Adverbs of Tense with

the Present Perfect

Introduction

 Adverbs are words that modify other elements of the clause. They can
provide extensive information.

 Tense adverbs are commonly used with the present perfect and function as
modifiers for other elements in the clause.|

 The present perfect tense is commonly used with the indefinite time
adverbs never, ever, before, yet, already.
 The use of adverbs as yet,
already, just and others

Some adverbs of time usually

accompany the present perfect to
•Just (apenas) emphasize the moment in which
•Already (ya) the action happened. The main
•Yet (todavía, ya) ones are
•For (desde hace/hace)
•Since (desde)
•Ever (alguna vez)
•How long (cuánto tiempo, cuánto tiempo hace que)
structure

 The present perfect tense is not used with adverbs of past time. Examples
are: yesterday, last week, last year etc.

 The main tense adverbs used with the present perfect are: already, just, still, and
yet.
 Their positions in the sentences are:
NOTE: They can have
different positions when
 Already: Subject + have / has + already + past participle +… not used with perfect
 Just: Subject + have / has + just + past participle +… times.
 Still: Subject + have / has + still + verb +…
 Yet: Subject + verb +… + yet
Example

• POSITIVE STATEMENS
• She has just retired. (Ella acaba de jubilarse)
• He has already booked his ticket. ( El ha reservado su boleto)
• Have they just sent a fax? (¿Acaban de enviar un fax?)
 NEGATIVE STATEMENS
• I still haven’t made any plan for Christmas. (Todavia no han hecho un plan para
Navidad)
• Have you still not done the laundry? (¿Aún no has lavado la ropa?)
• Haven’t they sent an email yet? (¿No han enviado el correo aun?)
USE

 We use adverbs of time to express when an action occurred, how long it lasts, and
how often. When we use them with the present perfect they modify the other
elements of the clause.

 The main time adverbs are:

 Already to say that something happened early, or ahead of schedule.

 Just to express an action that occurred at this time or recently.
 Still to express an action that has not finished or that has lasted longer than
expected.
 Yet to say that something is not happening now, but will happen in the near future.
Cases where the present perfect tense
cannot be used
 We do not use the present perfect tense when we say when something happens.
In such cases, we use the simple past tense.
• I saw Rani yesterday. (NOT I have seen Rani yesterday.)
• She called me in the morning. (NOT She has called me in the morning.)
• She died three years ago. (NOT She has died three years ago.)
• I was born in 1979. (NOT I have been born in 1979.)
Exercise

 Complete the following sentences using has or have.

 1. I …………………….. been to London twice.
 2. …………………….. you ever been to Australia?
 3. She ……………………. not done anything.
 4. He ………………….. got.
 5. It ……………………… not stopped raining since morning.
 6. Sania ……………………. returned from school.
 7. Rohan ……………………….. finished his homework.
 8. Rohan and Sania …………………….. gone to the market.
 9. We ………………………. experienced despair.
 10. She …………………. made another discovery.