Present Perfect Simple

The present perfect tense:

This page will present the present perfect simple:

 its form
 and its use.

The form of the present perfect simple tense:

Have (in the simple present) + Verb (in the past participle form)

Positive Negative Interrogative

I have worked. I have not worked. Have you worked?

you have worked you have not worked have you worked?

he has worked he has not worked has he worked?

she has worked she has not worked has she worked?

We have worked we have not worked have we worked?

you have worked you have not worked have you worked?

they have worked they have not have they worked?

worked
NOTE:

I have worked = I've worked I have not = I haven't worked

He has worked = He's worked He has not = He hasn’t worked
Examples:

 Have you finished the job?
 No, I haven't finished yet.
 Yes, I have already finished.
 She's just finished her job.

Remember:
1. The past participle of regular verbs is :
 Rule Examples

Verb + play - played 

ed visit - visited
finish -finished
2. The past participle of irregular verbs can't be predicted (there is no rule .) But
there is a list of irregular verbs that you have to learn by heart.

Here are some examples:

Infinitive Simple past Past participle

be was/were been
come came come
go went gone
do did done
meet met met

The uses of the present perfect simple tense:

1. To emphasize the result of a past action without mentioning the actual time
when it happened:

Examples:

  I have met that girl before.

 We have discussed this issue a few times.

2. Action performed in a period that has not finished yet (the same day, week,
month, etc.):

Examples:

  Have you seen Lacy today? (The day is not over yet.)

  I have had several tests this month. (The month has not finished yet.)
3. Action that started in the past and has continued until now. Often used with
since (indicating the beginning of action) or for (indicating the duration of
action):

Examples:

 They have lived here for ten years.

  I have not seen her since we left high school.
 Clare and John have known each other  since they were in primary school.

4. It is used to indicate completed activities in the immediate past (with just).

Example:

  " He has just taken the medicine."

Present perfect vs past simple tense:

The use of past simple instead of present perfect requires clear reference to a
past period/moment:

Present perfect Simple past

I have met that girl before I met that girl at the beach last Saturday.

Have you seen Nancy recently? Did you see Nancy yesterday?

We have discussed this issue a few times. We discussed this issue last month.

I have had some tests this week. I had some tests last week.