Present Perfect Tense

The Basics : )

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 Form:
have/has + past
participle

+ I have never been to Paris.

- I have not been to London. (have + not = haven’t)
? Have you ever been to Sofia?

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 Present Perfect + never, ever

 WE USE THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE TO TALK ABOUT OUR PAST

EXPERIENCE IN GENERAL, UP TO THIS MOMENT.

E.G. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO LONDON. = NOT ONCE IN MY LIFETIME

E.G. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO PARIS? = SOMETIME IN YOUR LIFE UP TO NOW

. NEVER IN + SENTENCES

. EVER IN ? QUESTIONS

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Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
Past Simple – we Present Perfect – we
know when speak in general
I went to Paris in I have been to Paris.
1999. (When? In (When? Sometime in
1999) my life)
I was married to I have been married
George for 5 years. for George for 5
(We are now years. (We are still
divorced).The action married). The action
is finished. is not finished.

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PRESENT PERFECT
For – the whole period
Since – the starting point of a period

We use the present perfect tense with for and since to talk about
situations and actions that started in the past and are still happening in
the present. And to answer the question “How long?”
E.g. She has been married to George for 5 years. = They married 5 years
ago and are still married.
How long have you lived in Sofia?
I have lived in Sofia for 5 years.
I have lived in Sofia since I was 15 years old.

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Present Perfect with already and yet
Already – in + Yet – in questions
sentences, in mid- and - sentences, at
sentence the end
Tom has already Tom hasn’t done his
done his homework. homework yet.
Has Tom done his
homework yet?

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The author Zadie Smith once wrote that. What do you think she meant?

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