Present Perfect

PRESENT PERFECT

tenses

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECT

He has bought a horse.


How long have they been married?

They have been married for 35 years.


Richard’s car has just broken down.


AffirmativeAffirmative

They

You

We

It

She

He

You

I

have eaten

have eaten

have eaten

has eaten

has eaten

has eaten

have eaten

have eaten


NegativeNegative

They

You

We

It

She

He

You

I

haven’t eaten

haven’t eaten

haven’t eaten

hasn’t eaten

hasn’t eaten

hasn’t eaten

haven’t eaten

haven’t eaten


Have

Have

Have

Has

Has

Has

Have

Have

InterrogativeInterrogative

they eaten?

you eaten?

we eaten?

it eaten?

she eaten?

he eaten?

you eaten?

I eaten?

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTSay the past participles of the verbs

....................eat....................go

....................do....................drink

....................ring....................buy

....................teach....................swim

....................sing....................bring

....................give....................feed

....................make....................leave

....................arrive....................work

....................read....................cut

....................catch....................see seenseen

cutcut

workedworked

leftleft

fedfed

broughtbrought

swumswum

boughtbought

drunkdrunk

gonegone

caughtcaught

readread

arrivedarrived

mademade

givengiven

sungsung

taughttaught

rungrung

donedone

eateneaten

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTComplete the blanks with the Present Perfect.

1. I ...................... (see) that film before.

2. We ...................... (read) three English books in class.

3. My mother ..................... (be) to London twice this year.

4. John ........................... (borrow) four CDs from me.

5. The children ............................ (eat) breakfast.

6. You ......................... (drink) all the coffee.

7. Be quiet! The film ......................... (start).

8. My parents ....................... (have) this house since 1950.

have seen

have read

has been

has borrowed

have eaten

have drunk

has started

have had

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTWe use the present perfect:We use the present perfect:

for actions which happened at an unstated indefinitetime in the past. The exact time is not important.

They They have boughthave bought a new house. a new house.

(When did they buy it? We don’t know when; the timeis not mentioned.)

I I have beenhave been to France twice. to France twice.

(When? We don’t know.)


He He has brokenhas broken his arm. his arm.

(The exact time is not mentionedwhat is important is the factthat his arm is broken.)


The Taylors The Taylors have boughthave bought a new boat. a new boat.

(The exact time is unimportant or unknown. What is important is thefact that they now own a boat.)


for actions which started in the past and are stillcontinuing in the present.

I I have knownhave known Mary for ten years. Mary for ten years.

(We met ten years ago and we still know each other.)

I I have workedhave worked here for four years. here for four years.

(I started working here four years ago and I still workhere.)

They They have beenhave been friends for twenty years. friends for twenty years.

(They met each other 20 years ago and they are still friends)



Rachel Rachel has hadhas had the dog for two years. the dog for two years.


for actions which have recently finished and their resultsare visible in the present.

Tom Tom has just paintedhas just painted the fence. the fence.(He has just finished painting. The paint on the fence isstill wet.)

Look at her. She is sad. She Look at her. She is sad. She has failedhas failed the exam. the exam.


She She has pickedhas picked a lot of apples. a lot of apples.

(The apples are in the basket so the action is finished.)


She She has justhas just washed her hair. washed her hair.

(She has now wrapped her hair in atowel, so the action is finished.


How long is used in questions to ask about duration.

How longHow long have you worked here? have you worked here?

How longHow long have you been a teacher? have you been a teacher?

For is used to express duration.

I’ve lived here I’ve lived here forfor eight years. eight years.

Since is used to state a starting point.

I’ve known him I’ve known him sincesince 1990. 1990.

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTMake sentences using since and for.

1. Agnes / be / teacher / ten years

Agnes has been a teacher for ten years.

2. Paul / have / his dog / last month

Paul has had his dog since last month.

3. Michael / not swim / last summer

Michael hasn’t swum since last summer.

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTMake sentences using since and for.

4. I / not see / Helen / two days

I haven’t seen Helen for two days.

5. Mr Sullivan / be / here / 10.30

Mr Sullivan has been here since 10.30.

6. My brothers / not play / tennis / three weeks

My brothers haven’t played tennis for three weeks.


Already and just are used in statements and go between theverb have and past participle.

They have They have alreadyalready packed their suitcases. packed their suitcases.

I’ve I’ve justjust phoned him. phoned him.

Yet is used in questions and negations and goes at the endof the sentence.

Have you posted the letters Have you posted the letters yetyet??He hasn’t written to me He hasn’t written to me yetyet..

Have you done your homework Have you done your homework yetyet??

I haven’t done my homework I haven’t done my homework yetyet..

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTLook at the list of things Michael wants to do today.Write sentences.

•finish my history project (+)•tell Bob about the football game on Friday(+)•read the sports page in the newspaper (+)•write a letter to my penfriend in India (-)•do my maths homework (-)•clean my room (-)

He has already finished his history project.

He has already told Bob about the football game on Friday.

He has already read the sports page in the newspaper.

He hasn’t written a letter to his penfriend in India yet.

He hasn’t done his maths homework yet.

He hasn’t cleaned his room yet.


Ever is used in questions and goes between the verb have and the past participle.

Have you Have you everever played squash? played squash?

Have you Have you everever travelled abroad? travelled abroad?

Never is used to make a negative statement and goes between the verb have and the past partciple.

I have I have nevernever played squash. played squash.

I have I have nevernever travelled abroad. travelled abroad.

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECTWrite questions and answers.Write questions and answers.

Vera / paint / the walls / in her room blue?

Has Vera painted the walls in her room blue?

No, she hasn’t. She has painted them white.


Dennis / cook / chicken / yet ?

Has Dennis cooked the chicken yet?

Yes, he has.


Mrs Peterson / buy / meat ?

Has Mrs Peterson bought some meat?

No, she hasn’t. She has bought some fish.


Sue / make / coffee ?

Has Sue made coffee?

No, she hasn’t. She has made tea.


your sisters / ever / be / Rome?

Have your sisters ever been to Rome?

No, they haven’t. They’ve been to Paris.


Tom and Mary / ever / try / skiing

Have Tom and Mary ever tried skiing?

Yes, they have.

Education

Present Perfect