Present Perfect

Form: Present Perfect (1)

I have » I've
Affirmative
you have » you've
Subject Auxiliary Verb (past
he/she/it has » he's/she's/it's
participle)
I
we have » we've
You you have » you've
We have seen they have » they've
You
They
He/She has
/It

Practical Grammar 2
 Form: Present Perfect (2)
Negative
The contracted forms haven't and hasn't are often used instead
of have not and has not in spoken and in informal written
language.
Subject Auxiliary not Verb (past participle)
I
You
We have
not seen
You
They
He/She/It has

Practical Grammar 3
Form: Present Perfect (3)
Interrogative
(Question
Auxiliary Subject Verb (past participle)
word)
I
You
(How have We
many seen?
times) You
They
has He/She/It

Practical Grammar 4
 Usage: Present Perfect (1)
1. The present perfect tense is used for past events when the
exact time is not mentioned either because it is not known or it
is not important. The emphasis is on the fact that the events
happened before the time of speaking:

I've seen that film before.

Practical Grammar 5
 Usage: Present Perfect (2)
But if we say when something happened, we use the past simple:
I went to China in 2011.
I already saw that film last week.

We also use the past simple if we ask when something happened in the past:
"Have you ever been to China?"
"Yes, I have."
"When did you go there?"

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 Usage: Present Perfect (3)
2. The present perfect tense is used for recent events that have a
result in or an effect on the present moment:
Someone has opened the window. (the window is open, and it is cold
inside)
Tom has broken his leg. (his leg is broken, and he can't walk)

If there is no connection between the action and the present moment,

the past simple is used:
Someone opened the window to let in some fresh air. (the window is
now closed, or we don't know whether it is closed or not)
On the day before the match, Tom broke his leg. (his leg is not broken
any more)

Practical Grammar 7
 Usage: Present Perfect (4)
3. The present perfect tense is used to express actions
happening in an incomplete period of time. An incomplete
period is one that includes the present moment, that is, the time
of speaking. This period can be implied or expressed with a time
expression (today, this week, this year, ever, never etc.):
I haven't smoked today.
I've lived here all my life.
Have you ever been to China? (in your life)
My uncle has written several plays. (in his life, supposing he is
still alive)

Practical Grammar 8
 Usage: Present Perfect (5)
If the action happened in a completed period of time (one that does
not include the time of speaking), the past simple tense is used. This
period can be implied or expressed with a time expression (yesterday,
last week, last year, between 1905 and 1910 etc.) or a clause:

I didn't smoke yesterday.

I lived in this house when I was a child. (I am not a child any more)
Did you go to China when you were working as a flight attendant?
Shakespeare wrote numerous plays. (in his life, he is dead now)
He worked in this café between 1905 and 1910.

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Usage: Present Perfect (6)

Practical Grammar 10
 Usage: Present Perfect (7)
Note that some time expressions (e.g.
this morning, recently and lately) may
refer to either a completed or an
incomplete period of time depending
on the context and whether or not the
time of speaking is included in the
given period:

I have seen him this morning. (it is still

morning)
I saw him this morning. (it is later
during the day)

Practical Grammar 11
 Usage: Present Perfect (8)
Reference to an incomplete period of time,
however, does not always involve the use of the
present perfect tense:

Have you been to Lake Balaton this year? (any

time this year)
Did you go to Lake Balaton this year? (at the
time when you go there every year)

Practical Grammar 12
 Usage: Present Perfect (9)
4. The question words how long? and since when?, and the prepositions for
and since are used with the present perfect tense to express that something
started in the past and is still true. How long? and for refer to an incomplete
period of time, while since when? and since refer to a point in time:
I have lived here for two months.
I have lived here since January.

Practical Grammar 13
 Usage: Present Perfect (10)
The point in time after since can also be
expressed with a clause containing a verb in the
past simple:

I have lived here since I was born.

I've known José since we were young.

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 Usage: Present Perfect (11)
5. The present perfect tense is used for recently completed actions, usually with the
word just:

If the exact time is mentioned, the past simple is used:

I started a typing course a few weeks ago.

Just now also requires the past simple tense and means "a moment ago":
I spoke to him just now. He says hi.

Practical Grammar 15
 Usage: Present Perfect (12)
6. The time expressions yet and already are often
used with the present perfect tense.

Yet is used in negative and interrogative sentences:

I haven't finished yet.
Have you talked to him yet?

Already is usually used in affirmative sentences:

I've already told you more than I should.
Practical Grammar 16
 Usage: Present Perfect (13)
IT'S (BEEN) + DAYS / WEEKS / MONTHS / etc. + SINCE
The structure it's (been) + days / weeks / months / etc. + since is used to
emphasise the length of time that has passed since a past event:
It's been weeks since his last blog post.

In the sentences above, it's been stands for it has been (present perfect);
however, in everyday speech, it is more common to use the present simple
instead of the present perfect:
It's weeks since his last blog post.

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 Usage: Present Perfect (14)
7. The present perfect tense is used to express quantities: how
much we have done of something or how often we have done
something in an incomplete period of time:

How much alcohol have you consumed in the past 24 hours?

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 Usage: Present Perfect (15)
8. The present perfect is used with superlative forms of
adjectives to express emphasis:

This is the first time I have been to the Philippines.

This is the worst film I have ever seen.

Practical Grammar 19
 Usage: Present Perfect (16)
9. When with present perfect refers to an
indefinite time in an incomplete period of time
and is used to indicate criticism:

When have you ever done the dishes? (any time

in your life or since we met)

Practical Grammar 20