Present Perfect and

Simple Past
Week 11
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

• Present Perfect Tense is used to express an event that started in the past and the impact of the event is now
continuing (or a long-running event that started in the past and is still going on).
• This tense is used to express actions completed recent past. In this tense, it is important whether the event occured
or not. ( or the result of the event is important, not the time of the event )
• The Present Perfect Tense is formed by putting “to have  ( have or has )” before the past participle of the verb.

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The Formulas

• POSITIVE FORM (+) :  
• Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + HAVE + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
• Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + HAS + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
• NEGATIVE FORM (-) : 
• Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + HAVE  + NOT + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
• Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + HAS + NOT + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
• QUESTION FORM (?) : 
• HAVE  + Subject ( I, YOU, WE, YOU, THEY ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )
• HAS + Subject ( HE, SHE, IT ) + V3 ( third form of main verb – past participle )

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Example of:

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Contractions:

• For “HAVE OR HAS”;

• have –> ‘ve    Ex: I‘ve seen. 
• has –> ‘s    Ex: She‘s seen. 
• For “HAVE NOT OR HAS NOT”;
• have not –> haven’t   Ex: I haven’t seen.
• has not –> hasn’t   Ex: I hasn’t seen.

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 Common Tense Marker

• Common Tense Markers: • We haven’t received any mail since we were retired.

• Already / Yet / Ever / Never / Just / Since / For / Before / In my life / So far / • I have already made the coffee.
Up until now / first time, two, three,severeal times, etc.
• Have you ever been to England?
• You have already eaten four plums.
• Examples:
• We haven’t met before.
• I have already prepared breakfast.
• I have lived in Texas for 10 years.
• My sister has cleaned the room.
• Tom has just come to the office.
• Has the post come yet?
• The students have read that poem twice.
• It has rained a lot lately.
• I have never lied in my life.
• I haven’t seen Susan since Sunday.
• We haven’t gone to watch the new movie.
• She has watched this movie several times.
• It hasn’t stopped.
• He has saved $20.000.000 up until now.
• I have never been to Germany.
• They have gone fishing until later this evening.
• Have you done the essay yet?
• I have solved 20 questions so far.
• Call me when you’ve finished writing the report.
• Hasn’t my mother cooked the dinner yet?
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Wh Questions in Present Perfect!

• We use other question words ( Like Who, What, Why , etc.) in present perfect tense.
• Question Words (who, what, why, etc.) + have + subject + V3
• Examples:
• What have they done?
• Why has she said like that?
• Where have you seen my wallet?

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Present Perfect VS Simple Past

Present Perfect Tense is used to express unfinished events that started in the past and continue to the
present. The events are still continuing.

• Examples:
• I have lived in Paris for five years. ( I still live in Paris )
• My son has been sick since Monday. ( My son is still sick )
• He has worked in Berlin since he graduated from the university. ( He still works in Berlin )

Simple Past Tense is used to express finished events.

• Examples:
• I lived in Paris for five years. ( I moved another city and now I am no living there )
• My son was sick on Monday. ( My son isn’t sick now ) 
• He worked in Berlin after he graduated from the university. ( He found himself a new job and he isn’t working in
Berlin)

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Present Perfect Tense is used to express finished events in someone’s life. ( if the person is still alive – life
experience )
• Examples:
• I have been to England in my life.  ( I am alive )
• He has never travelled by plane. ( He is alive )
• Scientist have tried to invent something new. ( We are alive )

Simple Past Tense is used to express finished events in someone’s life. (if the person is dead)
• Examples:
• My Mother went to America four times.  ( She is dead )
• He travelled a lot by plane. ( He is dead )
• They tried to invent something new. ( they are dead )

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Present Perfect Tense is used to express finished events that happened at an unspecified time in the past and the
impact of the event is now continuing. ( Past Event – Present Result )
• Examples:
• She has lost her wallet. ( She can’t find it and I have no money now )
• We can’t reach Paul by phone. Have you seen him?
• Tom isn’t at school. I think he has gone to the theater.

Simple Past Tense is used to express finished events. There is no result in the present. 

• Examples:
• She lost her wallet yesterday. ( I canceled my cards and bought a new wallet yesterday- there is no result now )
• Yesterday we could reach Paul by phone ( I don’t need to reach or call Paul now – there is no result now)
• He went to the theater two hours ago. ( now he is at school – there is no result now)

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Present Perfect Tense is used with unfinished time words ( this week, today,this year etc. ). The period of time is
still continuing. 
• Examples:
• We haven’t called him this week. ( “this week” is not over yet )
• I have eaten lots of plumps today.  ( “today” is not over yet )
• They have had several exams this month.  ( “this month” is not over yet )

Simple Past Tense is used with finished time words ( yesterday, last week, in 2000, etc. ). 
• Examples:
• We didn’t call him yesterday. 
• I ate lots of plumps last week. 
• They had several exams last year. 

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Attention!!!

• If we use a specific time in a sentence,  we should use “Simple Past Tense“.  
• If we use an unspecific time in a sentence, we should use “Present Perfect Tense“.

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Time Words

• Time words with “in the” and without “in the” have different meanings. 

• For example;
• ( last year- in the last year/ last week – in the last week / last month- in the last month )
• “Last month” and “in the last month” have different meanings. 
• “Last month” means the month before now. It is considered a specific time, so it requires Simple Past Tense.
• “In the last month” means from 30 days ago until now ( at some point between 30 days ago and now ) . It is not
considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect Tense.
• Examples:
• We haven’t received any mail in the last month.      
• We didn’t receive any mail last month.
• I have solved many problems in the last year.
• I solved many problems last year. 

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