FORM

[has/have + past participle] Examples:

You have seen that movie many times. Have you seen that movie many times? You have not seen that movie many times. Complete List of Present Perfect Forms

USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc. Examples:

I have seen that movie twenty times. I think I have met him once before. There have been many earthquakes in California. People have traveled to the Moon. People have not traveled to Mars. Have you read the book yet? Nobody has ever climbed that mountain. A: Has there ever been a war in the United States? B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.

Present Perfect
Listed below are examples, uses and structure of the Present Perfect followed by a quiz.

Examples Fred Meyers has had excellent profits this quarter. The class's understanding has increased greatly this semester. Have they finished the report yet? The study of irregular verbs has improved test scores. They have bought a new car. I've already eaten lunch. US/English exception: It is also accepted in US English to ask "Did you phone her yet?" as opposed to the more common "Have you phoned her yet?" She's traveled in many parts of the world. Have you ever been to France? They've never seen a mountain. He's lived in San Francisco for 10 years. How long have you worked for this company? They've studied English for 3 years. She hasn't traveled abroad. Common present perfect time expressions include:

Usage Giving or asking for news or recent events.

Past actions with results in the present.

Life experience

Unfinished actions (action still in progress). In this respect the present perfect and present perfect continuous are very similar. for (with a period of time), since (with an exact point in time), ever, never, yet, already, this week (month, year)

Present Perfect Simple Present Perfect Progressive

Form
Present Perfect Simple
irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular verbs
Example: I / you / we / they have spoken he / she / it has spoken I / you / we / they have been speaking he / she / it has been speaking Example:

Present Perfect Progressive

form of 'have' + been + verb + ing

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed

Example: I / you / we / they have worked he / she / it has worked

Exceptions Exceptions when adding 'ed' : when the final letter is e, only add d
love - loved

Exceptions when adding 'ing' :

Example:

silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming aber: agree - agreeing

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

admit - admitted

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: sit - sitting after a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English). Example: travel - travelling

Example:

final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example:

travel - travelled

final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example: worry - worried but: play - played

Use
Both tenses are used to express that an action began in the past and is still going on or has just finished. In many cases, both forms are correct, but there is often a difference in meaning: We use the Present Perfect Simple mainly to express that an action is completed or to emphasise the result. We use the Present Perfect Progressive to emphasise the duration or continuous course of an action.

Certain verbs
The following verbs are usually only used in Present Perfect Simple (not in the progressive form). state: be, have (for possession only) Example: We have been on holiday for two weeks. senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch Example: He has touched the painting. brain work: believe, know, think, understand Example: I have known him for 3 years.

Emphasis on completion or duration?

Do you want to emphasise the completion of an action or its continuous course (how has somebody spent his time)?

Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

Emphasis on duration

Emphasis on completion
I have been doing my homework. (Meaning: That's how I have I have done my homework. (Meaning: My homework is completed now.) spent my time. It does not matter whether the homework is completed now.)

Permanent or temporary?
If an action is still going on and we want to express that it is a permanent situation, we would usually use the Present Perfect Simple. For temporary situations, we would prefer the Present Perfect Progressive. This is not a rule, however, only a tendency.

Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Progressive

permanent
James has lived in this town for 10 years. (Meaning: He is a permanent resident of this town.)

temporary
James has been living here for a year. (Meaning: This situation is only temporary. Maybe he is an exchange student and only here for one or two years.)