Present Perfect Tense

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE 

In the positive sentence form of the Present Perfect Tense, helping verbs have / has + V3 are used after the subject.

• I have finished my work.                

• They have moved to a new apartment.

• Jim has eaten lunch.

• I have seen that movie before.

• My father has washed the car.

In the negative form of present perfect tense, not is simply added to the sentence after the helping verbs has / have.

• I have not seen Tom this morning.

• The student’s have not finished their homework.

• Maria has not washed the dishes

• The secretary hasn’t typed the letter yet.

• We haven’t received any messages from Jack this week.

In question sentences, the helping verbs have / has are used in the beginning of the sentences.  V3 is used after the subject.  

• Have you visited your uncle this week?

• Have you ever eaten Chinese food?

• Has Tim drunk any beer? 

• Has she finished her work?

• Have you ever been to Istanbul?

Use Of Present PerfectTense

Present perfect tense is used:

a)  The Present Perfect Tense expresses the idea that something happened (or never happened) before the present time, at an indefinite time in the past. When the action happened is not important.  If the definite time is given, the simple past tense is used.

• They have moved to a new apartment. They moved there last week.

• I have washed the car. (It is clean now!)

• I have never seen such a big building. (All my life)

• I have met Bill’s wife. I met her at a party last night.

• Have you ever eaten at that restaurant yet?

• I think I have seen that girl before.

b)  When used with for , since, so far, up till now, untill now the present perfect tense refers to an action which began in the past and continues up to the present.  

• I have been here since 9 o’clock.

• They have been married for 25 years.

• I have had this old car for 10 years.

• She has done great work up to now. I think she will be promoted soon.

• I haven’t seen my uncle since 1990.

• Janet has been very busy with the new project for the last three months.

• I have liked science-fiction films ever since I was a child.

c)  The present perfect tense  also expresses the actions repeated in an unspecified time between the past and present .

• I have seen that movie four times.

• I have met many new friends since I came here.

• How many times have you been to France?

• The telephone has rung six times since this morning.

• The scientists have made many important inventions since 1900’s.

d)  The present perfect tense  is used when the referred time period has not finished.

• I haven’t seen Tom this morning.  (It’s still this morning)

• My grandfather has written many novels. (He is still alive and writing novels)

• It has rained a lot this year.

• Jane hasn’t called me today.

e)  The present perfect tense  refers to the actions completed in a very recent past .

• I have just eaten a sandwich.  ( I am not hungry now)

• Ouch! I’ve cut my finger. It’s bleeding.

• My boss has gone to London. (He is there now)

• The robbers have been put into the prison. (They are in prison now.)

EXERCISE:

1) (I / go / to the library today) .
2) (you / keep a pet for three years) .
3) (you / come here before)? .
4) (it / rain all day)? .
5) (who / we / forgot to invite)? .
6) (we / not / hear that song already) .
7) (he / not / forget his books) .
8) (she / steal all the chocolate) .
9) (I / explain it well)? .
10) (who / he / meet recently)? .

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