The present perfect

A Introduction

The present perfect tells us about the past and the present. The aircraft has landed means that the aircraft is on the ground now.

B Form

The present perfect is the present tense of have + a past participle.

POSITIVE

I/you/we/they have washed OR I/you/we/they've washed

he/she/it has washed OR he/she/it's washed

NEGATIVE

I/you/we/they haven't washed

he/she/it hasn't washed

QUESTION

have I/you/we/they washed?

has he/she/it washed?

Regular past participles end in ed, e.g. washed, landed, finished.

We've washed the dishes.

Have you opened your letter?

The aircraft has landed safely.

How many points has Matthew scored?

The students haven't finished their exams.

C Irregular forms

Some participles are irregular.

I've made a shopping list. (make)

We've sold our car. (sell)

I've thought about it a lot. (think)

Have you written the letter? (write)

She hasn't drunk her coffee. (drink)

For a list of irregular verbs see appendix x.

There is a present perfect of be and of have.

The weather has been awful

I've had a lovely time, thank you.

D Use

When we use the present perfect, we see things as happening in the past but having a result in the present.

We've washed the dishes. (They're clean now)

The aircraft has landed. (It's on the ground now)

We've eaten all the eggs. (There aren't any left)

They've learnt the words. (They know the words)

You've broken this watch. (It isn't working)

E Just, already and yet

Read the conversation

Melanie: I've just heard about the concert. Have you bought a ticket yet?

Rachel: We're too late. They've already sold all the tickets.

We can use the present perfect with just, already and yet.

Just means 'a short time ago'. Vicky heard about the concert not long ago. Already means 'sooner than expected'. They sold the tickets very quickly. We use yet when we are expecting something to happen. Vicky expects that Rachel will buy a ticket.

Just and already come before the past participle (heard, sold). Yet comes at the end of a question or a negative sentence.

Here are some more examples.

We've just come back from our holiday.

I've just had an idea.

It isn't a very good party. Most people have already gone home.

My brother has already crashed his new car.

It's eleven o'clock and you haven't finished breakfast yet.

Has your course started yet?

F For and since

We can use the present perfect with for and since.

Vicky has only had that camera for three days.

Those people have been at the hotel since Friday.

I've felt really tired for a whole week now.

We've lived in Oxford since 1992. NOT We live here since 1992.

Here something began in the past and has lasted up to the present time.

We use for to say how long this period is (for three days). We use since to say when the period began (since Friday).

We use how long in questions.

How long has Vicky had that camera? ~ Since Thursday, I think.

How long have Trevor and Laura been married? ~ Oh, for about three years.

We can also use the present perfect with for and since when something has stopped happening.

I haven't seen Rachel for ages. She hasn't visited us since July.

G Gone to or Been to

Read the following dialog.

Mark: Look, It's a postcard from Claire. She's gone to Australia.

Laura: How nice! I thought she'd gone to Mexico. Now she's been to three different countries.

Claire has gone to Australia. Gone there means she is still there, the visit is not over.

Claire has been to Australia. Been to means the visit is over.

H Ever and never

Mark: Where have you been this time, Claire?

Claire: I've just come back from the States. Florida.

Mark: You get around, don't you? I've never been to Florida. Was it good?

Claire: It was OK. Not as good as Australia. I might go to Brazil next time. Have you ever been there?

Mark: No, I haven't.

We can use ever and never with the present perfect. We use ever in questions. In Have you ever been to Brazil? the word ever means 'in your whole life up to the present time'. Never means 'not ever'.

Here are some more examples

Have you ever played cricket? ~ No, never.

I've never ridden a motorbike in my life

You've never given me flowers before.

This is the most expensive hotel we've ever stayed in

Has Andrew ever had any fun? ~ I don't think so

I First time, second time, etc

After It's/This is the first/second time, we use the present perfect.

This is the first time we've been to Scotland, so it's all new to us.

This is the second time Rachel has forgotten to give me a message.

I love 'Ready Player One'. I think it's the fourth time I've seen it.

J Today, this week, etc

We use the present perfect with today and phrases with this, e.g. this morning, this week, this year.

We've done quite a lot of work today.

I haven't watched any television so far this week.

Have you had a holiday this year? ~ No, not yet.

This year is the period which began in January and has lasted up to the present time. It's an open period of time.