Present Perfect

The Present Perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the Present Perfect is very simple. The problems come with the use of the tense. In addition, there are some differences in usage between British and American English.

In this section, we look at the structure and use of the Present Perfect tense, as well as the use of for and since.

How do we make the Present Perfect tense?#

The structure of the Present Perfect is:

Positive sentences#

Subject + Auxiliary (have/has) + Main verb (past participle)

Negative and question sentences#

Negative

Subject + Auxiliar (have/has) + not + Main verb (past participle)

Question

Auxiliar (have/has) + Subject + Main verb (past participle) + ...?

Keep in mind:

• The auxiliary verb (have) is conjugated in the Present Simple: have, has.
• The main verb is invariable in past participle form: -ed (or irregular).
• For negative sentences we insert not between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.
• For question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.

Look at these example sentences with the Present Perfect tense:

Contraction with Present Perfect#

When we use the Present Perfect in speaking, we often contract the subject and auxiliary verb. We also sometimes do this in informal writing.

Examples:

• You've told me that before.
• John's seen Harry Potter.

In negative sentences, we may contract the auxiliary verb and "not":

• You haven't won the contest.
• She hasn't heard from him.

Important

He's or he's? Be careful. The 's contraction is used for the auxiliary verbs have and be. For example, "It's eaten" can mean:

• It has eaten. (Present Perfect tense, active voice)
• It is eaten. (Present Simple tense, passive voice)

It is usually clear from the context.

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.

We use the Present Perfect to talk about:

• Experience
• Change
• Continuing situation

Present Perfect for experience#

We often use the Present Perfect 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 an alien.
• He has lived in Bangkok.
• Have you been there?
• We have never eaten caviar.

Connection with past: The event was in the past.

Connection with present: In my head, now, I have a memory of the event; I know something about the event; I have experience of it.

Present Perfect for change#

We also use the Present Perfect to talk about a change, or new information:

• I have bought a car.

• John has broken his leg.

• Has the price gone up?

• The police have arrested the killer.

Connection with past: The past is the opposite of the present.

Connection with present: The present is the opposite of the past.

Present Perfect for continuing situation#

We often use the Present Perfect 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 situation (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 (for)?

Connection with past: The situation started in the past.

Connection with present: The situation continues in the present.

Already, yet, just, ever, before and never with Present Perfect tense#

Using already, yet and just with the Present Perfect#

We use the adverbs already and yet to refer to a time until or before now. We use already in affirmative sentences and yet in negatives and questions. For example:

• Have you finished yet? (now)
• You’ve already finished. (before now)
• You haven’t finished yet. (now)

As you can see, the word yet goes at the end of a sentence, while already goes between the auxiliary ‘have’ and the main verb. However, as is often the case in English, there is an exception. We can use already in questions when we know the answer will probably be affirmative and we’re surprised. For example:

• Have you already finished? You only started ten minutes ago!

As an alternative to already we can also use just. Just refers to a very recent moment. Compare the following sentences:

• Michael has already left. – It’s possible he left a long time ago.
• Michael has just left. – This means he left just a short time ago.
• Here are some other examples of the present perfect with already and yet.
• Have they filled in the landing cards yet?
• We haven’t done it yet.
• I’ve already had dinner so I’m not hungry.
• Jacques has just come home so he’ll eat now.
• Has the post arrived yet?
• Yes, I’ve already opened it.
• They haven’t loaded the truck yet.
• It hasn’t snowed this winter yet.

Using ever and never with the Present Perfect#

The second important use of the present perfect is to talk about life experiences, and to do this we use the words ever and never. Ever means ‘at any time’, and never means ‘at no time’. For example:

• Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?
• I’ve never seen a dolphin.

By using the present perfect with these words we focus attention on the action and knowing if the subject has had this particular experience. The time of the event is not important.

As you can see from the above examples, in questions we use ever, and in negatives we use never combined with an affirmative verb. However, we can also use ever with a negative verb to create a negative sentence, and the meaning is the same. For example:

• He has never travelled outside his country.
• He hasn’t ever travelled outside his country.

Here are some more examples of the present perfect with ever and never:

• Has she ever worked for a multinational company?
• We’ve played in several tournaments but we’ve never won the final.
• I’ve never seen a horror film and I wouldn’t want to.
• Have you ever been to the opera?
• They haven’t ever wanted to move away from their hometown.
• It’s never snowed in Miami. The climate is much too hot.
• You’ve never gone on a cruise, have you?

When we want to talk about life experiences in the affirmative form we can use time expressions like once (one time), twice (two times) or three times, etc. For example:

• We’ve visited Cairo twice.
• She’s flown in a helicopter several times.
• I’ve been to the football stadium once.

Using before with the Present Perfect#

To the Present Perfect we can add before, which in this context will mean "before" or "until now". For example:

• I’ve seen it before!
• I have never seen it before!
• Have you ever seen it before?

For and since with Present Perfect tense#

We often use for and since with perfect tenses:

• We use for to talk about a period of time: five minutes, two weeks, six years
• We use since to talk about a point in past time: 9 o'clock, 1st January, Monday

Look at these example sentences using for and since with the Present Perfect tense:

• I have been here for twenty minutes.
• I have been here since 9 o'clock.
• John hasn't called for six 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.

References#

Present Perfect Tense. (n.d.). English Club. https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_present-perfect.htm

The Present Perfect Tense + ever, never, already, yet. (2021, July 6). Wall Street English. https://www.wallstreetenglish.com/exercises/the-present-perfect-tense-ever-never-already-yet