My English Corner: PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

past some time now future

in the past

AFFIRMATIVE:

I / you / we / they / Noun phrase	HAVE ‘VE	PAST PARTICIPLE
He / she / it / Noun phrase	HAS ‘S	PAST PARTICIPLE

- My husband has promised to take me to the United States next year.

- I’ve been to Africa and Europe.

QUESTION FORM:

HAVE	I / you / we / they	PAST PARTICIPLE
HAS	He / she / it…	PAST PARTICIPLE

NEGATIVE FORM:

I / you / we / they …	HAVEN’T / HAVE NOT	PAST PARTICIPLE
He / she / it…	HASN’T / HAS NOT	PAST PARTICIPLE

- She hasn’t paid the bill, and they’ve cut off her phone.

HOW TO USE THE PRESENT PERFECT?

When talking about something which began in the past, and has continued up to the present we use the Present Perfect:

Past NOW Future

Main uses of the Present Perfect:

The action began in the past and hasn’t changed (with since, for)
General experience; e.g. what you have done in your life up to now (with ever, never).
Recent events or states (with already, still, yet or just)
Events whose results are still noticeable (with the Present Perfect Progressive or without an adverbial)

Examples:

I have studied English since I started secondary school. I have studied English for a long time. How long have you had this bicycle? – Oh, about two years.
I have visited Rio, but I have never been to Buenos Aires. (never = at no time up to now) Have you ever climbed any mountain? (ever = at any time up to now)
Has our plane landed? – I don’t know. It still hasn’t appeared on the Arrivals board. I haven’t seen it yet. I’ve already checked it. (already occurs mainly in statements, and yet occurs in questions or with negatives.) I’ve just had a delicious meal.
Somebody’s been washing the floor. It’s still wet. Somebody’s borrowed my pen. I can’t find it. Pam isn’t here. She’s gone shopping.