Present Perfect

Present Perfect Tense:
“My dream has come true.”

Warm up:
Watch this video first, then read about the present perfect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUIJ9pBDlHs
The Present Perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives
speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses
concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact,
the structure of the Present Perfect is very simple. The problems come with
the use of the tense. In addition, there are some differences in usage
between British and American English.
In this lesson we look at the structure and use of the Present Perfect tense,

as well as the use of for and since, followed by a quiz to check your
understanding.
The Present Perfect tense is really a very interesting tense, and a very
useful one. Try not to translate the Present Perfect into your language. Just
try to accept the concepts of this tense and learn to "think" Present Perfect!
You will soon learn to like the Present Perfect tense!
How do we make the Present Perfect tense?

The structure of the Present Perfect is:
subject + auxiliary have + main verb
conjugated in Present
Simple
I you we they have past participle
He she it has worked/ seen

The auxiliary verb (have) is conjugated in the Present Simple: have, has
The main verb is invariable in past participle form: -ed (or irregular)
For negative sentences we insert not between the auxiliary verb and the

main verb.
For question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.
Look at these example sentences with the Present Perfect tense:
subject auxiliary verb main verb
+ I have seen the video
+ You have understood the lesson
- She has not been to Rome.
- We have not hired anyone
? Have you finished?
? Have they done it?
Contraction with Present Perfect

When we use the Present Perfect in speaking, we often contract the subject
and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.
I have I've
You have You've
He has He's
She has She's
It has It's
John has John's
The car has The car's
We have We've
They have They've
 You've told me that before.

 John's seen Harry Potter.
In negative sentences, we may contract the auxiliary verb and "not":
 You haven't won the contest.

 She hasn't heard from him.
He's or he's??? Be careful! The 's contraction is used for the auxiliary
verbs have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can mean:
 It has eaten. (Present Perfect tense, active voice)
 It is eaten. (Present Simple tense, passive voice)
It is usually clear from the context.
How do we use the Present Perfect tense?

This tense is called the Present Perfect tense. There is always a connection
with the past and with the present.
We use the Present Perfect to talk about:
 experience
 change
 continuing situation
Present Perfect for experience
We often use the Present Perfect to talk about experience from the past. We

are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you
did it:
I have seen an alien.

He has lived in Bangkok.
Have you been there?
We have never eaten caviar.
past present future
!!!
The action or state was in the In my head, I have a

past. memory now.
Connection with past: the event was in the past

Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event;
I know something about the event; I have experience of it
Present Perfect for change

We also use the Present Perfect to talk about a change, or new information:
I have bought a car.
past present future

- +
Last week I didn't have a Now I have a car.

car.
John has broken his leg.
past present future
+ -
Yesterday John had a good Now he has a bad

leg. leg.
Has the price gone up?
past present future
+ -
Was the price $1.50 Is the price $1.70

yesterday? today?
The police have arrested the killer.

past present future
- +
Yesterday the killer was Now he is in prison.

free.
Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present

Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past
Americans do use the Present Perfect but less than British speakers.
Americans often use the Past Simple tense instead. An American might say
"Did you have lunch?", where a British person would say "Have you had
lunch?"
Present Perfect for continuing situation

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about a continuing situation. This is
a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will
probably continue into the future). This is a situation (not an action). We
usually use for or since with this structure.
I have worked here since June.

He has been ill for 2 days.
How long have you known Tara (for)?
past present future
The situation started in the It continues up to (It will probably

past. now. continue into the
future.)
Connection with past: the situation started in the past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.
For and Since with Present Perfect tense

We often use for and since with perfect tenses:
 We use for to talk about a period of time: five minutes, two weeks, six

years
 We use since to talk about a point in past time: 9 o'clock, 1st January,
Monday
for since
a period of a point in past time

time
------------ -•----------
20 minutes 6.15pm
three days Monday
6 months January
4 years 1994
2 centuries 1800
a long time I left school
ever the beginning of time
etc etc
Recently ; lately ; just ; before , already ; yet ; for ; since …..
Look at these example sentences using for and since with the Present

Perfect tense:
 I have been here for twenty minutes.

 I have been here since 9 o'clock.
 John hasn't called for six months.
 John hasn't called since February.
 He has worked in New York for a long time.
 He has worked in New York since he left school.
For can be used with all tenses. Since is usually used with perfect tenses
only.
Past Simple vs. Present Perfect: Practice.

1)Complete the sentences with the verb in brackets in past simple or present perfect.
1. She loves Paris. She has been (be) there many times.
2. Bill ....................... (work) in that company for 3 years. (He still works there).
3. They ....................... (go) to London on holiday last summer.
4. I ....................... (read) that book. It´s good.
5. His parents ....................... (be) here yesterday.
6. They ....................... (go) to Germany when he ....................... (be) only 4.
7. ........... you ......... (watch) a film last night?
8. I ....................... (have) some toast when I got up.
9. He ....................... (live) in Rome since he was a teenager.
10. The house looks different. .......... you .............. (paint) it?
11. I ....................... (not see) you in class last Friday.
12. Shakespeare ....................... (write) over one hundred sonnets.
2) Say if the following sentences are right or wrong. Correct them if necessary.
1. Have you ever been to
Thailand? ......................................................................................
2. I´ve had sausages for lunch at half past
one. ....................................................................
3. She´s enjoyed herself at the party last
night. .....................................................................
4. I´ve read that book but I didn´t like it
much. .......................................................................
5. Tom has left school one year
ago. .....................................................................................
6. My cousins have lived in Dublin since they´ve been
children. ...........................................
7. We have worked here for a year and a
half. ......................................................................
8. My parents lived in Britain for a couple of
years. ...............................................................
9. James has made a cake
yesterday. ..................................................................................
10. I´ve washed the car. It looks great
now. ............................................................................
3. Complete the sentences with a verb from the box in present perfect or past simple.
Be finish stop watch not smoke enjoy win live
1. She ............... smoking two months ago.
2. She ............... for two months.
3. ......... you ever .......... to Florence?
4. ......... you ........... that TV show last night?
5. They still live in that town. They ............... there for ages.
6. A friend of mine ............... the lottery three years ago.
7. When ........... you ........... your homework?
8. They ............... themselves at the party last summer.

Present Perfect

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Present Perfect Tense:

“My dream has come true.”

In this lesson we look at the structure and use of the Present Perfect tense,

How do we make the Present Perfect tense?

subject + auxiliary have + main verb

I you we they have past participle

He she it has worked/ seen

The main verb is invariable in past participle form: -ed (or irregular)

For negative sentences we insert not between the auxiliary verb and the

For question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.

Look at these example sentences with the Present Perfect tense:

subject auxiliary verb main verb

+ I have seen the video

+ You have understood the lesson

- She has not been to Rome.

- We have not hired anyone

? Have you finished?

? Have they done it?

Contraction with Present Perfect

They have They've

 You've told me that before.

In negative sentences, we may contract the auxiliary verb and "not":

 You haven't won the contest.

How do we use the Present Perfect tense?

We use the Present Perfect to talk about:

Present Perfect for experience

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about experience from the past. We

I have seen an alien.

past present future

The action or state was in the In my head, I have a

Connection with past: the event was in the past

Present Perfect for change

I have bought a car.

past present future

Last week I didn't have a Now I have a car.

John has broken his leg.

past present future

Yesterday John had a good Now he has a bad

Has the price gone up?

past present future

Was the price $1.50 Is the price $1.70

The police have arrested the killer.

Yesterday the killer was Now he is in prison.

Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present

Present Perfect for continuing situation

I have worked here since June.

past present future

The situation started in the It continues up to (It will probably

For and Since with Present Perfect tense

 We use for to talk about a period of time: five minutes, two weeks, six

a period of a point in past time

three days Monday

ever the beginning of time

Recently ; lately ; just ; before , already ; yet ; for ; since …..

Look at these example sentences using for and since with the Present

 I have been here for twenty minutes.

Past Simple vs. Present Perfect: Practice.

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