▲如果 appear 和 seem 是用作连系动词，它确实主要是用于一般现在时和一般过去时，但有时也用于完成时态（现在完成时和过去完成时）。如：

The past few days have seemed comparatively flat and empty. 过去这几天似乎比较平淡无聊。

She had been surprised at how amiable and polite he had seemed. 看到他如此和蔼可亲、彬彬有礼，她非常惊讶。

That expressionless face had seemed deep and mysterious. 那张毫无表情的脸看上去深沉而又神秘。

At one point he had seemed a likely candidate to become Prime Minister. 他一度看似是个合适的首相人选。

He was surprised they had married — they had seemed so different. 他俩居然结婚了——这让他非常惊讶，因为他们实在是太不一样了。

The woman he had seen performing on stage was in actuality quite older than she had seemed. 他所见的那个在舞台上表演的女人实际年龄比看上去要大很多。

For many days now Buddy and Joe had appeared to be more and more tangled up in secrets. 这些天巴迪和乔好像变得越来越神神秘秘。

注：上面的例子也说明，除了一般现在时和一般过去时外，在 appear 和 seem 之后的 to be 也可以省去的。

▲另外，seem 和 appear 的完成式还可用于情态动词之后。如：

It must have seemed a miracle to the onlookers. 对于旁观者来说这必定像是奇迹。

The scar added interest to a face that otherwise would have appeared too bland. 这处伤疤为本显得平淡无奇的脸增添了些吸引力。

▲注意，若 appear 不是用作连系动词（比如用作实义动词，表示“出现”“演出”“出席”“出庭”“出版”等），则其时态用法比较灵活。如：

Slogans have appeared on walls around the city. 标语已出现在全城周围的墙上。

She is currently appearing at the Liverpool Playhouse. 她目前正在利物浦剧院演出。

He’s appearing at a local folk festival tonight. 他将在今晚出席当地的民俗节日活动。

Harris disappeared from the scene as suddenly as he had appeared. 哈里斯突然出现，又突然消失了。