Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect is formed from the present tense of the
verb have and the past participle of a verb.
E.g.
- We have seen that movie.
- He has studied abroad.
- I have read a new novel.
- They have traveled together.
- It has rained a lot lately.
What have you done lately?
✓I’ve watched a lot of new series.
✓I’ve done exercise. What about
✓I’ve studied a lot for my tests. you?
✓I’ve talked to my friends by zoom. What have
✓I’ve learned how to cook. you done?
✓I’ve met new people on line.
Form
have/has + past participle Base form Past simple Past participle
- I have studied for the test. Be was/were been
Go went gone
- Have you won the lottery? Do did done
Eat ate eaten
Haven’t/hasn’t + past participle Drink drank drunk
- He hasn’t read the book. See saw seen
Write wrote written
- They haven’t had time. Take took taken
Get got gotten
Ride rode ridden
Contractions Swim swam swum
I’ve We’ve
You’ve You’ve Buy bought bought
He’s/She’s/It’s They’ve
Make affirmative, negative or interrogative statements.
1. (I / go / to the library today)
2. (you / keep a pet for three years)
3. (you / eat Thai food before?)
4. (it / rain all day?)
5. (who / we / forget to invite?)
6. (we / not / hear that song already)
7. (he / not / forget his books)
8. (she / steal all the chocolate!)
9. (I / explain it well?)
10.(who / he / meet recently?)
11.(how / we / finish already?)
12.(he / study Latin)
13.(I / know him for three months)
14.(where / you / study Arabic?)
15.(what countries / they / visit in
Europe?)
16.(he / hurt his leg)
We use the Present Perfect:
✓For something that started in the past and continues in
the present.
- They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.
- She has lived in Sydney all her life.
- He has worked in this company since 2005.
“How long…?” Since or For?
Since: Exact point in the
✓ How long have you lived here? past when the action
I’ve lived here for nearly 20 years. started.
E.g:
✓ Since last year
✓ Since 2001
✓ How long have you been married? ✓ Since I was born
We’ve been married for 5 months.
For: Duration of time,
how long the activity lasts.
✓ How long have you worked for that company? E.g:
✓ For 10 years
I’ve worked there since 2012. ✓ For a long time
✓ For 3 months
We use the Present Perfect:
✓When we are talking about our experience up to the
present.
- I’ve read the Twilight Saga.
- I’ve played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.
- He has written three books so far.
- They’ve traveled several times.
What have you done…?
What have you done this year?
This year, I’ve taken some on line classes, I’ve also learned how to cook
because I spent so much time at home due to the pandemic, and I’ve
seen a lot of interesting series on Netflix.
What have you done today?
Today, I’ve gone to the market. I’ve bought some groceries for the
week. I’ve seen the news and I’ve cleaned my house a little.
What about you? What have you done?
✓ We often use Ever to ask questions about unique or unusual events.
- Have you ever seen a ghost?
Yes, I have. It was pretty scary.
- Has she ever traveled
abroad? No, she hasn’t left
the country.
✓ And Never for the negative form.
- I’ve never been to France.
- They’ve never seen a shooting star.
Have
you
ever
…?
Look at this conversation, we use Past simple Tense to ask
more specific questions about the event.
A: “Have you ever taken dance classes?”
B: “Yes, I have. I took 6 weeks of lessons before my
wedding last year.”
A: “Wow! So did you dance well on the big day?”
B: “No, I didn’t – I forgot everything I’d learned in the
classes, and I stepped on my wife’s feet many times!”
A: “Oh no! Was she angry?”
B: “No – she said she still loved me!”
Present Perfect with Time adverbials
✓ We often use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to the recent past.
Just
- Scientists have just discovered a new breed of monkeys.
- We have just returned from our holidays.
✓ Or adverbials which include the present.
Ever (questions) / Already (positive) / Yet (questions and negative)
- Have you ever ridden a camel?
- Have you cleaned your room yet?
- Have you finished your homework yet ?
- Yes, I’ve already finished it.
✓We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past
time.
Yesterday/last week/last month/in 2015/when I was a kid/etc.
- I have seen that film yesterday.
- We have just bought a car last week.
- We have been to Miami when we were children.
✓ But we can use adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished.
Today/this month/this week/this year/etc.
- Have you seen John today?
- We have bought a new car this week.
