Grammar

Present Perfect
FOR / SINCE
Present Perfect for / since

Past Simple: Finished I flew to America

June 2019 on June 5, 2019

I visited America in
June 2019.
June 5,
NOW
2019
I have lived in America
Present Perfect: NOT finished SINCE June 2019

I have lived in America

FOR 9 months.

NOW
SINCE June 2019 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
FOR 9 months ^^
Present Perfect for / since

Function: use to talk about something that started in the past

and is still true now or is not finished.

Affirmative
FOR: A duration of time from the past until now
I have lived in America FOR three years.

SINCE: Started at a point in the past and is still true now

I have lived in America SINCE March 2017.
 Present Perfect for / since

Affirmative Form:

Subject AUX EXAMPLES

I have taught at BIA SINCE July 2019.
I
You You have had that hairstyle FOR a long time.
We have Main Verb FOR We have been married SINCE 1995.
They (PAST or
PARTICIPLE) SINCE They have lived in Boston FOR 7 months.
He He has worked at the bank FOR 1 year.
She has She has played guitar SINCE she was a child.
It
It has been cloudy SINCE two o’clock.
Present Perfect for / since

Function: use to talk about something that started in the past

and is still true now or is not finished.

NEGATIVE
FOR: A duration of time from the past until now
I have NOT seen him FOR 5 years.

SINCE: Started at a point in the past and is still true now

I have NOT seen him SINCE December 2015.
 Present Perfect for / since

CONTRACTIONS: haven’t hasn’t

Negative Form: ha - vint ha - zint

Subject AUX EXAMPLES

I have NOT worked there SINCE last summer.
I
You You haveN’T ridden a bike SINCE I was a kid.
We have Main FOR We haven’t played tennis FOR a week.
They NOT Verb or
(PAST They haven’t lived in Boston FOR very long.
PARTICIPLE)
SINCE
He He has NOT spoken with me FOR over 2 years.
She has She hasN’T cut the grass SINCE a month ago.
It
It hasn’t been fed SINCE 9:00 this morning.
Present Perfect for / since

Function: use to ask about something that started in the past

and is still true now or is not finished.

Question
FOR: A duration of time from the past until now
Have you lived in America for two years?

SINCE: Started at a point in the past and is still true now

Have you lived in America since 2018?
 Grammar present perfect

SHORT ANSWERS
Question Form: Yes, I have. --- No, I haven’t.
Yes, he has. --- No, he hasn’t.

EXAMPLES
AUX Subject Have I known you FOR 2 years or 3?

I Have you played piano SINCE you were a kid?

You Main FOR ?
Have Where have they been FOR the past 5 hours?
We Verb or
They (PAST Have we run 7 or 8 miles SINCE we started?
PARTICIPLE) SINCE ?
He Has he had his dog FOR a long time?
Has She Has she spoken to him SINCE their breakup?
It
Has it been cloudy SINCE this morning?
 Grammar present perfect

Question Form: We use “How long” + present perfect to ask about

a unfinished period of time (from the past until now).
EXAMPLES
AUX Subject
How long have I been asleep for?

I How long have you played piano?

You How long have they known each other?
HOW have We Main Verb
How long have we worked together?
LONG They (PAST PARTICIPLE)
How long has he owned that car?
He How long has she lived in Boston?
has She How long has it been in the oven?
It
Comparing past simple / prez perfect

Past Simple: Finished How long was Bob

Duration: 20 years Marley a musician?

He was a musician
for 20 years.
Bob Marley Bob Marley died
became a NOW He did not win any
musician Grammys.

How long has Ziggy

Present Perfect: NOT finished Marley been a
musician?

Ziggy Marley has been

a musician since he
was 10 years old.

10 years NOW He has won four

SINCE 1 2 3 4 Grammys so far.
old