PRESENT
PERFECT TENSE
BY Cecilia Mendoza Gómez
FORM
SUBJECT + HAVE/HAS + MAIN VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE) + COMPLEMENT
e.g.
- You have seen that movie many times
-The army has attacked that city five times.
HAVE / HAS + SUBJECT + M.V. (PAST PARTICIPLE) + COMPLEMENT + ?
Have you seen that movie many times? Yes, I have /
No, I haven´t
- Has the army attacked that city five times? Yes, it has. /
No, it hasn´t
SUBJECT + HAVE / HAS + NOT + M.V. (PAST PARTICIPLE) + COMPLEMENT
- You have not seen that movie many times (haven´t)
-The army has not attacked that city five times (hasn´t)
USES
for something that started in the past and continues in
the present:
- They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.
- She has lived in Liverpool all her life.
for something we have done several times in the past
and continue to do:
- I’ve played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.
- He has written three books and he is working on another
one.
- I’ve watched that programme every week.
We often use a clause with since to
show when something started in the past:
- They’ve stayed with us since last week.
- I have worked here since I left school.
- I’ve watched that programme every week since it started.
when we are talking about our experience up to the present:
Note: We often use the adverb ever to talk about experience up
to the present:
- My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.
- Note: and we use never for the negative form:
- Have you ever met George?
- Yes, but I’ve never met his wife.
for something that happened in the past but is important
at the time of speaking:
- I can’t get in the house. I’ve lost my keys.
- Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping.
- I’m tired out. I’ve worked all day.
We use the present perfect of be when someone has
gone to a place and returned:
A: Where have you been?
B: I’ve just been out to the supermarket.
A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?
B: No, but I’ve been to Los Angeles.
But when someone has not returned we use have/has gone:
A: Where is Maria? I haven’t seen her for weeks.
B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She’ll be back tomorrow.
We often use the present perfect with time dverbials which
refer to the recent past:
just; only just; recently;
- Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey.
- We have just got back from our holidays.
or adverbials which include the present:
ever (in questions);
so far; until now; up to now; yet (in questions and
negatives)
- Have you ever seen a ghost?
- Where have you been up to now?
- Have you finished your homework yet?
- No, so far I’ve only done my history.
WARNING:
We do not use the present perfect with an adverbial which
refers to past time which is finished:
- I have seen that film yesterday.
- We have just bought a new car last week.
- When we were children we have been to California.
But we can use it to refer to a time which is not yet finished:
- Have you seen Helen today?
- We have bought a new car this week.
EXERCISES
Read the sentences that use the present perfect. Look at the reasons
for using the present perfect from the top and match them with the
sentences.
a) SOMETHING DONE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST
b) TIME ADVERBIAL OF RECENT PAST
c) WITH A TIME ADVERBIAL THAT INCLUDES THE PRESENT
d) SOMETHING STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUING IN
THE PRESENT
e) PAST EVENT IMPORTANT AT THE TIME OF SPEAKING
f) EXPERIENCE UP TO THE PRESENT
1.- She's been married three times.____a
2.- I don't think I've ever seen an eclipse. ____f
3.- I think he's broken his leg. We'd better phone for an
ambulance. ____e
4.- You'll never guess who I've just met. ___b_
5.- He's been working for the company since he
graduated. __d__
6.- We haven't had any complaints so far. c____
Time Expressions with Present Perfect
When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has
happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the
exact time the action happened is not important.
Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an
experience. We can do this with expressions such as: in the last
week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now,
etc.
Examples:
Have you been to Mexico in the last year?
I have seen that movie six times in the last month.
They have had three tests in the last week.
She graduated from university less than three years ago.
She has worked for three different companies so far.
My car has broken down three times this week.
NOTICE
"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in
meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is
considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In
the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not
considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.
Examples:
I went to Mexico last year.
I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one.
I have been to Mexico in the last year.
I have been to Mexico at least once at some point
between 365 days ago and now.
Fill in the gaps with 'have' or 'has'.
I _______________ answered the question.
She ________________ opened the window.
They ________________ called us.
You _________________ carried a box.
It _________________ rained a lot.
We __________________ washed the car.
He _________________ closed the window.
Jenny _________________ locked the door.
The girls _________________visited the museum.
John and Sophie __________________ helped in the garden.
Write positive sentences in present perfect simple
The following people have just completed an action.
Bob / visit / his grandma
Jimmy / play / on the computer
Sue and Walter / wash / their car
Andrew / repair / his bike
Phil / help / Anne with maths
Brad and Louise / watch / a film
Tamara / talk to / her best friend
Bridgette / draw / a picture
Carol / read / a computer magazine
Tom and Alice / be / to a restaurant
Put the verbs into the correct form (present perfect simple).
I (not / work) today.
We (buy) a new lamp.
We (not / plan) our holiday yet.
Where (be / you) ?
He (write) five letters.
She (not / see) him for a long time.
(be / you) at school?
School (not / start) yet.
(speak / he) to his boss?
No, he (have / not) the time yet.
Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a lake between the Scottish towns of Inverness and Fort Augustus.
The word loch is Scottish for lake. Loch Ness is about 37 km long and extremely
deep, the deepest part is 226 m.
Loch Ness is famous for its friendly monster, Nessie. Most people think that this
is only a legend, but every year tourists from all over the world come to Loch
Ness and hope that they will see the monster.
Grammar Exercise on the Text. Present Perfect Simple
We use the present perfect to express what has (not) happened so far.
(Note that no time in the past must be given – otherwise you have to
use simple past.)
Write the verbs in present perfect simple.
Tourists from all over the world (be)___________ to Loch Ness.
Most of them (see / not) ______________ Nessie, however.
Only very few people say that the Loch Ness Monster (appear)
_________________ in front of them.
Even scientists (come) __________ to Loch Ness to find the monster.
And the boss of the Guinness brewery (promise) ______________ to
pay 500,000 Pounds to the person who catches Nessie.
Signal Words
Simple Past Present Perfect Simple
•yesterday •just
•... ago •already
•in 1990 •up to now
•the other day •until now / till now
•last ... •ever
•(not) yet
•so far
•lately / recently
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present
perfect simple).
A: (you / play / already) the new computer game?
B: No, not yet. I only (buy) it yesterday and I (have /
not) the time yet.
A: (you / go) to the cinema last night?
B: Yes. I (be) there with Sue and Louis. (you / be) to the
cinema recently?
A: I last (go) to the cinema two weeks ago.
B: So you (see / not) the new action film yet.
A: No, unfortunately not. (you / enjoy) it?
B: Oh, I really (love) it. But Sue (like / not) it - too much
action!
A: But why (you / take) her with you? She (tell) me last
week that she (hate) action films.
B: I think she has an eye on Louis. She (try) to flirt with him
all the time. So he (can / concentrate / not) on the film.
I (just / finish) my homework.
Mary (already / write) five letters.
Tom (move) to this town in 1994.
My friend (be) in Canada two years ago.
I (not / be) to Canada so far.
But I (already / travel) to London a couple of times.
Last week, Mary and Paul (go) to the cinema.
I can't take any pictures because I (not / buy) a new film yet.
(they / spend) their holiday in New Zealand last summer?
(you / ever / see) a whale?
