This document provides information and examples about using the present perfect tense in English. It discusses how the present perfect is used to talk about actions that began in the past but continue in the present, actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past, and recently completed actions. It also covers the use of words like "already", "yet", "ever", "never", "since", and "for" with the present perfect. Examples are provided to illustrate the different uses.

1. PRESENT PERFECT
have - has +
Verb 3

2. PRESENT PERFECT
He has bought a horse.

3. PRESENT PERFECT
How long have they been married?
They have been married for 35 years.

4. PRESENT PERFECT
Richard’s car has just broken down.

5. PRESENT PERFECT
Affirmative
I have eaten
You have eaten
He has eaten
She has eaten
It has eaten
We have eaten
You have eaten
They have eaten

6. PRESENT PERFECT
Negative
I haven’t eaten
You haven’t eaten
He hasn’t eaten
She hasn’t eaten
It hasn’t eaten
We haven’t eaten
You haven’t eaten
They haven’t eaten

7. PRESENT PERFECT
Interrogative
Have I eaten?
Have you eaten?
Has he eaten?
Has she eaten?
Has it eaten?
Have we eaten?
Have you eaten?
Have they eaten?

8. PRESENT PERFECT
Regular verbs ( V ed )
look looked
.................. worked
work ...................
placed arrived
arrive ...................
place ..................

9. PRESENT PERFECT
Irregular verbs ( V ed )
see seen
.................... catch caught
...................
cut cut
.................... read . read
...................
leave left
.................... make . made
...................
feed fed
.................... give . given
...................
bring brought
.................... sing . sung
...................
swim swum
.................... teach . taught
...................
buy bought
.................... ring . rung
...................
drink drunk
.................... do . done
...................
go gone
.................... eat . eaten
...................
.

10. PRESENT PERFECT
Complete the blanks with the Present Perfect.
have seen
1. I ...................... (see) that film before.
have read
2. We ...................... (read) three English books in class.
has been
3. My mother ..................... (be) to London twice this year.
has borrowed
4. John ........................... (borrow) four CDs from me.
have eaten
5. The children ............................ (eat) breakfast.
have drunk
6. You ......................... (drink) all the coffee.
has started
7. Be quiet! The film ......................... (start).
have had
8. My parents ....................... (have) this house since 1950.

11. PRESENT PERFECT
We use the present perfect:
for actions which happened at an unstated indefinite
time in the past. The exact time is not important.
They have bought a new house.
(When did they buy it? We don’t know when; the time
is not mentioned.)
I have been to France twice.
(When? We don’t know.)

12. PRESENT PERFECT
He has broken his arm.
(The exact time is not mentioned
what is important is the fact
that his arm is broken.)

13. PRESENT PERFECT
The Taylors have bought a new boat.
(The exact time is unimportant or
unknown. What is important is the
fact that they now own a boat.)

14. PRESENT PERFECT
We use the present perfect:
for actions which started in the past and are still
continuing in the present.
I have known Mary for ten years.
(We met ten years ago and we still know each other.)
I have worked here for four years.
(I started working here four years ago and I still work
here.)

15. PRESENT PERFECT
They have been friends for twenty years.
(They met each other 20 years ago and they are still friends)

16. PRESENT PERFECT
Rachel has had the dog for two years.

17. PRESENT PERFECT
We use the present perfect:
for actions which have recently finished and their results
are visible in the present.
Tom has just painted the fence.
(He has just finished painting. The paint on the fence is
still wet.)
Look at her. She is sad. She has failed the exam.

18. PRESENT PERFECT
She has picked a lot of apples.
(The apples are in the basket so the
action is finished.)

19. PRESENT PERFECT
She has just washed her hair.
(She has now wrapped her hair in a
towel, so the action is finished.

20. PRESENT PERFECT
How long is used in questions to ask about duration.
How long have you worked here?
How long have you been a teacher?
For is used to express duration.
I’ve lived here for eight years.
Since is used to state a starting point.
I’ve known him since 1990.

21. PRESENT PERFECT
Make sentences using since and for.
1. Agnes / be / teacher / ten years
Agnes has been a teacher for ten years.
2. Paul / have / his dog / last month
Paul has had his dog since last month.
3. Michael / not swim / last summer
Michael hasn’t swum since last summer.

22. PRESENT PERFECT
Make sentences using since and for.
4. I / not see / Helen / two days
I haven’t seen Helen for two days.
5. Mr Sullivan / be / here / 10.30
Mr Sullivan has been here since 10.30.
6. My brothers / not play / tennis / three weeks
My brothers haven’t played tennis for three weeks.

23. PRESENT PERFECT
Already and just are used in statements and go between the
verb have and past participle.
They have already packed their suitcases.
I’ve just phoned him.
Yet is used in questions and negations and goes at the end
of the sentence.
Have you posted the letters yet?
He hasn’t written to me yet.
Have you done your homework yet?
I haven’t done my homework yet.

24. PRESENT PERFECT
Look at the list of things Michael wants to do today.
Write sentences.
•finish my history project (+)
•tell Bob about the football game on Friday(+)
•read the sports page in the newspaper (+)
•write a letter to my penfriend in India (-)
•do my maths homework (-)
•clean my room (-)
He has already finished his history project.
He has already told Bob about the football game on Friday.
He has already read the sports page in the newspaper.
He hasn’t written a letter to his penfriend in India yet.
He hasn’t done his maths homework yet.
He hasn’t cleaned his room yet.

25. PRESENT PERFECT
Ever is used in questions and goes between the verb have
and the past participle.
Have you ever played squash?
Have you ever travelled abroad?
Never is used to make a negative statement and goes
between the verb have and the past partciple.
I have never played squash.
I have never travelled abroad.

26. PRESENT PERFECT
Write questions and answers.
Vera / paint / the walls / in her room blue?
Has Vera painted the walls in her room blue?
No, she hasn’t. She has painted them white.

27. PRESENT PERFECT
Write questions and answers.
Dennis / cook / chicken / yet ?
Has Dennis cooked the chicken yet?
Yes, he has.

28. PRESENT PERFECT
Write questions and answers.
Mrs Peterson / buy / meat ?
Has Mrs Peterson bought some meat?
No, she hasn’t. She has bought some fish.

29. PRESENT PERFECT
Write questions and answers.
Sue / make / coffee ?
Has Sue made coffee?
No, she hasn’t. She has made tea.

30. PRESENT PERFECT
Write questions and answers.
your sisters / ever / be / Rome?
Have your sisters ever been to Rome?
No, they haven’t. They’ve been to Paris.

31. PRESENT PERFECT
Write questions and answers.
Tom and Mary / ever / try / skiing
Have Tom and Mary ever tried skiing?
Yes, they have.