Present
Perfect
The present perfect is formed from
the present tense of the verb have
(have/has) and the past participle of
a main verb:
I have traveled to the USA once.
Auxiliary Past participle of travel
Negative form
I saw my grandmother last week. I haven’t seen
her this week.
Sarah talked to her brother yesterday. She hasn’t
talked to him today.
I paid all my bills last month. I haven’t paid my bills
this month yet.
INTERROGATIVE FORM
•Have you seen Twilight?
Yes, I have.
No, I haven’t.
•Have you (ever) been to Europe?
Yes, I have.
No, I haven’t. (or) No, I have never been
there.
•Have you cleaned your room (yet)?
No, I haven’t. (or) Not yet.
Yes, I have (already).
VERB SIMPLE PAST PAST
PARTICIPLE
STUDY STUDIED STUDIED
VISIT VISITED VISITED
TRAVEL TRAVELED TRAVELED
IRREGULAR VERBS
HAVE HAD HAD
SPEAK SPOKE SPOKEN
WRITE WROTE WRITTEN
READ READ READ
I have had two cups of coffee today.
I have spoken to Mark this week.
I have read all four of the Twilight
books.
SIMPLE PAST X PRESENT PERFECT
UNFINISHED TIME /
FINISHED TIME UNKNOWN TIME
YESTERDAY TODAY
He has studied only English
John studied Maths and today. (but today isn’t
English yesterday. finished, so he may study
LAST WEEK Maths before it’s over)
THIS WEEK
I visited my mother I have visited my mother
twice last week. only once this week.
THIS MONTH
LAST MONTH
UNKNOWN TIME
LAST YEAR
I have watched all Harry
1991 Potter movies.
When do we use
the Present
Perfect?
They’ve been married for nearly fifty
years.
They were married for nearly fifty years.
For something that started in the past and
continues in the present:
They’ve been married for nearly fifty
years. (They are still married)
They were married for nearly fifty years.
(Simple past. They are not married
anymore)
For something that started in the past and
continues in the present:
She has lived in Liverpool all her life.
She lived in Liverpool all her life.
For something that started in the past and
continues in the present:
She has lived in Liverpool all her
life. (She still lives there).
She lived in Liverpool all her life.
(She probably died).
For something that happened in the past but
is important at the time of speaking:
I can’t get in the house. I’ve lost my keys.
Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone
shopping.
We use the present perfect of be when
someone has gone to a place
and returned. But when someone has not
returned we use have/has gone:
A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?
B: No, but I’ve been to Los Angeles.
A: Where is Maria? I haven’t seen her since
last weekend.
B: She's gone to Paris. She’ll be back
tomorrow.
We use the Present Perfect with
unfinished time:
Have you seen Helen today?
I haven’t been to Paris. (In my life)
Mom’s phoned me only once this week.
We often use the present perfect
with time adverbials
(just) which refer to the recent
past:
Scientists have just discovered
a new breed of monkey.
We have just returned
from our holidays.
We often use the present perfect with time
adverbials (just) which refer to the recent
past:
auxiliary + JUST + action
Scientists have just discovered
a new breed of monkey.
auxiliary + JUST + action
We have just returned
from our holidays.
Time adverbial: already, before
now or earlier than expected
Scientists have already discovered
a new breed of monkey.
We have already returned
from our holidays.
Time adverbial: already, before now or earlier
than expected
auxiliary + ALREADY+ action
Scientists have already discovered
a new breed of monkey.
auxiliary + ALREADY + action
We have already returned
from our holidays.
Time adverbial: never, negative
idea idea of an unidentified
time before now
Scientists have never discovered
a new breed of monkey.
We have never returned
from our holidays.
Time adverbial: never, negative idea idea of an
unidentified time before now
auxiliary + NEVER + action
Scientists have never discovered
a new breed of monkey.
auxiliary + NEVER + action
We have never returned
from our holidays.
Time adverbial: ever,
unidentified time before now.
INTERROGATIVE
Have scientists ever discovered
a new breed of monkey?
Have you ever eaten
pomegranate?
Time adverbial: ever,
unidentified time before now.
INTERROGATIVE
subject + EVER + action
Have scientists ever discovered
a new breed
subject of monkey?
+ EVER + action
Have you ever eaten
pomegranate?
Time adverbial: yet, events
that have occurred up to now.
INTERROGATIVE AND
NEGATIVE
Scientists haven’t discovered
a new breed of monkey yet.
Have they returned from
their holidays yet?
Time adverbial: yet, events
that have occurred up to now.
INTERROGATIVE AND
NEGATIVE
Scientists haven’t discovered
end of the sentence
a new breed of monkey yet.
Have they returned from
end of the sentence
their holidays yet?
Time
For Since
Talks about a period Refer to a specific
or duration of time point in time
Doesn’t have to be
an exact number, but I have lived
it needs to refer to a
here since 2010.
period of time
He has lived in
Paris for a long time.