present perfect

We form the present perfect tense with the conjugated auxiliary verb “have”= have/has + the past participle. There are several different uses of the present perfect tense and several ways to identify when to use it.

1)We use it to describe an event that started in the past and has either just been completed or is being referenced up until this point.

a. Ex: Since yesterday, I have been to 5 different grocery

stores! (Notice it started yesterday and I am

describing what I have done from yesterday up until this point.)

b. Ex: I have learned English every summer for the

past 4 years now. (When did the event start? 4 years ago)

c. Ex: I still haven’t found his teddy bear.

d. Ex: How long has it been since you’ve sung that

song? (you’ve= you have)

--Oh, it’s been a long time! (it’s= it has)

e. Keywords: Since, just, up until now, still, for, so far,

How long?

2)We use it to describe new info that has just happened or has been received.

a. Ex: Guess what? There has been a horrible car accident!

b. Ex: I just heard on the news 5 people have won an

award for outstanding citizenship.

c. Keywords: Just, recently

3) We use it when there is an unspecified time frame.

a. Ex: -Have you ever been to Mallorca?

-No, I have never been to Mallorca?

b. Ex:-Have they been skydiving before?

-Yes, they have been skydiving before?

c .Ex: I have jumped out of a building before. (Note I

didn’t say when specifically. I just said I have done

it before. If it is specific, you have to use a different tense)

d. --Have you started dinner yet?

-- Yes, I have already started dinner. (I want to

know if the action has started.)

e. Keywords: Ever been, been, before, already and yet.

4)We use it with open time frames that started in the past and haven’t been

finished at the time of speaking.

a. This could be during this millennium/century/decade

/year/season/month/week/weekend/day/morning/hour etc.

As long as the time frame is open, you use present

perfect.

b. Ex: I have watched 10 movies this year. (Not last

year, but THIS year)

c. Ex: This week I have eaten 2 apples, two containers

of yoghurt, a steak, 1 hamburger, some carrots, and a

popsicle. (This week is your keyword)

d. Ex: Have you taken a holiday this month?

e. Ex: These last ten years have been so hard on my

family financially. (This one can be tricky because it

has the word last, but remember the action started in

the past and is describing the time up until this point.)

f. Ex: -What have you done today?

- Today I have written a few emails, called my

girlfriend, and cleaned my kid’s rooms. (Note I don’t

need to add the auxiliary verb in front of “called” or

“cleaned” because I have it at the beginning of the

sentence and it is a list of things I have done. )

i.WARNING: Today is a tricky word because English

speakers often use the simple past with today when

they are asked a question about their whole day.

1. Ex: What did you do today? (Notice it is asked in

the simple past)

- Today I read a little, watched some TV, and ran

around the park. (Answer is in simple past because it

was asked in the simple past.)

g. Keywords: This/These, last few (days, weeks, years…)

5) We use it when describing the ___ time something has happened.

a. Ex: This is the first time I have been to the United

States.

b. Ex: Caroline has lost her passport again for the

second time.

c. Ex: This is the fourth time you have called me this

week! Stop calling!

d. Keyword: ___time

6) We use it when talking about an action in the past that has an effect on now.

a. Ex: Where is your purse? I don’t know. I have lost

it. (I don’t have it now)

b. Ex: I’ve forgotten whether or not we are supposed to

do our homework today or tomorrow. (I can’t remember

now what was said then.)

c. Ex:–Where has Sara gone?

--Sara has gone to the grocery store. She will be

right back. (She is at the store now and is on her way

back.)

d. Ex:–Hi Sara, where have you been?

--Oh, I have been to the grocery store. (Meaning she

was at the grocery store and she just got back from

it. She is not there anymore. Note: Native speakers

will also often answer the question “Where have you

been?” with an answer in the simple past such as “Oh,

I went to the grocery store.”)

e. Keywords: gone, been

I do not pretend that I could cover all the exceptions to these rules, but I have tried to show some common ones that are tricky. This is a good basic list that I have used before to explain the Present Perfect tense and it will help you get a good foundational grasp on understanding when to use this tense. Please let me know if you have any questions!


Caroline