MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

Which of the following is an example of the Present Perfect Tense?

1. I will run a marathon

2. I am running a marathon

3. I have run a marathon

4. I had run a marathon

The correct answer is: I have run a marathon

The Present Perfect Tense is used to indicate an action that has occurred at an unspecified time before now. It often emphasizes the result or completion of the action in the present. In the case of the correct answer, the phrase "I have run a marathon" effectively illustrates this tense by showing that the action of running a marathon is completed, but the exact timing is not specified, allowing for relevance to the present moment. The other options represent different tenses or aspects of actions. For instance, one option uses the simple future tense ("I will run a marathon"), which indicates that the action will take place in the future. Another option utilizes the present continuous tense ("I am running a marathon"), suggesting that the action is currently in progress. The last option employs the past perfect tense ("I had run a marathon"), which denotes an action that was completed before another action in the past. Each of these reflects a distinct timing and aspect of the action that makes them different from the Present Perfect Tense.