Present Perfect

Basic form
Subject + HAS/HAVE + Verb (past participle form)
Use
1. Actions which happened at an indefinite (unknown) time before now
2. Actions in the past which have an effect on the present moment
3. Actions which began in the past and continue in the present
Examples
I have read this book.
The man has gone away.
John has worked as a teacher for over 25 years.

For and Since

Since and For are very common time expressions used with the Present Perfect.
We use For with a period of time, for example:
I have lived here for 20 years.
When talking about a starting point, we use Since, for example:
I have lived here since 1960.

Remember
You should not use this tense with time expressions like yesterday, a week ago,
last year etc.

Past Perfect
Basic form
Subject + HAD + Verb (past participle form)
Use
1. Completed action before another action in the past
2. Third conditional sentences
3. Reported speech
4. Dissatisfaction with the past
Examples
I had written the letter before you came home.
If she had studied hard, she would have passed the English language exam.
I wish I had been brave enough.
Mary looked as if she had not slept for 48 hours.
Good to know
 People (especially native speakers) do not use the Past Perfect in above sentences
very often. For example, they will say:
After I washed my car, I went to fill up.
Rather than:
After I had washed my car, I went to fill up.
This is because "after" and "before" tell the listener which action happened first.
Still, keep in mind that it is better to use the Past Perfect, especially in written
English or when writing exams.

The Past Perfect is also used with expressions such as "as if" and "as though":
John looked as if he had done something terrible.
She looked as though she hadn't slept all night.

Future Perfect
Basic form
Subject + WILL HAVE + Verb (past participle form)
Use
1. Completion before a specified point in the future
2. Actions or situations that will last in the future (for a specified time)
3. Certainty that an action was completed
Examples
I will have graduated from university by May.
Patrick will have lived in Hong Kong for 20 years by the next month.
The train will have left by now.
Common Time Expressions
Time expressions that are commonly used with the Future Perfect:
By
By the time
Before
By tomorrow/7 o'clock/next month
Until/till
Important
The Future Perfect appears in two forms: "will" form and "going to" form which
can be used interchangably.
Example:
"She will have finished" means "she is going to have finished"