Present Perfect

When do we use the Present Perfect?

We use the Present perfect to talk about actions and states
which start in the past but which have a link with the present.

• To talk about states that started in the past and are still continuing in
the present. (Ex. It has rained a lot this year)
• We also use the present perfect to talk about actions which happened
in the past but may happen again in the future. (Ex. I’ve only been to
Hong Kong once but I would love to go again)
• Very recent actions (actions that hast just finished)
(The plane has just landed)
Has/have been and has/have gone

We use have/has been when someone has gone to a place and returned:

• A: Where have you been?

• B: I've just been out to the supermarket.

• A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?

• B: No, but I've been to Los Angeles.

But when someone has not returned, we use have/has gone:

• A: Where's Maria? I haven't seen her for weeks.

• B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She'll be back tomorrow.
Differences between Present Perfect and Past Simple
Past Simple
Present Perfect

• Unfinished state/action • Finished state(action

Argentina has fought for the Malvinas for over 80 Spain governed the state of Western Sahara
years.
from 1958 to 1976.
• Unfinished time
I haven’t seen Bill this morning yet. (It’s still the • Finished time
morning) I didn’t see Bill at all this morning (It’s now
• Present relevance the afternoon/evening)
The government has declared a new lockdown from
tomorrow morning. • Not present relevance
The goverment declared a lockdown in march
• Indefinite time which lasted five moths.
I’ve been to Eurodisney twice.
• Very recent actions. • Definite time
The plane has just landed. I went to Eurodisney in 1999 and 2015.