PRESENT PERFECT

(HAS/HAVE + PAST PARTICIPE)

USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified

time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present
Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last
week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one
day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as:
ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc

Structure

(Estructura)

1. Affirmative Sentences (Frases affirmativas)

Sujeto + verbo auxiliar (to have) + participio pasado
Ejemplos:
I have [Ive] talked to Peter. (He hablado con Peter.)
She has [Shes] gone to work. (Ha ido a su trabajo.)
We have [Weve] been to London. (Hemos ido a Londres.)
They have [Theyve] learned English. (Han aprendido ingls.)
2. Negative Sentences (Frases negativas)
Sujeto + verbo auxiliar (to have) + not + participio pasado
Ejemplos:
I havent talked to Peter. (No he hablado con Peter.)
She hasnt gone to work. (No ha ido a su trabajo.)
We havent been to London. (No hemos ido a Londres.)
They havent learned English. (No han aprendido ingls.)

3. Interrogative Sentences (Frases interrogativas)

Verbo auxiliar (to have) + sujeto + participio pasado?
Ejemplos:
Have you talked to Peter? (Has hablado con Peter?)
Has she gone to work? (Ha ido a su trabajo?)
Have you been to London? (Has ido a Londres?)
Have they learned English? (Han aprendido ingls?)

Uses

(Usos)

Se usa el presente perfecto para acciones que ocurrieron en un tiempo no concreto

antes de ahora. El tiempo especfico no es importante. Por lo tanto, no solemos
usar expresiones de tiempo especficas (this morning, yesterday, last
year) con el presente perfecto. Se puede usar el presente perfecto con
expresiones de tiempo no concretas (never, ever, many times, for,
since, already, yet). Este concepto de tiempo no especfico es bastante
difcil de comprender, por este motivo, a continuacin tienes los usos particulares
del presente perfecto.
1. Se usa el presente perfecto para describir una experiencia. No lo usamos
para acciones especficas.
Ejemplos:
I have never flown in a plane. (Nunca he volado en un avin.)
He has worked in many different museums. (Ha trabajado en muchos museos
diferentes.)

We have been to Ro de Janeiro. (Hemos ido a Ro de Janeiro.)

2. Se utiliza el presente perfecto para un cambio en el tiempo.
Ejemplos:
I have become more timid in my old age. (Me he vuelto ms tmido en mi vejez.)

Their English has improved a lot this year. (Su ingls ha mejorado mucho este ao.)
He has learned to be more patient. (Ha aprendido a ser ms paciente.)
3. Se usa para los exitosos.
Ejemplos:
Our football team has won the championship three times. (Nuestro equipo de
ftbol ha ganado el campeonato tres veces.)

Dan has finished writing his first novel. (Dan ha terminado de escribir su primera
novela.)

Scientists have succeeded in curing many illnesses. (Los cientficos han tenido
xito en la curacin de muchas enfermedades.)

4. Usamos el presente perfecto para acciones que todava no han

sucedido. El uso del presente perfecto en estos casos indica que an estamos
esperando la accin, por eso, frecuentemente usamos los adverbios yet y still.
Ejemplos:
The plane hasnt arrived yet. (El avin no ha llegado todava.)
Our team still hasnt won a championship. (Nuestro equipo an no ha ganado un
campeonato.)

You havent finished your homework yet? (No has acabado todava los deberes?)
5. Se utiliza el presente perfecto para hablar sobre acciones en diferentes
momentos en el pasado. El uso del presente perfecto en estos casos indica que
son posibles ms acciones en el futuro.
Ejemplos:
We have spoken several times, but we still cant reach an agreement. (Hemos
hablado varias veces, pero todava no podemos llegar a un acuerdo.)

Our team has played 4 games so far this year. (Nuestro equipo ya ha jugado 4
partidos este ao.)

I love New York! I have been there 5 times already and I cant wait to go
back. (Me encanta Nueva York! Ya he estado all 5 veces y no puedo esperar para regresar.)

6. En general, usamos el presente perfecto continuo para situaciones que

han empezado en el pasado pero siguen en el presente. Pero como hemos
visto, hay unos verbos que no podemos usar en los tiempos continuos. En estos
casos, usamos el presente perfecto.
Ejemplos:
How long has Michael been in Barcelona? (Cunto tiempo ha estado Michael en
Barcelona?)

I have loved you since the day I met you. (Te he querido desde el da que te conoc.)

RESUMEN:

ACCIONES INICIADAS EN EL PASADO Y QUE CONTINAN EN EL

PRESENTE

They haven't lived here for years.

She has worked in the bank for five years.

We have had the same car for ten years.

Have you played the piano since you were a child?

CUANDO SE HACE REFERENCIA A UN PERIODO TEMPORAL INACABADO

I have worked hard this week.

It has rained a lot this year.

We haven't seen her today.

ACCIONES REITERADAS EN UN PERIODO INESPECFICO, ENTRE EL

PASADO Y EL PRESENTE.

They have seen that film six times

It has happened several times already.

She has visited them frequently.

We have eaten at that restaurant many times.

ACCIONES CONCLUIDAS EN UN PASADO MUY RECIENTE (+JUST)

Have you just finished work?

I have just eaten.

We have just seen her.

Has he just left?

CUANDO LA DIMENSIN TEMPORAL NO ES RELEVANTE O CONOCIDA

Someone has eaten my soup!

Have you seen 'Gone with the Wind'?

She's studied Japanese, Russian, and English.

Consulta cmo utilizar el "present perfect" con los trminos "ever", "never", "already", y "yet" y
cmo utilizar el "present perfect" con los trminos "for" y "since".

Partculas usadas en "Present Perfect"

Just (acabar de)
Just se usa en "Present Perfect" para decir que una accin
acaba de ser terminada:
we have just eaten and we are not hungry
Nosotros acabamos de comer y no tenemos hambre

Already (ya)
Already significa "ya", pero slo con oraciones afirmativas y
en Present Perfect:

I have already ordered the books

ya he pedido los libros

Yet (ya o todava)

Yet en "Present Perfect" significa "ya" en
oraciones interrogativas y "todava" en negativas :
Have you ordered her book yet?
Ya has pedido su libro?
No, I have not ordered her book yet
No, todava no he pedido su libro

Ever (alguna vez)

Ever se usa en oraciones interrogativas con la estructura
"Have you ever ...?" (has alguna vez ...?)
Have you ever seen a camel crying?
Has visto alguna vez un camello llorando?

Form
Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs

irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular

verbs

Example:
Example:

I spoke
I / you / we / they have spoken
he / she / it has spoken

regular verbs: infinitive + ed

regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed

Example:

I worked

Example:
I / you / we / they have worked
he / she / it has worked

Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed':

when the final letter is e, only add d

Example:
love - loved

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

Example:
admit - admitted

final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

Example:
travel - travelled

after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel)

Example:
worry - worried
but: play - played

See also explanations on Simple Past and Present Perfect Simple

Use
In British English, the use of Simple Past and Present Perfect is quite strict. As
soon as a time expression in the past is given, you have to use Simple Past. If
there are no signal words, you must decide if we just talk about an action in the
past or if its consequence in the present is important.
Note that the following explanations and exercises refer to British English only. In
American English, you can normally use Simple Past instead of Present Perfect.

We cannot accept this in our exercises, however, as this would lead to confusions
amongst those who have to learn the differences.
Certain time in the past or just / already / yet?
Do you want to express that an action happened at a certain time in the past
(even if it was just a few seconds ago) or that an action has just / already / not
yet happened?

Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

certain time in the past

just / already / not yet

Example:

I phoned Mary 2 minutes ago.

Example:
I have just phoned Mary.

Certain event in the past or how often so far?

Do you want to express when a certain action took place or whether / how often
an action has happened till now?

Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

certain event in the past

whether / how often till now

Example:

He went to Canada last summer.

Example:
Have you ever been to Canada? / I have been to
Canada twice.

Emphasis on action or result?

Do you just want to express what happened in the past? Or do you want to
emphasise the result (a past action's consequence in the present)?

Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

Emphasis on action

Emphasis on result
Example:

Example:

I bought a new bike.(just telling

I have bought a new bike. (With this sentence I actually

what I did in the past.)

want to express that I have a new bike now.)

Signal Words

Simple Past

Present Perfect Simple

yesterday

just

... ago

already

in 1990

up to now

the other day

until now / till now

last ...

ever

(not) yet

so far

lately / recently