The visual-temporal form of Present Perfect (R. R.) functions almost exclusively in direct speech, however, there are cases of its use in the narrative part of works of fiction. This work is devoted to the analysis of such cases.

The aspectual character of the verb — a phenomenon first identified in English studies by E. Kreising and subsequently developed by G. N. Vorontsova, I. P. Ivanova, and others—is by its very nature relevant to the category of aspect in any period of the English language's existence. However, the significance and substance of its role in the language change depending on factors such as the chronological "slice" of the language and the mode of interaction between this phenomenon and verbal structures within each "slice".