How do we make the Present Perfect Tense?
The structure of the present perfect tense is:
(+) S + have/has + V3 + O
(-) S + have/has + not + V3 + O
(?) Have/Has + S + V3 + O?
Here are some examples of the present perfect tense:
subject | auxiliary verb | main verb | |||
+ | I | have | seen | ET. | |
+ | You | have | eaten | mine. | |
- | She | has | not | been | to Rome. |
- | We | have | not | played | football. |
? | Have | you | finished? | ||
? | Have | they | done | it? |
Contractions with the present perfect tense
When we use the present perfect tense in speaking, we usually contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this when we write.
I have | I've |
You have | You've |
He has She has It has John has The car has | He's She's It's John's The car's |
We have | We've |
They have | They've |
Here are some examples:
- I've finished my work.
- John's seen ET.
- They've gone home.
How do we use the Present Perfect Tense?
This tense is called the present perfect tense. There is always a connection with the past and with the present. There are basically three uses for the present perfect tense:
- experience
- change
- continuing situation
1. Present perfect tense for experience
We often use the present perfect tense to talk about experience from the past. We are not interested in when you did something. We only want to know if you did it:
I have seen ET. He has lived in Bangkok. Have you been there? We have never eaten caviar. | |||||
past | present | future | |||
| |||||
The action or state was in the past. | In my head, I have a memory now. |
2. Present perfect tense for change
We also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information:
I have bought a car. | ||
past | present | future |
- | + | |
Last week I didn't have a car. | Now I have a car. |
John has broken his leg. | ||
past | present | future |
+ | - | |
Yesterday John had a good leg. | Now he has a bad leg. |
Has the price gone up? | ||
past | present | future |
+ | - | |
Was the price $1.50 yesterday? | Is the price $1.70 today? |
The police have arrested the killer. | ||
past | present | future |
- | + | |
Yesterday the killer was free. | Now he is in prison. |
3. Present perfect tense for continuing situation
We often use the present perfect tense to talk about a continuing situation. This is a state that started in the past and continues in the present (and will probably continue into the future). This is a state (not an action). We usually use for or since with this structure.
I have worked here since June. He has been ill for 2 days. How long have you known Tara? | |||||||||||
past | present | future | |||||||||
The situation started in the past. | It continues up to now. | (It will probably continue into the future.) |
For & Since with Present Perfect Tense
We often use for and since with the present perfect tense.
- We use for to talk about a period of time - 5 minutes, 2 weeks, 6 years.
- We use since to talk about a point in past time - 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday.
for | since |
a period of time | a point in past time |
x------------ | |
20 minutes | 6.15pm |
three days | Monday |
6 months | January |
4 years | 1994 |
2 centuries | 1800 |
a long time | I left school |
ever | the beginning of time |
etc | etc |
Here are some examples:
- I have been here for 20 minutes.
- I have been here since 9 o'clock.
- John hasn't called for 6 months.
- John hasn't called since February.
- He has worked in New York for a long time.
- He has worked in New York since he left school.
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