present perfect simple tense

Form:

have/has + past participle (e.g. done/eaten)

I have been to Italy (Ive been)
Helen has not done her homework (Helen hasnt done)
Have they finished the job?

Use:

1) to talk about something that happened in the past, when we dont mention the
exact time (if we say when the action happened, we use past simple)
e.g. Weve been to Japan three times.
Mark has had several different jobs.
2) to talk about something that began in the past and continues in the present
e.g. Weve lived here since 1985.
Shes worked in this office for 8 months
3) to talk about something that happened in the past but has an importance in the
present
e.g. Ive lost my keys (= now I cant get into the house)
Shes broken her leg (= now she cant go to work)
4) to give news
e.g. Have you heard? Helen and James have got married!
Ive passed all my exams!
5) to describe things that happened in unfinished time (today, this week, this
month etc)
e.g. Ive drunk six cups of coffee today.
Have you seen Andy this week?
6) to talk about number or amount
e.g. How much money have you spent?
Ive spent over 200.
How many films have you seen this year?
Ive seen more than 15.
7) with superlative adjectives
e.g. This is the most delicious apple pie Ive ever eaten!
Whats the best book youve ever read?
8) with its/this is the first time etc
e.g. Its the first time weve visited Athens.
This is the third time Ive watched this video.

Note 1: The verb go has two past participles gone and been.
We use gone when someone went somewhere and has not returned
e.g. Mum has gone to the supermarket (= she is not here she is probably still in the
supermarket)
We use been when someone went somewhere but has returned
e.g. Mum has been to the supermarket (= she is back home now)
Note: we use some words and phrases with present perfect simple: since, for, yet, still,
already, just, recently, ever, never, so far
since we use this with points in time
e.g. since Friday, since 1985, since 4 oclock, since Christmas
for we use this with periods of time
e.g. for three years, for 20 minutes, for ages, for a long time
yet we use this with negative statements and questions
e.g. Fred hasnt read the book yet.
Have you finished dinner yet?
still we use this with negative statements
e.g. You still havent given me the money you owe me!
already we use this with positive statements
e.g. Weve already done our homework.
just - we use this with positive statements
e.g. Harry and June have just gone out
recently we use this with positive statements, negative statements and questions
e.g. Ive been to the cinema many times recently.
They havent come to visit us recently.
Has Peter phoned you recently?
ever we use this with questions
e.g. Have you ever eaten Indonesian food?
never we use this with negative statements
e.g. Harry has never travelled abroad.

so far we use this with positive statements

e.g. Ive read The Lord of the Rings five times so far.
Practice:
a) Fill the gaps with gone or been
1. Johns _______________ out. He should be back soon.
2. Im looking for Mike. Where has he _______________?
3. Ive _______________ to France but Ive never _______________ to Belgium.
4. Ive _______________ to the bank so Ive got some money.
5. You cant speak to my brother. Hes _______________ to the gymnasium.
b) Fill the gaps with since or for
1. Ive been here _______________ 5 oclock.
2. Shes had a cold _______________ last week.
3. Greg has lived in Italy _______________ 1999.
4. Mary has worked here _______________ a long time.
5. Ive had this car _______________ 15 years.
6. You havent phoned me _______________ ages!
7. Ive been in this flat _______________ Easter.
8. Hes had a sore throat _______________ Tuesday morning.
c) Fill the gaps with yet, still, already, just, recently, ever, never, so far (use each word
once only)
1. Has your boyfriend _______________ lied to you?
2. Go and do your homework!
Ive _______________ done it, mum!
3. I havent spoken to Bob _______________. The last time we spoke was two months ago.
4. Ive got to do three compositions for tomorrow and I havent started any of them
_______________!
5. Janets _______________ gone out. If you had come five minutes ago you would have

seen her.
6. Ive _______________ eaten snails and I dont think I want to!
7. Weve seen Star Wars three times _______________ and we plan to go and see it
again!
8. He _______________ hasnt said sorry to me for what he did.
past simple or present perfect simple?
It is very important that you understand the difference between the past simple and present
perfect tenses
Look:
present perfect

past simple

used for general past time:

Ive been to Paris twice
Donnas bought a new car
Laurence has found a new job

used for exact past time:

I went to Paris in 1989 and 1994
Donna bought her new car last month
Laurence found the job a few days ago

used for unfinished time:

Ive spoken to Tom this week
Have you seen Mike today?
Hes been to Florida twice this year

used for finished time

I spoke to Tom last week
Did you see Mike yesterday?
He went to Florida twice last year

used to describe unfinished actions:

Weve lived here in London for five years (=
we still live here)
Ive worked in this record shop since
September (= I still work here)

used to describe finished actions

We lived in London for five years (= we dont
live there now)
I worked in that record shop in the town
centre (= I work somewhere else now)

Practice: Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense past simple or present perfect
1. Where is Tom?
I (not see) _______________ him recently.
2. I (buy) _______________ this jumper in London some time ago.
How much (you pay) _______________ for it?
I (pay) _______________ 25.
3. Peter (leave) _______________ the house at 7:30.
Where (he go) _______________?
I (not see) _______________ where he went.

4. How long (you know) _______________ Steve?

I (know) _______________ him since 1992.
5. (you ever try)_______________ whisky?
Yes. I (drink) _______________ some last year.
6. Where (be) _______________ you on Saturday?
I (visit) _______________ my Aunt.
7. (you meet) _______________ James in town yesterday?
Yes, I (see) _______________ him in the record shop.
8. (you finish) _______________ the exercise yet?
Yes. I (finish) _______________ it 20 minutes ago.
9. Would you like some chocolate?
No thanks, I (just eat) _______________ dinner.
10. (you ever go) _______________ to America?
Yes, I (go) _______________ there last summer. It (be) _______________ great!
11. When I (be) _______________ young, we (live) _______________ in
Manchester. We (move) _______________ to London when I (be) _______________
ten years old and we (live) _______________ in London ever since.
12. Ann (go) _______________ to Canada six months ago. She (work)
_______________ in Canada for a while and then (travel) _______________
to the United States.
13. - Mary (be) _______________ in Japan for two years. She is working there and
likes it very much.
- How (she get) _______________ there?
- She (go) _______________ by plane.
14. "Gandhi" is the most interesting film I (ever see) _______________
15. When I (buy) _______________ my new house, I (ask) _______________
for a telephone. The Post Office (tell) _______________ me to wait. I (wait)

_______________ for a year now and my phone still (not come)

________________.
16. Ann: Hello, Jack! I (not see) _______________ you for a long time! Where
(you be) _______________?
Jack: I (be) _______________ in Switzerland for a few days. I (want) _______________
to send you a postcard but I (not have) _______________ your address with
me.
Ann: Never mind. (you have) _______________ a good time in Switzerland?
How long (you be) _______________ there?
Jack: I (be) _______________ there for a month. I (only just get)
_______________ back. I (enjoy) _______________ it very much. I (ski)
_______________ all day and (dance) _______________ all night.
17. Tom: (you ever go) _______________ to Corinth?
Jim: Yes, I (go) _______________ there last year.
Tom: (you go) _______________ by car?
Jim: No, I (go) _______________ with the school. We (hire) _______________
a coach.
18. - (the newspaper come) ________________ yet?
- Yes. It (come) _______________ half an hour ago.
19. It (be) _______________ very cold this year. I wonder when it's
going to get warmer.
20. - I (lose) _______________ my black gloves. (you see) _______________
them anywhere?
- No, I'm afraid I _______________. When (you last wear) _______________
them?
- I (wear) _______________ them to the theatre last night.
- Perhaps you (leave) _______________ them at the theatre.
21. - (you see) _______________ Tom?
- He (leave) _______________ the house at 8 a.m.

- Where (he go) _______________?

- I (not see) __________ where he (go) __________.
22. This is the first time he (try) ___________________ Russian food.
23. I can't go out because I (not finish) _______________ my work.
24. The play (just begin) _______________. You are a little bit late.
25. Shakespeare (write) _______________ a lot of plays.
26. This is the fourth time she (see) _______________ this film.