Use Have and Had Correctly

USE HAVE AND HAD CORRECTLY
Two tenses that are often confused are the present perfect (have + past
participle) and the past perfect (had + past participle). These two tenses have
completely different uses, and you should understand how to differentiate them.
The present perfect (have + past participle) refers to the period of
time from the past until the present.
Sue has lived in Los Angeles for ten

years.
This sentence means that Sue has lived in Los Angeles for ten years up to
now. According to this sentence, Sue IS still living in Los Angeles.
Because the present perfect refers to a period of time from the past until the
present, it is not correct in a sentence that indicates past only.
• At the start of the nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson has become*

president of the United States.
• Every time Jim worked on his car, he has improved* it.
In the first example, the phrase “at the start of the nineteenth century”
indicates that the action of the verb was in the past only, but the verb indicates
the period of time from the past until the present. Since this is not logical, the
sentence is not correct. The verb in the first example should be the simple past
“became”. The second example indicates that Jim “worked” on his car in the
past, but he improved it in the period from the past until the present. This idea
also is not logical. The verb in the second example should be the simple past
“improved”.
The past perfect (had + past participle) refers to a period of time “that
started in the past and ended in the past, before something else happened in
the past”.
• Sue had lived in Los Angeles for ten years when she moved to San
Diego. This sentence means that Sue lived in Los Angeles for ten years in
the past before she moved to San Diego in the past. She no longer lives in Los
Angeles.
Because the past perfect begins in the past and ends in the past, it is
generally not correct in the same sentence with the present tense.
• Tom had finished the exam when the teacher collects* the papers.
This sentence indicates that “Tom finished the exam” (in the past)
and that action ended “when the teacher collects the papers” (in the present).
This is not logical, so the sentence is not correct. Tom finished the exam (in
the past), and the action of finishing the exam ended when the teacher
collected the papers. Therefore, the second verb in this example should be in
the past tense, “collected”.
USE THE CORRECT TENSE WITH TIME
EXPRESSION
Often in written expression questions on the TOEFL test, there is a time
expression that clearly indicates what verb tense is needed in the sentence.
• We moved to New York in 1980.

• We had left there by 1990.
• We have lived in San Francisco since 1999.
In the first example, the time expression “in 1980” indicates that the verb
should be in the simple past (moved). In the second example, the time
expression “by 1990” indicates that the verb should be in the past perfect
(had left). In the third example, the time expression “since 1999” indicates
that the verb should be in the present perfect (have lived).
Some additional time expressions that clearly indicate the correct tense are
ago, last, and lately.
• She got a job two years ago.
• She started working last week.
• She has worked very hard lately.
In the first example, the time expression “two years ago” indicates that the verb
should be in the simple past (got). In the second example, the time expression
“last week” indicates that the verb should be in the simple past (started). In the
third example, the time expression “lately” indicates that the verb should be in the
present perfect (has worked).
USE THE CORRECT TENSE WITH WILL AND WOULD
'will' and 'would'
We use will:
to express beliefs about the present or future

to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do
to make promises, offers and requests.
would is the past tense form of will. Because it is a past tense, it is used:
to talk about the past

to talk about hypotheses (when we imagine something)
for politeness.
Beliefs
We use will to express beliefs about the present or future:
John will be in his office. (present)

We'll be late. (future)
We will have to take the train. (future)
We use would as the past of will, to describe past beliefs about the
future:
I thought we would be late, so we would have to take the train.

Willingness
We use will:
•to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do:

We'll see you tomorrow.
Perhaps Dad will lend me the car.
•to talk about typical behaviour, things that we often do (because we are
willing to do them):
We always spend our holidays at our favourite hotel at the seaside. We'll
get up early every morning and have a quick breakfast then we'll go across
the road to the beach.
We use would as the past tense of will:
•to talk about what people wanted to do or were willing to do in the past:
We had a terrible night. The baby wouldn't go to sleep.
Dad wouldn't lend me the car, so we had to take the train.
•to talk about typical behaviour, things that we often did (because we were
willing to do them) in the past:
When they were children they used to spend their holidays at their
grandmother's at the seaside. They'd get up early every morning and have a
quick breakfast. Then they'd run across the road to the beach.
Promises, offers and requests
We use I will or We will to make promises and offers:
I'll give you a lift home after the party.

We'll come and see you next week.
We use Will you … ? or Would you … ? to make requests:
Will you carry this for me, please?

Would you please be quiet?
USE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE PASSIVE
One way that the passive can be tested on the TOEFL test is simply with an
incorrect form of the passive. The following are examples of passive errors
that might appear on the TOEFL test:
The portrait was painting by a famous artist.

The project will finished by Tim.
In the first example, the passive is formed incorrectly because the past
participle painted should be used rather than the present participle painting.
In the second example, the verb be has not been included, and some
form of be is necessary for a passive verb. The verb in the second sentence
should be will be finished.
THE FORM OF THE PASSIVE
be + past participle (by + object)

Use Have and Had Correctly

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USE HAVE AND HAD CORRECTLY

Sue has lived in Los Angeles for ten

• At the start of the nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson has become*

• We moved to New York in 1980.

to express beliefs about the present or future

to talk about the past

John will be in his office. (present)

I thought we would be late, so we would have to take the train.

•to talk about what people want to do or are willing to do:

Perhaps Dad will lend me the car.

Dad wouldn't lend me the car, so we had to take the train.

We use I will or We will to make promises and offers:

I'll give you a lift home after the party.

We use Will you … ? or Would you … ? to make requests:

Will you carry this for me, please?

The portrait was painting by a famous artist.

THE FORM OF THE PASSIVE

be + past participle (by + object)

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