Using the Present Perfect Tense

Are you wondering when to use the present perfect tense? Or I should say, "have you
learned" when to use the present perfect? We use this tense to talk about an action that
started in the past and  has a connection to the present. 

[Note: Click here to learn how to form  the present perfect.]

Use #1:   Describe past situations / things that have a strong

connection to the present
We use the present perfect simple to describe an action or state that started at an unknown
or unspecified time in the past AND has a connection to the present.

Learners are sometimes confused by this. They ask, if this tense is called the "present"
perfect, why are we talking about "past" actions? Excellent question.

With this tense we're talking about the past  and the present. These actions or situations may
have started and ended in the past but we are focusing on the effect of this action now in the
present moment. Let's look at some examples to try to make this clearer:

 Your poor grades have become a problem. (The result now is that there is a problem.)
 Have you seen Selma? (Where is she now?)
 She's gone to school. (She left home and is at school now.)
 Take off your shoes. I have just cleaned the floor. (A short while ago I mopped the
dirty floor and it is clean now.)
 I can't find my keys. Have you seen them? (I lost my keys and can't find them now.)
 Have you done your homework? (Is your homework finished now?)
 I started but I haven't finished my homework yet. (My homework is not finished now.)
 I've been sick all day. (I'm still sick now.)
In each of these examples we are focusing on the result now or why the action is important at
this present time.

Use #2: Describe past actions or conditions that continue

in the present
It's usually easier for learners to understand the second use which is for actions that started in
the past and are still continuing in the present moment.

The tense helps to answer "how long ago" something has been happening (in relation to now)
or for how long a period of time something has been happening. 

FOR / SINCE

We often use the words "since" (after a specific time) or "for" (a period of time) with this
usage.

Examples:

 We have lived here for  25 years.(We came here 25 years ago and still live here.) 
 My parents have been married since  1967. (They're still married.)
 We've waited 20 minutes already for the bus. (We are still waiting.)
 My daughter has been sick for a week.
 I haven’t slept for two days.
 We haven’t seen each other since high school.
 I haven’t had a drink since the accident.
 He hasn’t dated anyone since his wife left him.
 I haven’t smoked a cigarette for three months now.

Note: we cannot use the present perfect tense with a completed time word. For example:

 Wrong:  We have seen the movie last night.  (Correct: we saw the movie last night.)
 Wrong:  Yesterday, I had worked very late. (Correct: Yesterday, I worked very late.)

With finished time words we use the present simple.

Use #3:  To ask about whether we ever  had past experiences

We frequently use the present perfect tense to ask or talk about whether someone
has experienced something during their life (at any time in the past until this moment).

EVER / NEVER / BEFORE

Often, we use the words "ever" (in questions) and "never".  We will sometimes also add the
word "before."

Examples:
  Have you ever  eaten fried insects?
 No, I haven't  tried fried insects and never will.
 Has Jimmy ever  been this sick before?
 Have you taken private English lessons?
 I've never travelled by train before.
 Have the children ever  done something like this before?
 Never  in my life have I been so much in love.

Adverbs that are frequently used with the present perfect

tense:  Already / yet / just / still
The following words (adverbials) are often used with the present perfect tense:

JUST

Just describes something that happened a short time before this moment.

 I've just  received your email and will read it now.

 He's just  arrived, I hear the car pulling to the garage.
 I'm so excited. Lady Gaga has just  released her latest album.

JUST ABOUT

Just about means that something that was started is almost finished.

 I've just about  finished this novel.

 Have you finished the report yet? Just about.
 I've just about  used up all the milk.

ALREADY

Already has two main meanings: 

1. Already = before this time (before now) 

 Where's that letter? I've already  mailed it.

 Can I help you clean? I've already  swept to the floor but you can vacuum the carpet.
 We've already  eaten at that restaurant so let's go somewhere else.

2. Already = so soon (something happened quickly or earlier than expected)

 We need to take the trash out. I've already  taken it out.

  Has my boyfriend arrived already? I'm still getting dressed.
 You don't have to ask. Your mother has already  ironed your shirt.

YET

Yet = at this time, until this time, as soon as this time

Note:  Yet usually comes at the end of the sentence. We use yet with negative statements and
questions.

 Have my parents arrived yet?  (They are expected to arrive soon.)

 Have you finished the report yet?  (It should be done or finished soon.)
 He hasn't called yet.  (Until this time he hasn't called but he should call soon.)
 It's 3 o'clock and I haven't had lunch yet.

STILL

We use still in negative sentences with the present perfect to emphasize an action or
situation happening or existing before now and continuing into the present:

 I can't believe you still  haven't written your paper.

 He said he sent an email an hour ago but I still  haven't received it.
 We still  haven't decided what to eat for lunch. 

Learn the Present Perfect Tense

Let's learn how to form  the present perfect tense.

This tense is formed using the auxilliary verb "have" (have /has) plus the past participle of the
main verb. We'll learn how to make positive and negative forms, short forms (contractions) and
questions.  

[Note: Click here to learn how to use  the present perfect.]

Present Perfect Affirmative Statements

To form the present perfect:  we use "have" / "has" + the past participle.

Note: You can also use contractions:  I have = I've;  you have = you've;  he has = he's;  she
has = she's   we have = we've;  they have = they've

To form the past participle:  add "ed" to the infinitive form of regular  verbs. We use the
same form for each subject (e.g., I, you, he).

 I have started the car. (start — started)

 I've started my book report.
 She has worked as a cashier before. (work — worked)
 She's worked here for 20 years.
 It has rained for three days now. (rain — rained)
 It's rained all day.
 The store has opened. (open — opened)
 We've already talked about this. (talk — talked)
 You've watched that movie many times before. (watched — watched)
Spelling Changes with Past Participles
Sometimes there are spelling changes when forming the past participle:

1.  If the verb ends with "y", we change it to -i and add -ed (but only if there's a consonant
before the -y):

 Have you tried the cupcakes? They're delicious! (try — tried)

 We've studied the present perfect but not the past perfect. (study — studied)
 I've cried about this for months.   (cry — cried)
 My assistant has copied the report for the meeting.  (copy — copied)

2.  If the verb ends with "e" , we add just a "d" (not "ed"): 

 Has the bank already closed? (close — closed, NOT:  closeed)

 She has measured the ingredients for the recipe. (measure — measured)

3. Double the final consonant after a short stressed vowel if the verb ends in a
CVC (consonant vowel consonant)*:

 I have stopped drinking alcohol for now.  (stop — stopped:  double the "p" then add
"ed")
 She has planned a surprise for dinner.  (plan — planned)

(*except CVC endings with w, x, or y)

Irregular Past Participle Forms

Many verbs have irregular past participles.

Examples:

 We have eaten all the cake. (NOT: we have "eated")

 I have done my homework already. (NOT: "doded")
 Help! My dog has run away. (NOT:  "runned")

Unfortunately, you have to memorize them. Here are many of the irregular forms:

be  —  been find  — found light  — lit sing  — sung

become  — become fly  — flown lose  — lost sit  — sat

begin — begun forget  — forgotten make  — made sleep  — slept

break — broken get  — gotten mean  — meant speak  — spoken

bring  — brought give  — given meet  — met spend  — spent

buy  — bought go  — gone pay  — paid stand  — stood

catch  — caught grow  — grown put  — put steal  — stolen

choose  — chosen hang  — hung read  — read swim  — swum

come  — come have  — had ride  — ridden take  — taken

cost  — cost hear  — heard ring  — rung teach — taught

cut  — cut hide  — hidden rise  — risen tear  — torn

do  — done hit  — hit run  — run tell  — told

draw  — drawn hold  — held say  — said think  — thought

drink  — drunk hurt  — hurt see  — seen throw  — thrown

drive  — driven keep  — kept sell  — sold wake  — woken

eat  — eaten know  — known send  — sent wear  — worn

fall  — fallen leave  — left shine  — shone win  — won

feel  — felt lend  — lent shoot  — shot write  — written

fight  — fought let  — let shut  — shut

Present Perfect Negative Statements

To form the negative, simply add "not" after "have" / "has":

 subject + has / have + not + past participle

We can also use the contractions hasn't / haven't  (has not = hasn't, have not = haven't)

Examples:

 They haven't come to my house before.

 They have not found the restaurant yet.
 I have not started cleaning yet.
 I haven't heard any noises from our neighbors today.
 Don't worry my dog hasn't ever bitten anyone.
 My cat has not killed any mice.

Yes / No Questions
To form questions use:

 Have / has + subject + past participle

Examples:

 Have you seen this movie before?

 Has the number 10 bus come yet?
 Have they gone to bed already?
 Has Marie lost weight?
 Have you missed me since I left?

We can answer no questions with a full or a shorter answer by using contractions (hasn't /

haven't)with negative answers.

Examples:

Have you done your homework?

 Yes, I have done my homework.

 Yes, I have. (short answer)
 No, I have not done my homework.
 No, I haven't. (short answer)

Have they eaten?

 Yes, they have eaten.
 Yes, they have. (short answer)
 No, they have not eaten.
 No, they haven't. (short answer)
Wh- Questions Present Perfect

Notice the word order. The wh- question word comes before "have / has " and then the past
participle.

Examples:

 How long have you studied English?
 Where has your mother gone?
 Why has the train stopped here?
 Who have they hired to organize the conference?
 What has the girl brought in her bag?
 How much of the meat has your dog eaten?