The document provides information about the present perfect tense in English. It begins by giving examples of how to use the present perfect to talk about events that happened in the past but are still relevant now. It then discusses key aspects of the present perfect tense, including how it differs from the past tense and how it indicates a connection between the past and present. The document also covers time expressions commonly used with the present perfect and gives additional examples for practice.

1. PRESENT PERFECT
LET’S THINK BEFORE
Think of one event that you never did or could never do in your life.
I never went to the USA.
I have never been to the USA.
Think of an event that you started doing in the past (not mentioning
when) and you are still doing it.
I started working as a teacher in 2002 and I am still
doing it.
I have worked as a teacher for 11 years. / since 2002.
I have been working as a teacher for 11 years. / since
2002.

2. PRESENT PERFECT
LET’S THINK BEFORE
Think of an event that happened in the past and it
brought a result or consequence in the present.
When my daughter was born, my life changed a lot.
My life has changed a lot since my daughter was born.
Other examples using present perfect structure:
I am tired because I have worked a lot.
I have lived in São Bernardo for 7 years. (since 2005).
I have been married for 7 years. / since 2005.

3. PRESENT PERFECT
ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
1. This verb tense doesn’t exist in Portuguese tense;
2. Present Perfect is associated to a past action which has
a connection with the present tense:
My life has changed a lot since my daughter was born.
3. The Present Perfect has also to do with a past action
that brings a result to the present moment:
My English has improved a lot since I started to practice it at work.
4. Depending on the situation, there’s no need to mention
a specific date. Example:
I have worked a lot yesterday! (wrong)
I worked a lot yesterday! (right)

4. PRESENT PERFECT
ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
5. A past expression is mentioned when it’s necessary to
know the beginning of an action. Example:
I have worked a lot since this morning!
6. A comparioson between the Portuguese language when
transformed in English using the Present Perfect:
Eu moro em São Bernardo há 7 anos.
I have lived in São Bernardo for 7 years.
Trabalho na (empresa) desde 2008.
I have worked for/at (company name) since 2008.
Estou casado há 10 anos.
I have been married for 10 years.
These actions had a specific beginning in the past, but it wasn’t
necessary to mention a specific date.

5. PRESENT PERFECT
ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
BEEN or GONE????
7. have+been is used to say that a person went
somewhere and returned:
I have been to Caldas Novas twice.
8. have+gone is used to say that a person went
somewhere and is still there:
Sorry, but he has already gone! He won’t come back today!

6. PRESENT PERFECT
ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
PRESENT PERFECT WORDS
Already = action finished minutes or hours ago
I have already finished the exercises (I finished them yesterday)
Just = action finished seconds ago
I have just done the exercises (I finished the exercises right now)
Yet = negative / Can be used in questions
I haven’t done the exercises yet. (I didn’t finish the exercises / I’m still doing them)
Have you finished the exercises yet?
Ever = for questions (an action that never happened in your life)
Have you ever been to Disney?
Never = for affirmatives statements (which gives negative ideas)
I’ve never been to Disney.

7. PRESENT PERFECT
ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED:
PRESENT PERFECT WORDS
For = for period of time
I’ve talked in English on the phone for 5 times.
I’ve worked at FORD for 5 years.
I’ve been studying English for 3 years.
Since = for months, years, weeks…
I’ve been studying English since 2003.
Also for actions that started in a specific point in the past
I’ve been working since this morning.
We haven’t talked since 3 o’clock.
Lately = for recent actions
What have you been doing lately?
Recently = for recent actions
What have you been doing recently?

8. PRESENT PERFECT
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS:

9. PRESENT PERFECT
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS:

10. PRESENT PERFECT
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS:

11. PRESENT PERFECT
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS:

12. PRESENT PERFECT
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS:

13. PRESENT PERFECT
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS:

14. PRESENT PERFECT
EXERCISES – since/for
SINCE I CRASHED MY CAR SINCE THE DAY I MET YOU
SINCE 1997 SINCE LAST YEAR
FOR TWO NIGHTS FOR THREE HOURS
FOR 1 CENTURY FOR 20 YEARS
FOR 2 DECADES FOR 10 MINUTES
SINCE I WAS BORN SINCE AUGUST
SINCE THE CLASS STARTED FOR TWO WEEKS
SINCE CORINTHIANS WON THE LIBERTADORES

15. PRESENT PERFECT
TO MAKE IT CLEARER!!!
Write:
a place you never went to: _______________
a place you visited recently:_______________
a book you never read(/red/):_________________
a book you read(/red/) recently:_______________
a film you never saw:_________________
a film you saw recently:________________
an activity you didn't finish:___________________
an activity you finished recently:_________________
a person you don't see for a long time:_________________
a person you saw recently:__________________

16. PRESENT PERFECT
TO MAKE IT CLEARER!!!
Speaking wrong English in correct Portuguese:
I never went to the USA. (Eu nunca fui pros Estados Unidos)
I already went to Santa Catarina.(Eu já fui pra Santa Catarina) ou
(Eu já estive em Santa Catarina)
I never read(/red/) "O menino do pijama listrado". (Eu nunca li...)
I already read(/red/) the whole Bible.(Eu já li a Bíblia inteira).
I never saw "Twilight". (Eu nunca vi...)
I already saw "Titanic". (Eu já vi...)
I don't see my cousin Patricia for a long time.(Eu não vejo minha
prima Patrícia há anos)
I just saw my friend Carlos.(Acabei de ver meu colega Carlos)

17. PRESENT PERFECT
TO MAKE IT CLEARER!!!
In Portuguese we don’t have Present Perfect as a tense, that’s why we use the past
structure.
All the sentences before should be said this way:
Eu nunca fui pros Estados Unidos = I have never been to the USA.
Eu já fui pra Santa Catarina = I have already been to Santa Catarina.
Eu nunca li ‘O menino do pijama listrado’ = I have never read(/red/) "O menino do
pijama listrado".
Eu já li a Bíblia inteira = I have already read(/red/) the whole Bible.
Eu ainda não assisti “Twilight“ = I haven't seen "Twilight“ yet.
Eu já assisti “Titabnic”. = I have already seen “Titanic”.
Eu não vejo minha prima Patrícia há anos = I haven't seen my cousin for a long time.
Acabei de ver meu colega Carlos = I have just seen my friend Carlos.
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