PRESENT PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT
We form the Present Perfect:
Have / has + past participle of the main verb.
Affirmative
Personal pronouns

Auxiliary verb

I / we / you / they
he / she / it

have
has

Negative
Personal pronouns

Auxiliary verb

I / we / you / they
he / she / it

havent
hasnt

Interrogative
Auxiliary verb

Personal pronouns

Have
Has

I / we / you / they
he / she / it

Main verb Past

Participle
eaten
left
Main verb Past
Participle
eaten
left
Main verb Past
Participle
eaten
left

We use the Present Perfect when:

1. An action or situation started in the past and continues in the present.
I have lived in Portugal since 1998. (and I still do)
2. An action performed during a period that has not yet finished.
Madonna has been to the doctor twice this week. (and the week isnt over
yet)
3. A repeated action between the past and now.
She has visited Portugal several times.
4. When we ask how long?
How long has Madonna lived in New York?
We answer using for or since:
when we say a period of time, we use for;
Madonna has lived in New York for many years. (and she still lives
there)
when we say the start of a period, we use since.
Madonna has lived in New York since 1981. (and she still lives there)
We often use words like ever (with questions) and never (with negatives)
when talking about life experiences.

I have never been depressed.

Have you ever got help from your friends?
We can also use words like already, yet and just.
Have you already been here?
I have just talked with my therapist.
I havent seen Mary yet.

PRESENT PERFECT vs PAST SIMPLE

We use the Present Perfect to talk about things which are past but have
a connection to the present.
The Past Simple is used to talk about things that happened and ended in
the past.
2 years
now
We have all had bad days. (and we will probably have more bad days)
Note: two years ago = two years in the past it is not connected to the
present.

2 years in the past

now
I felt depressed but now I am OK. (my depression is over)
A. Write the verbs in the Present Perfect:
1. Many famous people ______________________ (experience) negative events
during their childhood.
2. Ben Affleck ______________________ (struggle) with alcohol problems.
3. Tom Cruise has a learning problem called dyslexia but he
______________________ never ______________________ (give up) fighting.
4. Some famous people ______________________ (live) healthy lifestyles which
is a good example to their fans.
B. Use the Present Perfect and for or since:
1. How long ____________ Jennifer Lopez ____________ (be) famous?
She ____________ (be) famous ____________ many years.
2. She ____________ (dance) ____________ the age of five.
3. She ____________ also ____________ (act) in many films ____________ she was
at school.
4. ____________ she ____________ (visit) many countries? Yes, she ____________
(travel) around the world ____________ she was a teenager.

5. She ____________ (live) in her hometown ____________ many years.

6. Jennifer ____________ (know) her best friend ____________ a long time.
C. Complete this text using the Present Perfect:
Im one of those guys who has the quite normal problem: Im in love with a
girl, but I dont know what to do. I ____________ already ____________ (have) a
crush on some girls, but this is something different. My problem is that I
____________ (not / tell) her anything. I know that she likes me and were very
good friends. We ____________ (know) each other for about three years, and
our friendship ____________ (become) better and better. We sometimes get
into quarrels, but we always make up.
D. Put the verbs in the Past Simple or Present Perfect:
1. How long _____________________ (you / be) in this school?
2. I think I _____________________ (see) this report on depression last month.
3. David _____________________ (not / find) his book yet.
4. Bob _____________________ (never / break) a single bone in his body.
5. _____________________ (you / ever / be) in hospital?
6. Jane

_____________________

(not

have)

English

class,

so

she

_____________________ (go) home.

7. I _____________________ (know) Usher for two years.
E. Write sentences in the Past Simple or Present Perfect. Some
sentences are negative and some are interrogative.
1. I / already / send / two e-mails / to brad Pitt.
___________________________________________________________________________
2. you / ever / teach / Portuguese?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. you / see / my father / last week?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Jill / finish / the letter / five minutes ago.
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Neil / not go / to Germany / last year.
___________________________________________________________________________
6. Mariana / not do / her homework / yet.
___________________________________________________________________________