7 present perfect phrases you can use in conversation

by David Sweetnam on February 7, 2013

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The resent er!e"t is used to tal# about events whi"h have a "onne"tion between the ast and now$ %nowin& a !ew hrases with the resent er!e"t built into it may hel im rove your understandin& o! this 'tense( as well as &et you soundin& more natural$ )ust as a reminder, an e*am le o! the resent er!e"t !orm is+ Ive been to Japan. Shes travelled to Sydney. ,-./E0-.S 1 third !orm o! the verb2 -ere are 7 resent er!e"t hrases whi"h you "an add into your "onversations today+

Ive known her for ages.

3ou met your !riend a lon& time a&o e& I met her 3 years ago. 4ut the time you know her be&an 3 years a&o and "ontinues until now$ So that(s why it(s a resent er!e"t hrase$ Ive known her !or a&es 5 years 5 a lon& time

Ive had a tough day.

I! you see the day as bein& over and "om lete, you "an use the ast sim le$ 4ut otherwise when you(re meetin& u with !riends or erha s when you(re at lun"h, you "an use the resent er!e"t to say how your day has been so !ar+ Ive had a &reat 5 borin& 5 !un 5 tou&h 5 rou&h day at wor#$ -ow about you67

This is the first time Ive been here.

8hrases startin& with 9This is the first time I:7 are !ollowed by the resent er!e"t !orm$ So i! you are at a la"e and you(ve never been there be!ore, you say+ 9This is the !irst time I(ve been here$7 ;i#ewise, you "an use these other variations+ This is the first time Ive done this 5 seen him so an&ry 5 seen this 5 heard about it$7

I havent done it yet. Ill do it now..

Sometimes you need to do somethin&$ 8erha s it(s !or wor# or a tas# someone has as#ed you to do$ <!ten it "omes u in "onversation$ e& 9-ave you ta#en out the rubbish yet67 That(s when you "an re ly+ 9Sorry, I havent done it yet$ I(ll do it now$$7 =sually i! you haven(t done somethin& whi"h you were as#ed to do, it(s &ood to add when you will &et it done+ 9Sorry, I haven(t done it yet$ I(ll &et it done !irst thin& tomorrow$7

Ive had a great evening. Lets do it again soon

>aybe you(ve ?ust had a !un ni&ht out with a &ood !riend o! yours, or erha s you(ve been on a date$ From the start o! the evenin& until now, you(ve had a ni"e time$ So that(s why you "an say how your ni&ht has been+ Ive had a wonde!ul 5 lovely 5 &reat time$ Then you "an "all your best !riend and &ive another ers e"tive+ 9Simona, I(ve ?ust had the @<AST date o! my li!e!7 9I(ve ?ust met the man who I want to marry$7

Ive had enough.

Ima&ine you(re not ha y at wor# or with your boy!riend or &irl!riend$ 3ou(ve rea"hed your limit as to how mu"h you "an a""e t+

9%ate, Ive had enough of this$ Either you sto seein& your e* or we(re throu&h!7 9I(m ?ust tired o! the same borin& routine at wor#$ There are no new "hallen&es, I(ve had enou&h!7

!ave you heard"

3ou(ve ?ust heard some im ortant news on the radio or !rom a !riend, and now you want to tell someone+ 9-ave you heard6 There(ll be an ele"tion in Se tember!7 9-ave you heard6 .nna and 8avel are havin& a baby!7 .nd o! "ourse when you want to tell !riends your news, you "an use this in the same way+ 9-ave you heard6 )a"# and I have s lit u $7 B See more at+ htt +00&etintoen&lish$"om0 resentB er!e"tB hrases0Csthash$7Di=!EuE$d u!