SE 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.
Examples:

I have seen that movie twenty times.

I think I have met him once before.

There have been many earthquakes in California.

People have traveled to the Moon.

People have not traveled to Mars.

Have you read the book yet?

Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.

A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?

B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.

How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?

The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to
associate Present Perfect with the following topics:
TOPIC 1 Experience

You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have
the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a
certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.
Examples:

I have been to France.

This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France.
Maybe you have been there once, or several times.

I have been to France three times.

You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.

I have never been to France.

This sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to France.

I think I have seen that movie before.

He has never traveled by train.

Joan has studied two foreign languages.

A: Have you ever met him?

B: No, I have not met him.

TOPIC 2 Change Over Time

We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period
of time.
Examples:

You have grown since the last time I saw you.

The government has become more interested in arts education.

Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since
the Asian studies program was established.

My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

TOPIC 3 Accomplishments
We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and
humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.
Examples:

Man has walked on the Moon.

Our son has learned how to read.

Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.

Scientists have split the atom.

TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting

We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not
happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to
happen.
Examples:

James has not finished his homework yet.

Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.

Bill has still not arrived.

The rain hasn't stopped.

TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times

We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which have
occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not
complete and more actions are possible.
Examples:

The army has attacked that city five times.

I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.

We have had many major problems while working on this project.

She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why
she is sick.

Time Expressions with Present Perfect

When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has happened at some point
in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.

Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We can do
this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so
far, up to now, etc.

Examples:

Have you been to Mexico in the last year?

I have seen that movie six times in the last month.

They have had three tests in the last week.

She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for
three different companies so far.

My car has broken down three times this week.

NOTICE

"Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the
year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the
last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it
requires Present Perfect.
Examples:

I went to Mexico last year.

I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one.

I have been to Mexico in the last year.

I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and
now.

USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)

With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, we use the
Present Perfect to show that something started in the past and has continued up until
now. "For five minutes," "for two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which
can be used with the Present Perfect.
Examples:

I have had a cold for two weeks.

She has been in England for six months.

Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.

Although the above use of Present Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs
and non-continuous uses of Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach," and "study"
are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT Non-Continuous Verbs.
ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:

You have only seen that movie one time.

Have you only seen that movie one time?

ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:

Many tourists have visited that castle. Active

That castle has been visited by many tourists. Passive

Exercises

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1) Last night I

(lose) my keys I had to call my flatmate to

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let me in..
2) I

(lose) my keys - can you help me look for them?.

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3) I

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(visit) Paris three times..

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4) Last year I

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(visit) Paris..

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5) I

(know) my great grandmother for a few years - she

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died when I was eight...

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6) I

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(know) Julie for three years - we still meet once a

month...

7) I

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(play) Hockey since I was a child - I'm pretty good!..

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8) She

(play) hockey at school but she didn't like it..

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9) Sorry, I

(miss) the bus - I'm going to be late..

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10) I

(miss) the bus and then I

aeroplane as well!...

11) Last month I

(miss) the

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(go) to Scotland..

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12) I'm sorry, John isn't here now. He

(go) to the shops..

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13) We

(finish) this room last week..

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14) I

(finish) my exams finally - I'm so happy!..

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15) Yesterday, I

(go) to the library, the post office and the

supermarket...

16) I

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(go) to the supermarket three times this week..

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17) She

(live) in London since 1994..

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18) She

(live) in London when she was a child..

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19) I

(drink) three cups of coffee today..

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20) I

(drink) three cups of coffee yesterday..

1) I

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(see) three police cars this morning..

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2) After he

(arrive) home, he

(unpack) and

(go) to bed early....

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3) A:What's wrong? B: I

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(break) a glass..

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4) My grandparents only
before they

5) I

(know) each other for a few months

(get) married...

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(be) in London for three years. I love it here..

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6) We

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(see) Julie last night..

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7) He

(be) a teacher before he

(become) a musician...

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8) When the boss

(walk) into the room we

(know) someone was going to get fired...

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9) The children

(break) a window in the school last week..

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10) He

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(see) that film last year..

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11) Lucy

(break) her leg, so she can't come skiing..

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12) Julie

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(arrive) - come and say hello..

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13) They

(be) cold when they

(arrive) home...

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14) Jack

(break) his arm when he

(fall) off a horse in

1995...
15) I

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(know) about the problem for months, but I

(not/find) a solution yet...

16) A:When

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(you/arrive) B:At 10pm last night?.

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17) She

(be) a teacher for ten years, and she still enjoys it..

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18) I

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(not/see) the sea before..

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19) How long

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(you/know) Jill? I know you see her often..

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20) A:Hello B:Hi Mum, it's me. I just want to say I

(arrive)safely and everything is fine..
1) We

(go) to the theatre last week..

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2) Yesterday I

(have) dinner with a friend..

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3) I

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(never taste) champagne..

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4) When I

(be) a child, I

(love) ice-skating...

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5) I

(not/have) any coffee today - I feel very sleepy!..

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6) I

(not/drink) any coffee yesterday..

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7) I

(read) all his books - I think he's a wonderful writer..

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8) What

(you/do) at the weekend?.

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9) I

(always / love) tea - I drink it every day..

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10) What subject

(she/study) at university?.

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11) John

(lose) his bus pass - can he borrow some

money?..

12) How long

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(you/know) Susie for?.

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13) He

(be) married for ten years (but he got divorced)..

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14)

(you/ever/go) to Central Park in new York?.

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15) How many books

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(she/write) so far??.

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16) He

(wash) the dishes,

room, and

(clean) the living

(cook) dinner last night....

17) My great-grandfather never

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(leave) Scotland..

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18) She

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(come) to London in 1997..

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19) She

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(never / see) snow before..

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20) He

(be) married for thirty-five years (and he's still

married now)..
1) I
(never/go) to Vienna..

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2) My great great grandfather

(have) five sisters..
3) He

(live) in Manila for a year

when he was a student..

4) Oh no! I

(lose) my wallet!..

5)

(you/see) Julie today??.

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6) At the weekend, they

(play) football, then they

(go) to a

restaurant...
7) I

(read) six books this week..

8) Amy

(live) in Portugal when she

was young..
9) She

(visit) her grandmother last

month..
10) The Vandals

(invade) Rome in

the year 455..

11) She

(live) in seven different

countries, so she knows a lot about different

cultures..
12) I

13) Ow! I

14)

(go) to the cinema last night..

(cut) my finger!..

(you/see) 'The King's Speech'?.

15) John

(never/understand) the
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present perfect..
16) She

(break) her leg the day

before her exam..

17) We

(see) Oliver yesterday..

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18) He

(be) here all morning..

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19) King Henry the Eighth of

England
(have) six wives..
1) (She / go / to the library today)

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2) (you / keep a pet for three years)

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3) (you / come here before)?

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4) (it / rain all day)?

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5) (who / we / forget to invite)?

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6) (we / not / hear that song already)

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7) (he / not / forget his books)

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8) (she / steal all the chocolate)

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9) (I / explain it well)?

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10) (who / he / meet recently)?

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11) (how / we / finish already)?

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12) (he / study Latin)

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13) (I / know him for three months)

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14) (where / you / study Arabic)?

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15) (what countries / they / visit in Europe)?

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16) (he / hurt his leg)

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17) (she / leave her phone in a taxi)

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18) (we / not / lose our tickets)

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19) (she / call her mother)?

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20) (he / take a taxi)?

1) (she / pass the exam)?

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2) (you / eat lunch yet)?

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3) (he / read the newspaper today)?

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4) (you / not / study French for ten years)

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5) (they / be in London for six months)

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6) (where / you / be)?

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7) (we / not / go to Paris)

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8) (she / not / see The Lord of the Rings)

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9) (he / not / meet my mother)

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10) (they / not / visit St. Pauls Cathedral yet)

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11) (what / she / eat today)?

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12) (why / you / do your homework already)?

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13) (how / she / make this fantastic cake)?

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14) (why / I / miss the plane)?

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15) (they / not / go to bed)

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16) (it / rain a lot this week)

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17) (they / use a credit card before)?

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18) (we / have enough to eat)?

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19) (she / not / play basketball before)

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20) (I / wear a kimono)

1) I
2) a new mobile phone. (just/buy)
2)
a cat without a tail? (you/ever/see)

3)My sister
sushi. (never/ eat)
4)We
your new tape yet. (hear)
5)How many words
for your language project? (you/write)
6)Sheila
her breakfast yet. (Have)
7)What
to the computer? (they/ do)
8)John and Alex
in France for 20 years.(live)
9)Where
my keys? ( I /leave)
10)Simon
Pat's parents yet.(meet)
11) We
her an e-mail. (just/ send)
12) Where is your mother?
She
to the supermarket.(go)
13) Simon
to South Africa once. He wants to go there again. (go)

1. I

(read) your book several times.

2. She

3. My family

4. I h

5. Marta

(wear) that skirt many times.

(visit) Brazil a few times.

(eat) already.

(finish) her homework.

6. You

(break) the glass again.

7. They

(pay) for everything.

8. It

9. I

10. We

(never snow) like that.

(meet) Anna once.

(see) him before.

11. You

(buy) 4 cars so far.

12. There

(be) problems.

13. I

14. Maria

15. The kids

(have) a snake.

(raise) a monkey.

(grow) so much!

2. 1. The students

(improve).

2. She

(become) really beautiful.

3. Man

(invent) many great inventions.

4. People

5. I

(cause) much destruction to the planet.

(learn) to surf.

6. The class

(do) 5 tests this month.

7. Allison

(find) a few problems with your plan.

8. We

9. I

(consult) some doctors about this.

(meet) Debbie in the last week.

10. In the previous year, we

(double) our income.

11. She

(be) sick since Sunday.

12. You

(be) away for 2 weeks.

13. He

(hate) cheese since childhood.

14. Mark and Katie

15. I

(be) together for two years.

(like) mango since my last trip.

3. 1. I

(be) here for two hours.

2. They

(own) the house since 1991.

3. They

(have) those problems for a long time.

4. We

(eat) seen this movie already.

5. You

(check) my spelling.

6. Angela

(taste) baked bananas in her trip to South America.

7. Lisa

(buy) a new television.

8. Donna

(break) her leg.

9. Tim and Allison

10. I

(have) a baby.

(know) Susan for all my life.

11. Dan

(work) here since last November.

12. Jamie

(be) sick for two days now.

13. You

(wait) for an answer since March.

14. Peter

15. I

(be) here since last summer.

(built) many houses in my life.

4. 1. They

2. We

(prepare) a beautiful dinner for us.

(eat) too much.

3. Sarah

(drink) all the juice.

4. Peter

(waste) all his money on drinks.

5. I

6. You

7. The kids

8. The test

9. I

10. Morgan

11. We

12. It

13. Julie

14. I

15. We

(be) in England for over 15 years.

(make) too much noise this time.

(clean) the house.

(start).

(bake) a carrot cake.

(lose) her wallet.

(talk) once.

(rain) twice this week.

(never be) so quite.

(just take) a shower.

(publish) three books up to now.