Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect tense is used in a few slightly different ways. These include actions or events that started in the past and continue to the present, actions that have recently finished but have an effect on the present.
It is formed using the present tense of the auxiliary verb have followed by the past participle (verb 3) of the main verb.
Subject + have + main verb (past participle) + object…
For 3rd person singular: has + main verb (past participle)
You can contract the verb to have with the subject: I’ve eaten…, She’s eaten…, They’ve eaten…
Present Perfect Tense Uses
Here’s a breakdown of the different uses:
Unfinished Actions
We can use the Present Prefect tense to talk about past actions that are connected to the present. Typically, the present will be stated with a time reference: today, this week, this year.
I haven’t seen him today.
She‘s met him every day this week.
I‘ve sold my car twice this year.
Sometimes we don’t need to mention the time, especially if the person knows why/when.
I‘ve lost my car keys.
She‘s broken her wrist.
We’ve missed the bus.
Finished Actions
We can use Present Perfect for finished actions. These are typically life experiences, and we don’t say the time or when it was. The person (subject) you’re talking about should still be alive.
I have been to Australia.
He has completed the London Marathon three times.
I have finished that book.
For and Since
For and Since have similar meanings, but we use them slightly differently with the Present Perfect tense.
We use for with a length of time, for example an hour, six months, two years.
She’s waited for an hour already!
He’s been on a diet for six months.
I‘ve lived in Manchester for two years.
We use since with a specific time in the past, for example April 12th, last month, 1995. The fixed time can be another action, this clause will be in the past simple.
I‘ve known John and Mary since 1995.
She has been a member since April 12th.
She‘s had problems with the bank since she joined last month.
Negative
To form a negative sentence in the Present Perfect tense, the auxiliary verb have is followed by not and the past participle (verb 3) of the main verb.
For example:
I have not eaten breakfast yet.
She has not been to school today.
We have not been on holiday this year.
The negative form can be contracted by blending have not into haven’t + main verb.
I haven’t eaten breakfast yet.
She hasn’t been to school today.
We haven’t started our dinner yet.
Questions
Questions in Present Perfect can be either Yes/No or Information questions.
As with all verb tenses to make a question, you simply change the structure to auxiliary verb + subject + main verb…?
Have you seen my book?
Has she been on holiday yet?
Have they gone already?
If it’s an information question, you start the question with the information word. For present perfect this is mostly what, where, why or how, followed by have, subject, and the main verb (past participle).
What have you been up to lately?
Where have you been recently?
Why has she done that?
Which film have you seen?
How have you done that?
Which is slightly different as it needs the object straight after it:
Which film have you seen recently?
We don’t use when with the Present Perfect, because if we ask when something happened, we ask in the Past Simple tense.
Ever and Never
The words ever and never are often used in the Present Perfect tense to ask about or express the extent of an action or experience up until now.
Ever is used to ask if someone has ever done something in their life:
Have you ever been to Paris?
Has he ever done anything about it?
Never is used to express that someone has not done something in their entire life:
I have never been to Mexico.
I have never skydived.
You can use never in a question, but usually when you know the answer, and are surprised, or if you follow through with a question to some information you’ve just found out:
Have you never been to Mexico?
Have you never wanted to skydive?