Present Perfect
PRESENT
PERFECT
rhs
I.
DEFINITION
OF THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the
present and the past. The time of the action is before now but not
specified, and we are often more interested in the result than
in the action itself.
BE
CAREFUL! There may be a verb tense in
your language with a similar form, but the meaning is probably NOT the same.
II.
THE
PRESENT PERFECT IS USED TO DESCRIBE
- An action or situation that started in the past and
continues in the present. I have lived in Bristol
since 1984 (= and I still do.)
- An action performed during a period that has not yet
finished. She has been to the cinema twice this
week (= and the week isn't over yet.)
- A repeated action in an unspecified period between the
past and now. We have visited Portugal several
times.
- An action that was completed in the very recent past,
expressed by 'just'. I have just finished my
work.
- An action when the time is not important. He has
read 'War and Peace'. (= the result of his reading is
important)
Note: When
we want to give or ask details about when, where, who, we use the simple past.
Read more about choosing
between the present perfect and the simple past tenses.
1. ACTIONS STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUING IN THE
PRESENT
- They haven't lived here for
years.
- She has worked in the bank for
five years.
- We have had the same car for
ten years.
- Have you played the
piano since you were a child?
2. WHEN THE TIME PERIOD REFERRED TO HAS NOT FINISHED
- I have worked hard this
week.
- It has rained a lot this
year.
- We haven't seen her today.
3. ACTIONS REPEATED IN AN UNSPECIFIED PERIOD BETWEEN THE
PAST AND NOW.
- They have seen that film six
times
- It has happened several times
already.
- She has visited them
frequently.
- We have eaten at that
restaurant many times.
4. ACTIONS COMPLETED IN THE VERY RECENT PAST (+JUST)
- Have you just finished work?
- I have just eaten.
- We have just seen her.
- Has he just left?
5. WHEN THE PRECISE TIME OF THE ACTION IS NOT IMPORTANT
OR NOT KNOWN
- Someone has eaten my soup!
- Have you seen 'Gone with the Wind'?
- She's studied Japanese, Russian, and English.
Read more about using
the present perfect with the words "ever", "never",
"already", and "yet",
and about using
the present perfect with the words "for" and "since".
6. FORMING THE PRESENT PERFECT
The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements
: the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present
tense), plus the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of a
regular verb is base + ed, e.g. played, arrived,
looked. For irregular verbs, see the Table of irregular verbs in
the section called 'Verbs'.
Affirmative
|
||
Subject
|
to have
|
past participle
|
She
|
has
|
visited.
|
Negative
|
||
Subject
|
to have + not
|
past participle
|
She
|
has not (hasn't)
|
visited.
|
Interrogative
|
||
to have
|
subject
|
past participle
|
Has
|
she
|
visited?
|
Negative interrogative
|
||
to have +
not
|
subject
|
past participle
|
Hasn't
|
she
|
visited?
|
7. TO WALK, PRESENT PERFECT
Affirmative
|
Negative
|
Interrogative
|
I have
walked
|
I haven't walked
|
Have I walked?
|
You have
walked
|
You haven't walked.
|
Have you walked?
|
He, she, it has
walked
|
He, she, hasn't walked
|
Has he, she, it walked?
|
We have
walked
|
We haven't walked
|
Have we walked?
|
You have
walked
|
You haven't walked
|
Have you walked?
|
They have
walked
|
They haven't walked
|
Have they walked?
|
III.
Present
perfect tense worksheet
Make meaningful
sentences in the present perfect tense.
FWe make the present perfect tense form by putting has /
have before the past participle form of the verb.
FNote that has is used when the subject is a
singular noun or pronoun. Have is used when the
subject is a plural noun or pronoun.
FThe first person pronouns I and we take have.
The third person pronouns he, she and it take has.
The pronouns you and they take have.
Fill in the blanks.
1. I …………………. finished the
job.
a.
have
b.
has
c.
am
2. Have you ……………….. your
lunch?
a.
eat
b.
ate
c.
eaten
3. She ………………….. yet.
a.
has not return
b.
is not returned
c.
has not returned
4. I ………………… such a mess.
a.
never saw
b.
have never seen
c.
have never saw
5. ………………….. he brought his
violin?
a.
Is
b.
Has
c.
Have
6. Have you ever …………………. to
Australia?
a.
be
b.
being
c.
been
7. I ………………… all the plays
of Shakespeare.
a.
read
b.
am read
c.
have read
8. My parents
...................... me.
a.
has never hurt
b.
have never hurt
c.
have never hurted
9. He ......................
always wanted to be a soldier.
a.
is
b.
has
c.
have
10. She ………………….. to
anybody.
a.
never apologized
b.
has never apologized
c.
have never apologized
1) ANSWERS
1. I have finished the
job.
2. Have you eaten your
lunch?
3. She has not returned yet.
4. I have never seen such
a mess.
5. Has he brought his
violin?
6. Have you ever been to
Australia?
7. I have read all
the plays of Shakespeare.
8. My parents have never hurt me.
9. He has always wanted to
be a soldier.
10. She has never apologized to
anybody.
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