Present Perfect Tense

What is the Present Perfect Tense?

The Present Perfect Tense is a verb tense that expresses an action or situation that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or an action that started in the past and continues into the present. It is formed using "has" or "have" + the past participle of the verb.

Definition of Present Perfect Tense (According to Different Sources)

Cambridge Dictionary: The present perfect tense is used to show that an action has happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. It is also used to describe an action that began in the past and continues up to the present.

Oxford Learner’s Dictionary: The present perfect tense expresses an action that has recently been completed or is still relevant to the present moment.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary: A verb tense that expresses an action or state that began in the past and is still connected to the present time.

Collins English Dictionary: The present perfect tense is a verb form that is used to refer to actions that began in the past but are still relevant or continuing in the present.

The structure of the Present Perfect tense in English is formed as follows:

Affirmative Sentences:

Subject + have/has + past participle of the verb

• - **I/You/We/They** + **have** + past participle
• - **He/She/It** + **has** + past participle

Examples:

• I have finished my homework.
• She has visited Paris.

Negative Sentences:

Subject + have/has + not + past participle

• - **I/You/We/They** + **have** + **not** + past participle
• - **He/She/It** + **has** + **not** + past participle

Examples:

• They have not (haven't) seen the movie.
• He has not (hasn't) eaten lunch.

Interrogative Sentences:

Have/Has + subject + past participle?

• - **Have** + subject + past participle
• - **Has** + subject + past participle

Examples:

• Have you read the book?
• Has she finished the project?

This tense is used to describe actions or states that occurred at an unspecified time in the past and have relevance to the present.

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions or states that have relevance to the present moment. Here are the main uses:

1. Actions that started in the past and continue in the present:

Example:

• She has lived here for five years.
  (She started living here five years ago and still lives here.)

2. Actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past:

Example:

• I have visited Paris.
  (The exact time of visiting Paris is not important or specified.)

3. Experiences or achievements:

Example:

• They have completed the project.
  (The project is completed, and the fact is relevant to the present.)

4. Actions that have a result in the present:

Example:

• He has broken his leg.
  (The action happened in the past, but it has a result that affects the present, like him being injured now.)

5. Recent actions with a connection to the present (often with "just," "already," or "yet"):

Example:

• I have just finished my homework.
• Has she already left?
• They haven’t finished the task yet.

6. With time expressions like "since" and "for":

• Since: Refers to a specific point in time.
  • Ex: She has known him since 2005.
• For: Refers to a period of time.
  • Ex: They have worked here for five years.

The present perfect tense is often used to describe actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or that have an effect on the present. Time expressions help clarify the relationship between the past and the present. Here are some common time expressions used with the present perfect tense:

Just – to indicate that something happened recently.

• I have just eaten lunch.

Already – used to show that something has been completed before now.

• She has already finished her homework.

Yet – used in negative sentences and questions to indicate something hasn't happened up to now, but may still happen.

• He hasn't called yet.
• Have you finished the report yet?

Ever – used in questions or affirmative statements to mean at any time in the past.

• Have you ever been to Paris?

Never – used to say that something has not happened at any time up to now.

• I have never seen that movie.

Since – used to refer to the starting point of an action that continues to the present.

• She has lived here since 2010.

For – used to refer to a period of time (how long something has been happening).

• They have been friends for five years.

Lately – used to indicate that something has happened recently, often over a period of time.

• I have been feeling tired lately.

Recently – indicates that something happened not long ago.

• He has recently moved to a new house.

So far – refers to the period of time up to the present moment.

• We have received three applications so far.

The difference between the Present Perfect and Simple Past tense in English lies in how they refer to time and their connection to the present moment.

1. Present Perfect Tense:

Structure Subject + have/has + past participle.

Use:

• To describe actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past, but are relevant to the present.
• To indicate actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
• To describe experiences or accomplishments without focusing on when they happened.

Examples

• I have eaten breakfast.
  (The action is relevant to now, and the exact time is not specified.)
• She has lived here for five years.
  (The action started in the past and continues in the present.)

2. Simple Past Tense:

Structure Subject + past verb.

Use:

• To describe actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
• Often used with time expressions like yesterday, last week, in 2005, etc.
• Focuses on a completed action with no connection to the present.

Examples

• I ate breakfast this morning.
  (A specific event that happened in the past.)
• She lived here for five years.
  (The action is completed in the past, and is not relevant to the present.)

Key Differences:

• Present Perfect connects the past to the present, while **Simple Past** refers only to actions that happened in the past.
• Present Perfect is used when the exact time of the action is not important or is unspecified, while **Simple Past** is used when the time of the action is specified or important.

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions or states that have occurred at an unspecified time before now, or actions that started in the past and continue to the present. Here's how you form negative and question sentences in the present perfect tense:

1. Negative Form

To make a negative sentence in the present perfect tense, you use **"have not"** or **"haven't"** (for I, you, we, they) and **"has not"** or **"hasn't"** (for he, she, it) before the past participle of the verb.

Structure: Subject + have/has + not + past participle

Examples:

• I **have not** finished my homework. (I haven't finished my homework.)
• She **has not** seen that movie. (She hasn't seen that movie.)
• They **have not** arrived yet. (They haven't arrived yet.)

2. Question Form

To form a question in the present perfect tense, you start with **"have"** or **"has"** (depending on the subject), followed by the subject and then the past participle.

Structure: Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Examples:

• **Have** you **eaten** breakfast?
• **Has** he **finished** his work?
• **Have** they **seen** the new movie?

The Present Perfect Tense is used to describe actions or states that started in the past and have relevance to the present. It is formed using the auxiliary verb 'have' (or 'has' for third-person singular) + the past participle of the main verb.

Here are some key words and phrases commonly used with the Present Perfect Tense:

• Already
  • I have **already** eaten dinner.
• Yet (in negative sentences or questions)
  • They haven't finished the project **yet**.
• Just
  • She has **just** left the office.
• Ever (often used in questions)
  • Have you **ever** been to Paris?
• Never
  • I have **never** seen that movie.
• Since
  • He has lived here **since** 2010.
• For
  • She has worked at the company **for** five years.
• Lately
  • I've been feeling tired **lately**.
• So far
  • We have **so far** completed 80% of the project.
• Up to now
  • **Up to now**, I have never had any issues with this software.
• This week/month/year
  • She has traveled to three countries **this year**.

These keywords and phrases help add context to actions that have relevance to the present or to express the frequency or time duration of an action.

In the present perfect tense, the past participle is used to describe actions that have been completed at some indefinite point in the past but are still relevant or connected to the present. The present perfect tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb "have" (or "has" for third-person singular subjects) followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Here’s how the present perfect tense is formed:

Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle

For example:

• I have eaten lunch already.
• She has finished her homework.
• They have traveled to many countries.

How to use the past participle:

1. **Regular verbs**: For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding **-ed** to the base verb.

Example:

• "work" → "worked", "play" → "played"
• - "I **have worked** here for five years."

2. **Irregular verbs**: Irregular verbs have unique past participles that don’t follow a consistent pattern and need to be memorized.

Example:

• "go" → "gone", "see" → "seen"
• "She **has gone** to the store."

The present perfect tense is used to:

• Describe actions that happened at an unspecified time before now (e.g., "I **have seen** that movie").
• Show the connection between past actions and the present (e.g., "They **have finished** the project").
• Express experiences (e.g., "I **have visited** France").

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using the present perfect tense:

1. Using the wrong auxiliary verb: The present perfect tense requires the auxiliary verb **"have"** (or **"has"** for third-person singular).

• ✘ She have finished her work.
• ✓ She has finished her work.

2. Mixing up the simple past and present perfect: The present perfect tense refers to actions that are relevant to the present moment, but the simple past tense refers to actions that are completed in the past.

• ✘ I did my homework today.
• ✓ I have done my homework today.

3. Using time expressions incorrectly: Avoid using specific past time expressions like **"yesterday," "last year,"** etc., with the present perfect. These time markers refer to a finished point in the past, which doesn't work with present perfect.

• ✘ I have seen him yesterday.
• ✓ I saw him yesterday.

4. Using the present perfect without a connection to the present: The present perfect should be used when the action has an effect or relevance to the present moment.

• ✘ I have finished my lunch at 1 PM.
• ✓ I have finished my lunch.

5. Incorrect use of "for" and "since": Use 'for' with a period of time and 'since' with a point in time.

• ✘ I have worked here since 5 years.
• ✓ I have worked here for 5 years.
• ✓ I have worked here since 2019.

6. Overusing the present perfect when the past simple is needed: Sometimes, the past simple is more appropriate when the time is specified or when the action is finished.

• ✘ I have lived in this city for 10 years.
• ✓ I lived in this city for 10 years.

7. Not using the past participle correctly: The present perfect tense requires the **past participle** form of the main verb.

• ✘ She has go to the store.
• ✓ She has gone to the store.

Here are some practice exercises to help you with the Present Perfect tense:

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in Present Perfect tense.

• 1. She ______ (finish) her homework already.
• 2. I ______ (never/see) that movie before.
• 3. They ______ (be) to the new restaurant twice this week.
• 4. We ______ (live) in this city for five years.
• 5. He ______ (just/eat) lunch.
• 6. I ______ (read) that book many times.
• 7. You ______ (already/visit) the museum, haven’t you?
• 8. They ______ (not/arrive) yet.
• 9. She ______ (work) in this company since 2015.
• 10. We ______ (know) each other for a long time.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct option.

• 1. I ______ (have/have had) this phone for two years.
• 2. He ______ (is/has been) to Japan three times.
• 3. She ______ (has/had) never traveled abroad before.
• 4. We ______ (have/has) seen that movie already.
• 5. They ______ (has/have) finished their project.

Exercise 3: Correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

• 1. I have seen her yesterday.
• 2. They has been to Paris last summer.
• 3. She have lived here for ten years.
• 4. We have already did our homework.
• 5. He has never been to the zoo before.

Exercise 4: Create your own sentences using the Present Perfect tense with the following verbs:

• Eat
• Travel
• Read
• Visit
• Write