Present Perfect Tense
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 tense 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.
How do we make the Present Perfect Tense?
The structure of the present perfect tense is:
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
| | have | | past participle |
Here are some examples of the present perfect tense:
| subject | auxiliary verb | | main verb | |
+ | I | have | | seen | ET. |
+ | You | have | | eaten | mine. |
- | She | has | not | been | to Rome. |
- | We | have | not | played | football. |
? | Have | you | | finished? | |
? | Have | they | | done | it? |
Contractions with the present perfect tense
When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this when we write.
I have | I've |
You have | You've |
He has
She has
It has
John has
The car has | He's
She's
It's
John's
The car's |
We have | We've |
They have | They've |
Here are some examples:
- I've finished my work.
- John's seen ET.
- They've gone home.
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. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense:
- experience
- change
- continuing situation
1. Present perfect tense for experience
We often use the present perfect tense 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 ET.
He has lived in Bangkok.
Have you been there?
We have never eaten caviar. |
past | present | future |
|
The action or state was in the past. | In my head, I have a 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.
2. Present perfect tense for change
We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a
change or
new information:
I have bought a car. |
past | present | future |
- | + | |
Last week I didn't have a car. | Now I have a car. | |
John has broken his leg. |
past | present | future |
+ | - | |
Yesterday John had a good leg. | Now he has a bad leg. | |
Has the price gone up? |
past | present | future |
+ | - | |
Was the price $1.50 yesterday? | Is the price $1.70 today? | |
The police have arrested the killer. |
past | present | future |
- | + | |
Yesterday the killer was free. | Now he is in prison. | |
Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present.
Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past.
3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation
We often use the present perfect tense 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
state (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? |
past | present | future |
|
The situation started in the past. | It continues up to now. | (It will probably continue into the future.) |
Connection with past: the situation started in the past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.
For & Since with Present Perfect Tense
We often use
for and
since with the present perfect tense.
- We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.
- We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.
for | since |
a period of time | a point in past time |
| x------------ |
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 |
Here are some examples:
- I have been here for 20 minutes.
- I have been here since 9 o'clock.
- John hasn't called for 6 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.
Source : englishclub.com