The Present Perfect Tense

The Formula for the Present Perfect Tense have+past participle has Example: (past participle) walkwalked speakspokespoken sit sat put

The Present Perfect: Examining Form (Affirmative) Affirmative Statements Subject + have/has + past participle + rest of sentence I have traveled to Paris. You have seen the movie. He has spoken to the manager. She has driven to San Diego. It has rained all day. We have called her several times. They have completed the assignment.

The Present Perfect: Examining Form (Negative) Negative Statements Subject + have/has + not + past participle + rest of sentence I have not traveled to Paris. You have not seen the movie. He has not spoken to the manager. She has not driven to San Diego. It has not rained all day. We have not called her several times. They have not completed the assignment.

Contractions of the Present Perfect I have traveled to Paris. I’ve traveled to Paris./I haven’t traveled to Paris. You have spoken to them. You’ve spoken to them./You haven’t spoken to them. She has flown to Europe. She’s flown to Europe./She hasn’t flown to Europe. We have seen that movie. We’ve seen that movie./We haven’t seen that movie. They have collected all the books. They’ve collected all the books./They haven’t collected all the books. *He’s absent today. (He is absent today.) He’s driven home. (He has driven home.)

Present Perfect in Yes/No and Information Questions Yes/No Questions Have/Has + Subject + Past Participle + Rest of Sentence Haveyou traveled to Paris? Has it rained all day? Have they spoken to your parents? Information Questions Question Word + Have/Has + Subject + Past Participle + Rest of Sentence How long have you been in the room? Why has he spoken to you? What have they seen? Who has traveled to Paris? What has happened?

Examining Meaning and Use of the Present Perfect 1 Use the present perfect for actions or states that began in the past and have continued up to the present time. These actions or states may continue into the future. He’s worked here for five years. She’s lived in the same town since For and Since For + a length of time tells how long an action or state has continued up to the present time. I’ve worked here for a long time. I’ve lived here for ten years. Since + a point in time tells when an action or state began. I’ve worked here since 2005.I’ve been here since Tuesday. Since can also introduce a time clause. When it does, the verb in the time clause is usually in the simple past. I’ve lived here since I was 20.I’ve worked here since I left home.

Examining Meaning and Use of the Present Perfect 2 Use the present perfect to talk about actions or states that happened at an indefinite (not exact) time in the past. Kim: Have you met Rudy? Barbara: Yes, I’ve met him. He’s really nice. Actions or states in the present perfect can happen once or repeatedly. He’s visited Hawaii once. I’ve tried three times to pass my driver’s license exam. Do not use the present perfect with time expressions that express a definite (exact) time in the past. When you mention the definite time an event happened, use the simple past. I went to Europe in I’ve gone to Europe in (WRONG) I’ve gone to Europe. (CORRECT)

Examining Meaning and Use of the Present Perfect 3 The adverb ever means “at any time.” Use ever in present perfect questions to ask if an action took place at any time in the past. Nancy: Have you ever seen a ghost? Kathy: Yes, I have./No, I haven’t.

More Adverbs with the Present Perfect Never She has never been to Greece. Already (at some time before now): Use with questions and affirmative statements. She has already left. She has left already. Have they already eaten? Have they eaten already? What has he already done? What has he done already? Yet (up to now): Use with negative statements and yes/no questions. They haven’t arrived yet. Have you met him yet? Still (up to now; similar meaning to yet): Use only in negative statements. She still hasn’t called. (=She hasn’t called yet.) So far (at any time up to now): Use in affirmative/negative statements and in questions. So far he’s spent $500. How much money have you spent so far? So far I haven’t had a good time. Have you had a good time so far?

The Present Perfect in Spanish Yo ya he comido. I have already eaten. (I’ve already eaten.) I have eaten already. (I’ve eaten already.) Él no ha llamado a su novia todavía. He hasn’t called his girlfriend yet. Nosotros hemos hablado con él muchas veces. We have spoken to him many times. (We’ve spoken to him many times.) Ellas nunca han ido. They have never gone. (They’ve never gone.)