S + have / has + past participle.

I
You
We
They

have

eaten

an apple.

He
She
It
John

has

eaten

an apple.

Here are some more examples!

I have already eaten breakfast.
She has seen that movie before.

In these examples the

past participle has an
irregular form.

We have dealt with customers for

many years.

She has used a cash register before.

He has worked for that company since
May.
We have already served their food.

In these examples
the past participle
has a regular form
and looks just the
the simple past
tense, but its not.

We often use CONTRACTIONS with this tense.

I have

Ive

I havent

You have

Youve

you havent

We have

Weve

We havent

They have Theyve They havent

He has

Hes

He hasnt

She has

Shes

She hasnt

It has

Its

It hasnt

I have lived in Florida for two years.

Ive lived in Florida for two years

Negative statements are formed with NOT

not

I have finished.
I have not/havent finished.
She has not/hasnt finished.
You have not/havent finished.

Questions are formed by inverting the subject

and the auxiliary verb
I have finished.

Have I finished?

You have finished.

Have you finished?

She has finished.

Has she finished?

USE 1
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
to talk about a completed past action
at an unspecified time in the past.
Perhaps we dont remember when the action happened.
Maybe we dont know when the action happened.
Or we just dont care when the action happened.
The only thing that is important is
that it happened sometime before
now. But not any specific time.
Ive already eaten breakfast.
Shes seen that movie before.

When did it happen?

!
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.

USE 2
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
to talk about experience.
You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It
is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this
tense to say that you have never had a certain experience.

Examples:
I have been to France.
THIS SENTENCE MEANS THAT YOU HAVE HAD THE
EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN FRANCE. MAYBE YOU HAVE
BEEN THERE ONCE, OR SEVERAL TIMES.
I have been to France three times.
YOU CAN ADD THE NUMBER OF TIMES AT THE END OF THE
SENTENCE.
I have never been to France.
THIS SENTENCE MEANS THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE

USE 3
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
to talk about change over time
We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change
that has happened over a period of time.
Examples:
You have grown since the last time I saw you.
The government has become more interested in arts
education.
Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at
the university since the Asian studies program was
established.
My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

USE 4
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
to talk about accomplishments.
We often use the Present Perfect to list the
accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You
cannot mention a specific time.
Examples:
Man has walked on the Moon.
Our son has learned how to read.
Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
Scientists have split the atom.

USE 5
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE to talk
about an uncompleted action you are expecting
We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action
which we expected has not happened. Using the Present
Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to
happen.
Examples:
James has not finished his homework yet.
Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can
communicate.
Bill has still not arrived.
The rain hasn't stopped.

USE 6
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE to talk
about multiple actions at different times
We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several
different actions which have occurred in the past at different
times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete
and more actions are possible.
Examples:
The army has attacked that city five times.
I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
We have had many major problems while working on this
project.
She has talked to several specialists about her problem,
but nobody knows why she is sick.

USE 7
We use the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE to talk
about things that happened at some time in the
recent past and have a connection to the present.
Examples:
I cant pay for the bill; I have forgot my wallet.
I have lost my key and I am looking for it now.

We often use the following words with the

present perfect tense.
already

ever

for

just

since

Which word is followed by a certain time

in the past?

yet

since

We have been to the airport five times since July.

I havent seen Helen since last summer.

A. Which word is followed by a length of time?

for

I have been a member of the Drama Club for three years.

She hasnt written to me for a year.
B. Which word is often used with negative
statements and questions when the action has
happened already or we expect it to happen
soon?

yet

Have you done your Maths homework yet?

Has your brother taken his driving test yet?
My parents havent signed my report card yet.
I havent had lunch yet.
Yet usually goes at the end of the question or negative
statement.

C. Which other word is often used with the

present perfect tense in questions?
ever

Have you travelled on a motorbike?

D. Which word shows that an action
was completed a short time ago?

ever

just

just

They have finished the project.

E. Which word is used in positive statements
to stress that something has happened?
already

Karen has left Hong Kong.

already

If we want to ask a question about something that

happened at a specific time in the past, we
wouldnt use the present perfect tense. We need
to use PAST SIMPLE!
When did they use a cash register?
They used a cash register last year.
When did you supervise other people?
I supervised other people two years ago.

Last year, yesterday,

two years ago, last week
are all words we use with
the simple past tense

Often when were speaking, we go back and forth

between these two tensesthe present perfect
and the simple past tense.
Take a look at this example.
Miko: Have you ever supervised other people?
Tanaya: Yes, I have.
Miko

Tanaya

Miko: When did you do that?

Tanaya: I supervised others last year in my previous job.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

FORM
Affirmative Form: S+have/has+been+verb+ING
They have been studying for exactly three hours
Negative Form: S+havent/hasnt+been+verb+ING
She hasnt been working since she came home
Interrogative Form: Have/has+S+been+verb+ING
Has he been learning English since his childhood?

USES
1. HOW LONG / FOR / SINCE WITH ACTION VERBS
(action started in past & continues now)

How long have you been doing this?

Shes been travel.ling by bus for 5 years
2. REPEATED ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH TIME
EXPRESSIONS LIKE ALL DAY, RECENTLY, ETC
I have been arguing with my husband lately.
The phone has been ringing all day.

USES
3. CONTINUOUS ACTIONS THAT HAVE
JUST FINISHED (WITH RESULT IN THE
PRESENT)
Hes been running all day. Hes dead
tired!
A: Look at your hands! Theyre so filthy!
B: I know. Ive been painting the living
room

Present perfect = Present

perfect Continuous
The present perfect continuous is often
very similar in meaning to the present
perfect tense.
Just like the Present Perfect, we can
use Present Perfect Continuous to talk
about something that started in

the past, and is still happening.

EXAMPLES
I have lived in San Diego for 10 years.
I have been living in San Diego for 10
years.

= I moved to San Diego 10 years ago

and I still live here today.

EXAMPLES

I have been studying medicine for one year.

OR
I have studied medicine for one year.
same meaning

WHEN ARE THEY

DIFFERENT? (I)
With How long?, For & Since we can
use both. However, we prefer the
continuous for shorter, temporary
actions.
Weve lived in London since 1980
Weve been living in London since 1980
Weve been staying in a hotel for the
last month

WHEN ARE THEY

DIFFERENT? (II)
Present Perfect
Finished action

They have read a book

about philosophy.
(They finished reading the
book)
Susan has just mopped
the floor, so dont walk
on it!
(she finished mopping it)

Present Perfect Progressive

Unfinished action
They have been reading a
book about philosophy.
(They are still reading the
book)
Susan has been mopping
the floor
(she hasnt finished
mopping it yet)

WHEN ARE THEY

DIFFERENT? (III)
The present perfect simple focuses
more on the result of the action.
I have painted my living room.

The present perfect continuous focuses

more on the continuous action. The
emphasis is on the duration of the
action.
(a) Dee has been working since 6 oclock.
(b) She has been working for ten hours.

WHEN ARE THEY DIFFERENT? (IV)

we DONT use the Present Perfect Continuous with
verbs expressing feelings, attitudes, whishes,
possession, permanent situations, opinion; verbs of
cognition etc.; instead, we prefer to use the Present
Perfect.

Example:
1) I have been knowing Maria for many years.
-INCORRECT
2) I have known Maria for Many years.
-CORRECT

Write affirmative, negative and

interrogative sentences using the Present
Perfect tense using the words given.
a. He / lose / his passport.
b. We / not / finish / our work.
c. You / take / any photographs?
d. They / buy / a new house.
e. He / make / any mistakes?
f. I / visit / New York / five times.
g. You / eat / four bananas!
h. We / watch / any television today?
i. She / not / travel / far.

Complete the text using the Past Simple

or the Present Perfect tense
London has had (have) an underground train system since the
19th century. The London Underground ________ (start) in
1863, when engineers and workers ________ (build) the
Metropolitan railway. This railway line ________ (go) from
Paddington Station to Farringdon Street Station. It ________
(be) a very short line. Eight more lines ________ (open) since
then. The worlds first electric railway ________ (open) in
1890. This line ________ (go) from the city centre to South
London. The most modern line is the Jubilee line. It ________
(open) in 1977. Since the London Underground ________
(begin), many other cities, like New York and Moscow,
________ (build) their own systems.

Correct the following sentences:

sentences
a. I have played tennis last week.
b. They have finished work yet.
c. When you bought that umbrella?
d. Look! I have buy a new umbrella.
e. I have bought three CDs last week.
f. She didnt saw that film.
g. She hasnt never seen that film.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS?

I (have) the same car for more than ten years. I'm thinking about buying a
new one.
I (love) chocolate since I was a child. You might even call me a
"chocoholic."
John (work) for the government since he graduated from Harvard University.
Until recently, he (enjoy) his work, but now he is talking about retiring.
Lately, I (think) about changing my career because I (become) dissatisfied
with the conditions at my company.
I (see) Judy for more than five years and during that time I (see) many
changes in her personality.