Present Perfect Simple

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.)
Structure
To make the affirmative sentences in the Present Perfect Simple tense use:
auxiliary verb have/has + the past participle of the main verb
AFFIRMATIVE AFFIRMATIVE SHORT FORM

I have walked I've walked
You have worked You've worked
She has spoken She’s spoken
He has written He's written
It has rained It's rained
We have travelled We’ve travelled
You have gone You’ve gone
They have played They’ve played
To make the negative sentences in the Present Perfect Simple tense use:
auxiliary verb have/has + not + the past participle of the main verb
NEGATIVE NEGATIVE SHORT FORM

I have not swum I haven’t swum
You have not sung You haven’t sung
She has not seen the new film She hasn’t seen the new film
He has not played tennis He hasn’t played tennis
It has not snowed in winter It hasn’t snowed in winter
We have not slept at all We haven’t slept at all
You have not read the article You haven’t read the article
They have not tasted the food They haven’t tasted the food
To make the Yes/No interrogative sentences in the Present Perfect Simple tense
use:
auxiliary verb have/has + subject + the past participle of the main verb
YES/NO QUESTION YES ANSWER NO ANSWER

Have I missed the bus? Yes, I have. No, I haven’t.
1
Have you visited London? Yes, you have. No, you haven’t.
Has she worked as a writer Yes, she has. No, she hasn’t.
before?
Has he arrived at the Yes, he has. No, he hasn’t.
meeting?
Has it been cold this week? Yes, it has. No, it hasn’t.
Have we left too early? Yes, we have. No, we haven’t.
Have you shown them the Yes, you have. No, you haven’t.
album?
Have they studied English Yes, they have. No, they haven’t.
grammar before?
To make the WH- interrogative sentences in the Present Perfect Simple tense
use:
WH- interrogative pronoun + auxiliary verb have/has + subject + the past

participle of the main verb
WH- QUESTIONS
Where have I left my umbrella?
What have you done today?
When has she been to the UK?
Why has he gone already?
How much has it rained this summer?
What have we brought to the party?
How have you accomplished that?
Where have they studied English before?
USAGE
We use this tense for unfinished and finished actions.
Unfinished Actions
1) We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished actions or states or
habits that started in the past and continue to the present. Using the present
perfect, we can define a period of time before now by considering
its duration, with for + a period of time, or by considering its starting
point, with since + a point in time.
We often use stative verbs.
2
for + a period of time
We use 'for' with a period of time (for six years, for a week, for two months, for
eight hours).
 I’ve known Julie for ten years.

 I’ve been hungry for hours.
 She’s had a cold for a week.
since + a point in time

We use 'since' with a fixed time in the past (2004, April 23rd, last year). The
fixed time can be another action, which is in the past simple (since I was at
school, since I arrived).
 I’ve known Sam since 1992.

 I’ve liked chocolate since I was a child.
 She’s been here since 2pm.
Finished Actions
2) Life experience. These are actions or events that happened sometime during
a person's life. We don't say when the experience happened, and the person
needs to be alive now. We often use the adverbs ever and never here.
 I have been to Oceania thrice.

 They have visited Paris three times.
 We have never seen that film.
3) With an unfinished time word (this month, this week, today). The period of
time is still continuing.
 I haven't seen her this month.
3
 She's drunk three cups of coffee today.
 I've already moved house twice this year!
4) A finished action with a result in the present (focus on result). We often use
the present perfect to talk about something that happened in the recent past,
but that is still true or important now.
 I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house).

 She's hurt her leg (so she can't play tennis today).
 They've missed the bus (so they will be late).
5) We can also use the present perfect to talk about something that happened
recently, even if there isn't a clear result in the present. This is common when
we want to introduce news and we often use the adverbs just, yet, already,
recently.
 The presenter hasn’t given a speech yet.

 I've just seen Lucy.
 The headmaster has already announced the actions for the year.
BEEN and GONE

In this tense, we use both been and gone as the past participle of go, but in
slightly different circumstances.
We use been (often when we talk about life experience) to mean that the person
we're talking about visited the place and came back.
 I've been to Paris (in my life, but now I'm in London, where I live).
 She has been to school today (but now she's back at home).
 They have never been to California.
4
We use gone (often when we are talking about an action with a result in the
present) to mean that the person went to the place and is at the place now.
 Where's John? He's gone to the shops (he's at the shops now).
 Julie has gone to Mexico (now she's in Mexico).
 They've gone to Norway for three weeks (now they're in Norway).

Present Perfect Simple

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PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

auxiliary verb have/has + the past participle of the main verb

AFFIRMATIVE AFFIRMATIVE SHORT FORM

NEGATIVE NEGATIVE SHORT FORM

YES/NO QUESTION YES ANSWER NO ANSWER

WH- interrogative pronoun + auxiliary verb have/has + subject + the past

We often use stative verbs.

 I’ve known Julie for ten years.

since + a point in time

 I’ve known Sam since 1992.

 I have been to Oceania thrice.

 I haven't seen her this month.

 I've lost my keys (so I can't get into my house).

 The presenter hasn’t given a speech yet.

BEEN and GONE

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