Present perfect simple

(full form)
I, you, we, they
have
she, he, it
has
+ worked.
(short form)
I, you, we, they
’ve
she, he, it
’s

(full form)
I, you, we, they
have not
she, he, it
has not
− worked.
(short form)
I, you, we, they
haven’t
she, he, it
hasn’t

Have I, you, we, they

?+ worked?
Has she, he, it

(full form)
I, you, we, they
Have not
she, he, it
Has
?− worked?
(short form)
I, you, we, they
Haven’t
she, he, it
Hasn’t

The structure of the Present Perfect (formula):

 • Affirmative Sentence
Subject + have/has + past participle

Example:

I have tried sushi before.

•Negative Sentence
Subject + have not (haven’t)/has not (hasn’t) + past participle

Example:

I have not tried sushi before.

• Interrogative Sentence
Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Example:

Have you tried sushi before?

Examples of the Present Perfect Tense

1. My daughter has completed her math and reading homework
assignments.
2. The gardener has planted all the seeds he is going to for the tomato
season.
3. We have finished watching Star Wars and now we can start watching
The Empire Strikes Back.
4. My company has banned remote work-from-home and now we all
have to drive into the office every day.
5. For the last two weeks, I have read a book a day and reviewed it for
my website.
Present perfect simple: form
We use have/has + the -ed form of the verb.
See also:
• Verbs: the three basic forms

Present perfect simple: uses

We use the present perfect simple to refer to events in the past but which connect to the
present.

Experiences
We use the present perfect simple to talk about our experiences up to now. The time of
the experiences is not important:
[talking about musical theatre productions]
And I’ve seen ‘Buddy’ and I’ve seen ‘Starlight Express’ in London. And I want to see
‘Phantom of the Opera’ next.
We’re going to Wagamama’s for dinner tonight. I’ve been there a couple of times
before.
Although we do not give a specific time, we often use general time expressions
like ever, never, before, in my life, so far, up until now with this use of the present
perfect simple:
We haven’t met before, have we?
They’ve sold 110 so far. (so far = from a point in the past up until now)
We often use ever, not … ever and never when we talk about experiences:
It was the worst performance we have ever seen.
Have you ever tried to write your name and address with your left hand?
She’s never said sorry for what she did.
We often use the present perfect simple for a unique experience when we are using a
superlative:
I felt the happiest I have ever felt. My first Olympic final; the bronze medal; European
record of 9.97 seconds.
The dome of the Blue Mosque at Isfahan is the most beautiful
building I have ever seen.
It was the best decision I have ever made in my life.
It’s the worst sports programme I have ever seen and the first I have ever turned off.
We usually use the present perfect simple with the first time when we’re talking about
an immediate, continuing or recent event:
That’s the first time I’ve seen you get angry.

Recent completed events

We use the present perfect simple to talk about a finished event or state in the very
recent past. We do not give a specific time. We often use words like just or recently for
events taking place a very short time before now:
What’s this? What’s just happened?
The company employs around 400 staff and has recently opened an office in the UK.
Niki and John have just come back from a week in Spain.

Past events, present results

We use the present perfect simple when a single past action has a connection with the
present:
She’s broken her arm in two places. (Her arm is still broken now.)
Why haven’t you dressed in something warmer? (You got dressed in the past but the
clothes are not warm enough for now.)
A fire has broken out at a disused hotel on the seafront. (The fire is burning now; it’s a
recent event too.)
Your flowers haven’t arrived. (Your flowers are not here; they were supposed to arrive
in the past.)

Time + for and since

We use the present perfect simple with for and since to talk about a present situation
that began at a specific point in the past and is still going on in the present. We are
looking back from the present to a point in the past.
Compare
That house on the corner has
been empty for three years. For refers to periods of time, e.g. three years,
four hours, ages, a long time, months, years.
Not: … since three years.
That house on the
corner has been empty since 2006. Since refers to a previous point in time,
e.g. last Monday, last year, 1987, yesterday.
Not: … for 2006.

The house was empty in 2006 and it is still empty now. (speaking in 2011)

How long …?
We often use expressions with for and since to answer the question How long
…+ present perfect simple. We use the How long …? question to ask about the duration
of a state or activity:
A:
How long have you worked there?
B:
Since 21 August. So for about four months.

Yet
We use yet + the present perfect simple, mainly in questions and negative statements,
to refer to things we intend to do in the future but which are not done:
Don’t wash up that cup. I haven’t finished my coffee yet. (I intend to finish it.)
Haven’t you done your homework yet? (You intend to do it.)
See also:
• Yet

Already
We use already + the present perfect simple when we want to emphasise that
something is done or achieved, often before the expected time:
I’ve already booked my flight home.
A:
Will you go and clean your teeth!
B:
I’ve already cleaned them.
See also:
• Already

Still
We use still + the present perfect simple when we want to emphasise that something we
expected to happen continues not to happen:
She still hasn’t said sorry to me.
I feel really tired. I still haven’t recovered from the jet lag.
See also:
• Still
• Yet
• Already

Introducing past time events

The present perfect simple is often used in newspaper headlines or TV news
programmes to report a recent past event. It is then followed by a series of verbs in the
past simple (underlined):
Charlton Heston has died aged 84, a spokesman for his family has said.
Heston died on Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills. His wife Lydia, whom
he married in 1944, was at his side. Heston won a best actor Oscar for his starring role
in the epic ‘Ben Hur’.
We can also use the present perfect simple to introduce an ‘open’ general point about
something. We can then use the past simple (underlined) to give more detailed specific
information:
Have you seen any Arthur Miller plays? I saw a fantastic production of ‘The Crucible’.

American English
In American English the past simple is often used instead of the present perfect simple,
often with already and yet.
Compare

American English British English

Did you eat (yet)? Have you eaten (yet)?

American English British English

Did you finish (already)? Have you finished (already)?