The Present Perfect Tense

Form and use

MEANING

The present perfect tells us

about the past and the present.
Use
When we use the present perfect, we see
things as happening in the past but having
a result in the present.
I’ve bought
some
presents.
 Form have/has + past participle

POSITIVE
I/you/we/they have (they’ve) gone.

He/she/it has (it’s) gone.

NEGATIVE
I/you/we/they have not gone.
He/she/it hasn‘t gone.
 INTERROGATIVE
Have I/you/we/they gone?
 Has he/she/it gone?
SHORT ANSWERS
Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t.
Yes, he has. / No, he hasn’t.
The plane has landed safely.
They have graduated. Congratulations!
Federer has lost the semifinal match in Melbourne .
Nole has won the Australian Open for the second time.
 RELATED WORDS
We use the present perfect with today and
phrases with this, e.g. this morning, this week,
this year.
EXAMPLE: I have been here since this morning.

We've done
quite a good job
today.
When we ask / talk about our
experience

Have No, I
you ever haven’t.
been to And you?
London?
With lately and recently
meaning.

Have I told
you lately
that I love
you?
 JUST
With just to express the action finished a short
time ago

We have just come back from our holiday.

 ALREADY
With already meaning “sooner than expected”

I’ve already
finished my
dinner.
 YET
With yet in negative sentences and questions
when we expect something to happen

Sorry, Nick. I
haven’t finished
the homework yet.
 FOR/SINCE
We use for to say how long this period is (for
three days).
We use since to say when the period began
(since Friday).
Me, too. I haven’t
Thanks. I haven’t grabbed a bite
eaten anything for since Friday.
three days.
 NEVER / EVER
We use NEVER as: NOT AT ANY TIME in the
past, including now

I have never seen such a beautiful sunset

We use EVER as: at any time, including the
present (only in questions)

Have you ever ridden a horse?

 PRACTISE
She ___________________ a letter to me. (write)
The team ______________ the match (win)
We ___________________ our work. (not/finish)
Why _____ you _________ the bill? (pay)
_______the train ________? (depart)
He __________________ his mistakes.
(not/realize)
Sandra _________________ her bag. (lose)