Present Perfect
Learn how to use the present perfect tense with lots of present perfect simple examples. You will learn that the present perfect is used to say:
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More on this verb form later.
Subject + have / has + past participle verb
Present Perfect Tense - Experience
Karen
Karen has been to Rome.
Past
Rome
Rome
Rome
Now
Future
Karen went to Rome. It is an experience.
Michael
Michael has been to France and the United Kingdom.
Past
Now
France
United Kingdom
Future
These are events that can happen again so the action is not complete. They are experiences.
Present Perfect Tense - Relation to the present
Billy has done his homework.
Past
Now
Future
homework
Billy's homework is complete. We can say:
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Billy did his homework - past simple
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Billy has done his homework - present perfect
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We use the present perfect if the action has an effect on the present.
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Conversation
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Billy: I've done my homework. Can I play?
Jane: Yes
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The effect on the present is that Billy can play because he has done his homework.
Past
Now
Future
I went to bed.
I have gone to bed.
The sentence 'I went to bed' is an event which started and finished in the past. We use the past simple.
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The sentence 'I have gone to bed' can be used as well. It means that there is an effect on the present.
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Conversation:
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Tom: Do you want to watch television?
Jane: No, thank you. I've gone to bed.
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The effect is that Jane can not watch television because she's gone to bed.
Present Perfect Tense - Continuing events - for + duration
This grammar is also used for events that started in the past but still continue. We usually add 'for + duration' to show that the event in ongoing.
She has lived in London.
This is an experience.
She has lived in London for 10 years.
This is a continuing event.
10 years
Past
Now
Future
He has studied English.
He has studied English for 5 years.
5 years
Past
Now
Future
What's the difference between the present perfect and the present continuous?
Both these events are ongoing.
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He is studying English.
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He has studied English for 5 years.
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They mean the same thing in context.
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Conversation
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Karen: What does Tom like doing?
Jane: He likes studying English.
Karen: Really?
Jane: Yes. He has studied English for 5 years.
This sentence shows that it is something Tom started in the past and it will continue into the future.
Karen: What does Tom like doing?
Jane: He likes studying English.
Karen: Really?
Jane: Yes. He is studying English.
Karen: What, now?
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In this example, Karen is confused because she doesn't know whether Tom is studying English 'now'. For more detail on the difference between the present perfect and present continuous click here.
Ages
Ages is a a long time and is natural to use when you have done the activity for a long time.
I've studied English for ages.
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She's lived in Croatia for ages.
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We've gotten-up early for ages.
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All mean a long time.
Which one - experience, completed or ongoing?
All of these sentences use the same verb (eaten) in the same form but they mean different things.
meat - 7 years
Past
Now
Future
snails
dinner
I have eaten snails.
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Experience - it is unusual to eat snails and so this is an experience.
I have eaten dinner.
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Completed action - this would be said because the completed action matters now / has an effect on the future.
I have eaten meat for 7 years.
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Ongoing action - this is an action started in the past and is ongoing. It has some effect on the future.
Past participle
This is the fourth type of verb we have studied.
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Present: wake-up, go, eat
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Past: woke-up, went, ate
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Continuous: waking-up, going, eating
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Past participle: woken-up, gone / been, eaten
Present Perfect Examples
Past
Now
Future
Subject + have / has + past participle verb
I have eaten sushi and drunk sake.
Experience
Past
Now
Future
I have read A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities.
Experience
Past
Now
Future
I have seen van Gogh's Sunflowers and da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
Experience
Present Perfect Exercises
Subject + have / has + past participle verb
Answer
He has worn a superhero costume.
Experience
He
superhero costume
Answer
I have woken-up early.
Completed
I
early
Answer
We have been to Buckingham Palace
Experience
We
Buckingham Palace
Answer
Mrs. Smith has been a teacher for 4 years.
Ongoing
Mrs. Smith
teacher
4 years
Present Perfect Tense - Negative
Subject + have / has + not + past participle verb
I have not eaten pasta.
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She hasn't been to Spain.
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We haven't drunk alcohol.
We can make it stronger by changing the not for a never.
Subject + have / has + never + past participle verb
I have never been to Vietnam.
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He's never been a policeman.
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They've never lived in Australia.
Present Perfect Tense - Questions (?)
Have / has + subject + past participle
Have you worn a tie?
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Have they read that book?
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Have we done all the homework?
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To make experience questions stronger we can add 'ever' between the subject and the past participle.
Have / has + subject + ever + past participle
Have you ever seen a musical?
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Have they ever been to America?
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Have you ever read Shakespeare?
Conversation
Jane: Where have you been on holiday?
Karen: I've been to Italy.
Jane: Where did you go?
Karen: I went to Rome, twice, Florence and Venice.
Jane: What did you do there?
Karen: We saw the sites, looked at lots of interesting art and ate delicious food.
Jane: Sounds great.
Karen: Yes! I love going to Italy.
Jane: Hi Michael. Where have you been on holiday?
Michael: I've been to France and the United Kingdom.
Jane: Where did you go in France?
Michael: I went to Paris.
Jane: Did you like it?
Michael: Yes, I love it. There was so much to do.
Jane: Wow. What did you do?
Michael: I saw the Eiffel Tower, went to the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. Have you ever been to France?
Jane: No, but I want to.
Location chunk
Some sentences have a location as the 'object'.
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I went to the bank.
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She is going to the library.
If a sentence does not have a location, we can one.
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I've eaten pasta.
I've eaten pasta in Italy.
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We want to watch a football match.
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We want to watch a football match in Brazil.
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I drank a beer.
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On the plane I drank a beer.
+ LOCATION CHUNK
+ LOCATION CHUNK
+ LOCATION CHUNK
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