the construction and starts the P_^SV part of the construction.
• The final element is the P_^A·P_^PL form of VERB. That completes the P_^SV part of the construction.

Perfect progressive (P_^F·P_^RG) constructions

The basic P_^RG construction is built with a form of BE followed by the P_^R·P_^PL, the –ing form, of VERB.

The P_^F·Prg construction is therefore built as follows:

• It starts with a form of HAVE.
• This is followed by the P_^A·P_^PL form of BE (been). That completes the P_^F part of the construction and starts the P_^RG part of the construction.
• The final element is the P_^R·P_^PL form of VERB. That completes the P_^RG part of the construction.

• So the only difference between P_^F• P_^RG constructions and P_^F·P_^SV constructions is the form of the final VERB: an –ing form instead of a P_^A·P_^PL.

  P_^F·Psv John has been praised by Bill.
  P_^F·P_^RG John has been praising Bill.

Perfect progressive passive (P_^F·P_^RG· P_^SV) constructions

This construction combines the P_^F, P_^RG and P_^SV constructions:

• It starts with a form of HAVE.
• This is followed by the P_^A·P_^PL form of BE (been). That completes the P_^F part of the construction and starts the P_^RG part of the construction.
• This is followed by the P_^R·P_^PL form of BE (being). That completes the P_^RG part of the construction and starts the P_^SV part of the construction.
  The final element is the P_^A·P_^PL form of VERB. That completes the P_^SV part of the construction.

There is rarely any occasion to use these complicated forms, and there is usually a simpler way to express the same thing. But for the sake of completeness, here are the construction and examples: