This document provides information about and examples of using the present perfect tense in English. It begins by introducing the present perfect tense and explaining that it is used to talk about something that happened in the past that is connected to the present. It then provides examples of how to form the present perfect using auxiliary verbs like have/has and the past participle. The rest of the document offers additional uses of the present perfect tense, including talking about actions that began in the past and continue to the present, indefinite past actions, and using the present perfect in questions and responses.

1. The Present Perfect Tense

2. Take a look at this situation!Take a look at this situation!

3. Mummy! Ann’s taken my sweets!Mummy! Ann’s taken my sweets!
Oh no! I can’t stay in bed anyOh no! I can’t stay in bed any
longer! The children’ve woken up.longer! The children’ve woken up.
’’s takens taken
’’ve woken upve woken up

4. He’s finished reading the book.He’s finished reading the book.

5. TAKE ATAKE A
LOOK!LOOK!
TAKE ATAKE A
LOOK!LOOK!
When did they happen? In theWhen did they happen? In the
past? In the present?past? In the present?
When did they happen? In theWhen did they happen? In the
past? In the present?past? In the present?

6. Do you remember which verb
Do you remember which verb
tense was used?
tense was used?
Now work it out!Now work it out!Now work it out!Now work it out!
You can use the Present Perfect to talk
about a ____________situation which is
connected with the ________________.
past
present

7. THE PRESENT PERFECT
WE USE THIS VERB TENSE TO TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST .
IT IS USED WHEN WHAT HAPPENED IS MORE
IMPORTANT THAN WHEN IT HAPPENED.

8. EXAMPLESEXAMPLES
I HAVE EATEN A LOT.
I HAVE BEEN TO ORLANDO.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO LONDON.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIGER .

9. I ATE A LOT YESTERDAY.
MY SISTER WENT TO ORLANDO LAST YEAR.
I BOUGHT A CAR AT CHRISTMAS.
I READ A GREAT DEAL WHEN I WAS A
CHILD.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY WHEN
IT HAPPENED YOU USE THE
SIMPLE PAST.

10. HOW TO FORM THE
PRESENT PERFECT
I HAVE WRITTEN...
SHE HAS DONE...
PETER AND GEORGE HAVE SEEN...
THE DOG HAS HAD...
SUBJECTSUBJECT
HAVEHAVE
HASHAS
PAST PARTICIPLE OFPAST PARTICIPLE OF
THE MAIN VERBTHE MAIN VERB+ +

11. NEGATIVE.NEGATIVE.
I HAVEN’T EATENHAVEN’T EATEN THE
CAKE
THE CAKE HAS
DISAPPEARED, BUT...

12. QUESTIONSQUESTIONS
HAVE YOU SEENHAVE YOU SEEN A GHOST... ?A GHOST... ?
YOU’RE PALE !YOU’RE PALE !

13. WE CAN ALSO ASK
QUESTIONS USING EVER:
HAVE YOU EVER + PAST PARTICIPLE ?
WHEN WE WANT TO KNOW IF SOMEONE DID SOMETHING
DURING HIS LIFE UP TO THE PRESENT MOMENTDURING HIS LIFE UP TO THE PRESENT MOMENT.
- HAVE YOU EVER EATEN JAPANESE FOOD?
- YES, I HAVE .

14. MORE QUESTIONS
HAVE YOU EVEREVER EATEN SNAKE ?
HAVE YOU EVEREVER BEEN TO NEPAL?
HAVE YOU EVEREVER CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN ?
HAVE YOU EVEREVER BOUGHT ANYTHING
REALLY EXPENSIVE?

15. POSSIBLE ANSWERSPOSSIBLE ANSWERS::
•YES, I HAVE.
•YES, ONCE.
•YES, TWICE.
•YES, MANY TIMES.
•NO, I HAVEN’T
•NO, NEVER.
•NO, NOT YET

16. WE NEVER MENTION WHEN THE ACTION
HAPPENED IN THE PRESENT PERFECT . IF WE
WANT TO DO SO, WE MUST USE THE PAST
SIMPLE.
- HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO FRANCE ?
- YES, I WENTWENT THERE LAST YEARLAST YEAR.
- DID YOU LIKE IT ?
- I SURE DID BUT EVERYTHING WAS VERY
EXPENSIVE.
- AND YOU ?
- I TRAVELLEDTRAVELLED TO FRANCE IN 1998IN 1998.

17. PRESENT PERFECT OR PAST
SIMPLE ?
1. ANA ................. TO MIAMI WHEN SHE WAS TEN.
2. WE ........... JUST ................ A NEW CAR.
3. .......... HE EVER ................. AN OPERA ?
4. I .............................. MY REPORT.
5. ANA ............................ HERS LAST NIGHT.
6. ............... YOU ............... THE NEWS ?
7. A MAN ..................... HIS WIFE LAST FRIDAY.
GO
BUY
SEE
FINISH
FINISH
HEAR
KILL
WENT
HAVE BOUGHT
HAS SEEN
HAVE FINISHED
FINISHED
HAVE HEARD
KILLED

18. What has Frank done recently?
1. /read any books lately? (Yes)
2. What car/buy? (Renault)
3. /phone Barbara recently? (No)
5. /see Amy recently? (Yes)
7. Where/ work? (IBM)
9. /travelled abroad lately? (Yes)

19. Now ask your partner some questions
about him/her using the present perfect:
1. /read any books lately? Which one?
2. What car / buy recently?
4. /visit/ friend lately?
5. /watch a good film recently? Which?
7. Where/ work?
8. /travel abroad recently?
9. /buy new clothes recently?

21. MORE USES OF THE
PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECT

22. THE PRESENT PERFECT
I - IF YOUR ANSWER IS AFFIRMATIVE AND
YOU WANT TO GIVE DETAILS , USE THE PAST
SIMPLE .
- HAVE YOU EVER EATEN JAPANESE
FOOD ?
- YES, I HAVE .
- WHEN DID YOU EAT IT ?
- LAST WEEKEND.
- DID YOU LIKE IT ?
- SO - SO .

23. COMPLETE WITH THE PRESENT PERFECT OR THE PAST SIMPLE :
- _______ YOU EVER _______ GIN ?
- YES, I ________ .
- WHEN _____ YOU _______ IT ?
- LAST CARNIVAL.
- HOW ____ YOU _______ IT ?
- IT ______ OK.
HAVE DRUNK
HAVE
DID DRINK
DID LIKE
WAS

24. II - AN ACTION THAT BEGAN IN THE PAST
AND CONTINUES UP TO THE PRESENT
WE HAVE LIVED IN RIO FOR YEARS
I HAVE STUDIED ENGLISH SINCE 1996
I’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 10 YEARS
SHE’S WORKED FOR IBM SINCE FEBRUARY

25. III - AN INDEFINITE PAST ACTION
HE’S ALREADY DONE HIS HOMEWORK
WE HAVE FINISHED THE REPORT
HAVE YOU CLEANED YOUR ROOM YET ?
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO LONDON ?

26. COMPLETE WITH THE PRESENT PERFECT
1. ............ SHE EVER ................. FOOD FROM BAHIA ?
2. I ................ JUST .................. A GOOD MOVIE ON TV.
3. THEY ........... NEVER ................ CACHAÇA
4. ................ YOU EVER .............. TO THE USA ?
5. THEY ............................ A VERY FAMOUS PERSON
6. WE............................. SOCCER FOR HOURS.
7. SHE ...................................... THE REPORT YET.
DRINKDRINK
SEESEE
BEBE
PLAYPLAY
WRITEWRITE
EATEAT
MEETMEET
HAS EATEN
HAVE SEEN
HAVE DRUNK
HAVE BEEN
HAVE MET
HAVE PLAYED
HASN’T WRITTEN

27. The present perfect dice
1) Talk about something you have done recently.
2) Talk about something you have started in the
past and that is still true (use for or since).
3) Talk about something that hasn´t happened yet.
4) Talk about something that has already happened.
5) Talk about something that has just happened.
6) Free for 1 round !!!