Present Perfect Tense

I have sung
The present perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the present perfect tense is very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense. In addition, there are some differences in usage between British and American English.

In this lesson we look at the structure and use of the present perfect.

•Structure: how to make the present perfect tense
•Use: when and why to use the present perfect tense
•For and Since with the present perfect tense. What's the difference?
•Present Perfect Quiz

The present perfect tense is really a very interesting tense, and a very useful one. Try not to translate the present perfect tense into your language. Just try to accept the concepts of this tense and learn to "think" present perfect! You will soon learn to like the present perfect tense!

How do we make the Present Perfect Tense?

The structure of the present perfect tense is:

subject + auxiliary verb + main verb
--------------have ------------past participle

Here are some examples of the present perfect tense:

----subject ---auxiliary verb ----------------------------main verb
+ ---I ------.------have --------------------------------------seen -------------------ET.
+ ---You ---------have --------------------------------------eaten ------------------mine.
- ---She ----------has ---------------not --------------------been ------------------to Rome.
- ---We ----------have --------------not --------------------played ----------------football.
? ---Have --------you ----------------------------------------finished?
? ---Have --------they ---------------------------------------done -------------------it?

Contractions with the present perfect tense
When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this when we write.

He's or he's??? Be careful! The 's contraction is used for the auxiliary verbs have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can mean:
•It has eaten. [present perfect tense, active voice]
•It is eaten. [present tense, passive voice]
It is usually clear from the context.

I have ..........I've
You have ..........You've
He has ..........He's
She has ..........She's
It has ..........It's
John has ..........John's
The car has ..........The car's
We have ..........We've
They have ..........They've

Here are some examples:

•I've finished my work.
•John's seen ET.
•They've gone home.

How do we use the Present Perfect Tense?

This tense is called the present perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the present. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense:

1.experience
2.change
3.continuing situation
1. Present perfect tense for experience
We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:

__________________________________________________________________
I have seen ET.
He has lived in Bangkok.
Have you been there?
We have never eaten caviar. __________________________________________________________________
past ..............................present ..............................future __________________________________________________________________

-----------The action or state was --.....----In my head, I have a

-------.....---------in the past. --------.-----------memory now.

__________________________________________________________________

Connection with past: the event was in the past.
Connection with present: in my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it.

2. Present perfect tense for change

We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information:

_____________________________________________________________
I have bought a car.

_____________________________________________________________
past................................... present................................... future

.................- ..........................................+.

_____________________________________________________________

---..........----Last week I didn't -------Now I have a car.

......................have a car.

______________________________________________________________
John has broken his leg.

_____________________________________________________________________
past................................... present................................... future

----.....---..---+------.....................--------------- -

_____________________________________________________________

--...........--Yesterday John had --------Now he has a bad leg.
----........--------a good leg.

_____________________________________________________________

Has the price gone up?
past .................................present ..................................future

...................+ ........................................-

...............Was the price $1.50 .........Is the price $1.70 today?

.......................yesterday?

_____________________________________________________________

The police have arrested the killer.
past .................................present .................................future

...................- .......................................+

..................Yesterday the killer was free. Now he is in prison.

..........................was free.

_____________________________________________________________

Connection with past: the past is the opposite of the present.
Connection with present: the present is the opposite of the past.

Americans do not use the present perfect tense so much as British speakers. Americans often use the past tense instead. An American might say "Did you have lunch?", where a British person would say "Have you had lunch?"


3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation

We often use the present perfect tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is a state (not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure.

_____________________________________________________________
I have worked here since June.
He has been ill for 2 days.
How long have you known Tara?
past ...................................present ...................................future

...........The situation started ........... It continues up to now. ...........(It will probably continue

................in the past. ......................................................................into the future.)

_____________________________________________________________

Connection with past: the situation started in the past.
Connection with present: the situation continues in the present.

For & Since with Present Perfect Tense

We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.

•We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.
•We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.

for ..................................................since
a period of time ..................................a point in past time
___________________________________________________________
20 minutes ........................................6.15pm
three days .........................................Monday
6 months ..........................................January
4 years .............................................1994
2 centuries .......................................1800
a long time ........................................I left school
ever ................................................the beginning of time
etc ..................................................etc

Here are some examples:

•I have been here for 20 minutes.
•I have been here since 9 o'clock.
•John hasn't called for 6 months.
•John hasn't called since February.
•He has worked in New York for a long time.
•He has worked in New York since he left school.

For can be used with all tenses. Since is usually used with perfect tenses only.