The Present Perfect tense

How and when to use it

Present Perfect

• Verb Tense we use to describe:

1) Experiences in the past

2) Completed events

3) Actions that began in the past and continue now, with consequences in the present time

Main Uses of the Present Perfect

• Use 1

• Something that started in the past and still true now

Example: Spain has been a member of the EU since 1986

Main uses of the Present Perfect

• Use 2

• Indefinite past action

(the time is unspecified or unknown)

Example: I have seen that person somewhere

?

Main uses of the Present Perfect• Use 3

• Repeated action in the past

Example:

I have been to England lots of times

• Use 4

• An action that began in the past and has recently finished (we can add “just”)

• Example:

My sister has just arrived from holidays, she told me the flight was very nice

Main uses of the Present Perfect

How to form the Present Perfect

Subject + have / has + past participleI spokenYou begunHe shown She comeIt goneWe cutThey becomePeople swumEveryone won…..

Past Participles

What is a past participle?

• For regular past tense verbs, the –ed form: liked, walked, worked, talked

• For irregular past verbs, memorize:

been, seen, had, eaten, shown, written

Do you know the past participles?

• Click Here to Find Out.

• Click!

• Or here!

• Or here, too.

Key words for present perfect

• Already = (adv.) before now

I have already finished my homework.

• Not yet = (adv.) not before now

Scientists have not discovered a cure yet

Key words for present perfect

• Never = (adv.) not at any time

in the past, including now

I have never seen

such a beautiful sunset!

• Ever = (adv.) at any time, including the present

** Used only in questions

Have you ever ridden a horse?

Reminder about Adverb Placement

• With two verbs (auxiliary and main verb), place the adverb between them

I have never eaten raw fish.

Key words for present perfect

• Before = at some time in the past behind the present time

I have been to Las Vegas before.

• Several times, many times, a few times, a couple of times, a lot of times = for indefinite or repeated past actions

Key words for present perfect• Since and for

• Since + specific point in the past when the action started

I have lived here since 1987 ( /sIns/ )

• For + duration, length of time

• I have lived here for 34 years

Practice: since or for?

_______ January

_______ 10 years

_______ Monday

_______ 12 noon

_______ I got up

_______ 5 minutes

_______ a long time ago

_______ four days

_______ 6:00

_______ Wednesday

_______ a month

_______ two days ago

_______ November 1

_______ 2004

_______ an hour

_______ I was young

Need more practice with since and for?

• Click Here!

• Or here!

Online Practice

• Simple Practice

• Forming Questions in Present Perfect

• Change to Present Perfect

• More Practice

• Still More Practice

Any Questions about Present Perfect?