Present Perfect Tense

We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about:

  1. A period of time that has not finished;
  2. An event that happened at an unknown time in the past.
  3. An event that happened in the past, but is important today.
  4. An event that started in the past and continues today.
  1. A period of time that has not finished

We can use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about a period of time that has not finished.



       #------------------#
<------+----x-------now---+------->
       #------------------# 
            /
    this week

I have played tennis 3 times this week.

The period of time is ’this week’. ‘This week’ is still in progress, it has not finished.

She has been very sick this year.

The period of time is ’this year’. ‘This year’ is still in progress, it has not finished.
  1. We can use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about an event that happened at an unknown time in the past. We know the event happened in the past, but we don’t know when it happened.

<----x--------now------>

She has been to France.

I know she visited France, but I don’t know when.
If we know when the event happened, we use the Past Simple Tense. She went to France last year.
  1. We can use the Present Perfect Tense to link an event in the past with today.

<------ x=----now----->

I have lost my keys.

I lost them yesterday. It’s linked to today because I can’t open the door.

I have seen that film.

I saw it last week. It’s linked to today because you want to see it.
  1. We can use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about an event that started in the past and continues today, when the verb is a non-continuous verb.
The Present Perfect Tense is commonly used with these verbs: live, work, teach.
If you want to use a continuous verb, use the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

       #--------------------
       |
<------+-----------------now------->
       |
       #-------------------- 
        /
      car

He has owned the car for 6 years.

He bought the car 6 years ago. He still owns the car.

I have lived in Sydney since 1996.

I moved to Sydney in 1996. I still live in Sydney now.
We often use ‘for’ and ‘since’ with the Present Perfect Tense.

Making the Present Perfect Tense

+ I have been to France. s=‘I’ + have/has + past participle=‘been’

- I haven’t been to France. s=‘I’ + have/has + not + past participle=‘been’

? Have you been to France? have/has + s=‘I’ + past participle=‘been’

What is a past participle?

Pronunciation

I have been to France.

I haven’t been to France.

Have you been to France?