The document provides a comprehensive guide on the present perfect tense in English, detailing its structure (auxiliary verb 'have' + past participle) and usage in expressing experiences, results of past events, ongoing situations, and completion of actions. It highlights the formation of questions and negatives, as well as various time expressions that can be used with the present perfect tense. Additionally, it includes examples and clarifications regarding the use of this tense to enhance understanding.

1. Present Perfect Tense
Language Open Learning English
Grammar Guide

2. Present Perfect
The form:
Present tense of auxiliary verb – have + past
participle (verb 3)
– I have decided to leave tomorrow (regular)
– She has written an email to David (irregular)
In speech and informal, we use contractions
– I’ve decided
– She’s written
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3. Present Perfect
Questions and negatives:
Question form – invert the subject and have
– Have you decided yet?
Negatives – use not and contractions
– She has not written the email.
– She hasn’t written the email.
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4. Present Perfect
Describes past events that connect to the present:
3. Experiences in our life up to now.
– Have you visited any other countries?
– Yes, I’ve been to Spain and Portugal.
Nb - No Time expressions as no individual event.
For individual events – use past simple
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5. Present Perfect
Describes past events that connect to the present:
2. An event in the past that has a result in the
present.
– Jayne has broken her pencil.
– I’ve hurt my foot
Nb. No time expressions as these are not important.
Use past simple to say when the event
happened.
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6. Present Perfect
Describes past events that connect to the present:
3. Situation that started in the past and continues to
the present
– I’ve lived here for ten years
– I’ve often seen Paul with his dog in the park
Nb – time expression – shows how long or how
often the event happens
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7. Present Perfect
Describes past events that connect to the
present:
4. Completion – describes how many things are
completed so far.
– I’ve read a hundred pages of this book
Nb – the exact time is not mentioned
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8. Present Perfect
Describes past events that connect to the
present:
1 – Experiences in our life upto now
2 – A past event with a result in the present
3 – past situation continues to present
4 - completion
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9. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• Ever, never
– Have you ever eaten Chinese food?
– No, I’ve never eaten it
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10. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• Yet, so far
Yet – questions and negative sentences
So far – questions and positive sentences
– Have you finished this book yet? No, I’m on p56
– How many pages have you read? I’ve read 56 pages
so far
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11. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• already
Positive sentences –
describe an action which happened
before
– When are you going to finish your book?
– I’ve already finished it
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12. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• just
describes a very recent event
David has just phoned from the airport.
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13. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• Always, often etc (frequency adverbs)
These are used with both present simple and
present perfect
– He has always loved you (a state)
– We have often visited Spain (a repeated event)
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14. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• for, since
For – length of a period of time
– Tom has worked here for three months
Since – describes the point when the time started
– Tom has worked here since July 5th
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15. Present Perfect
Time Expressions
• Ever, never
• Yet, so far
• Already
• Just
• Always, often etc
• For, since
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