Have you ever…?

Function

Completed actions in the past

but not important when we did it

1. We use the present perfect tense to talk

about experiences

Examples

I have been to France twice.

Ruby has never broken a leg.

Have you ever eaten sushi?

We often use never and ever with the

present perfect tense to talk about

experience.

I have been to France twice.

Ruby has never broken a leg.

Have you ever eaten sushi?

2. To talk about a past action that affect

the present

Function

 ”I have lost my wallet.” (I don't have it now.)

“Eric has gone to Mexico.” (He isn't here now.)

We often use just, already and yet.

 ”Have you done your homework yet?”

‘already’ Use already to show that an action was

completed earlier.

“Have you eaten already?”

“We’ve already had our breakfast.”

“already” usually goes after “has”

or “have” and before the main verb.

‘yet’ Use yet when an action has not been

completed

“I haven’t done my homework yet.”

“She hasn’t eaten yet.”

‘yet’ usually goes at the end of the

sentence.

Function3. To talk about an action which started

in the past and continues up to now

We often use since and for to say

how long the action has lasted.

a point of time in the past (“for”)

a period of time in the past (“since”)

I have been a teacher for more than ten years.

We haven’t seen Louis since Friday.

How long have you been studying at Apollo?

Form

We use 'since' with a fixed point of time in the past

“I've known Sam since 1992.”

“I've liked chocolate since I was a child.”

“She's been here since 2pm.”

The fixed time can be another action,

indicated with the past simple

‘for’ We use 'for' with a period of time

(minutes, hours, weeks, months, years)

“She’s known Sam for 10 years.”

“We’ve been here for 3 hours.”

“I’ve had this cold for a week now.”

‘been’ We use ‘been’ to mean that the subject has

visited the place and has come back

“I've been to school today.”

(but now I’m back at home)

Notice the preposition ‘to’

“My dad’s been to Japan, but he’s here now.”

‘gone’ We use ‘gone’ to mean that the person is at

the place now

“Jerry has gone to India.”

(now he’s in India)

“Where’s Kevin?”

“He’s gone to the butcher’s”

(He’s at the butcher’s now)

Let’s practice!