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Present Perfect Grammar

Present perfect grammar INFO

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Coti Macias
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17 views

Present Perfect Grammar

Present perfect grammar INFO

Uploaded by

Coti Macias
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Present perfect and past simple

Periods of time in the past can be finished (last week, in 2015, 3 years ago) or unfinished
(this week, recently).

Finished time periods


For finished time periods we generally use the past simple

I went to my cousin’s birthday party last night.


Did you see Lana last week?
I got my degree in 2022.

Some expressions of finished time that are typically used with the past simple include:
yesterday, last (night, week, year, etc.), in (January, 2014, the summer, etc.), on (Tuesday,
my birthday,etc.), (a few days, three years, etc.) ago, when (I was at university, etc) and
recently.

Unfinished time periods


For unfinished time periods we generally use the present perfect

I’ve taken lots of pictures today.


Have you seen Laura recently?
We’ve been here since 9 o’clock.

Some expressions of unfinished time that we often use with the present perfect include:
recently, already, just, never, ever, yet, so far, for (ten minutes, two weeks, etc.), since
(2021, 10 o’clock, etc.), over the past (two months, three days, etc.)

Some time expressions can refer to both unfinished or finished time, depending on the
context.
Have you seen her this morning? it is still this morning
Did you see her this morning? the morning is finished
I’ve bought a few new video games recently. focus on time until now.
I bought a new phone recently. focus on the time of buying the phone
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS

Present perfect simple

HAVE/HAS + PAST PARTICIPLE


She has been here before.

HAVEN’T/HASN’T + PAST PARTICIPLE


He hasn’t arrived yet.

HAVE/HAS + SUBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE ?


Have they eaten yet?
USES:
● To talk about past experiences when you don’t say when something happened, often
with ever or never. Ex: Have you ever been to Paris? / I’ve never seen him before
● With just, already and yet. Ex: I’ve just finished my homework. I haven’t seen the
film yet. I’ve already visited my mum.
● With superlatives and the first, second, last time, etc. Ex: It’s the best book I’ve
ever read.
● for finished actions (when no time is specified) which have present results. Ex: My
computer’s crashed!
● With non-action verbs to say that something started in the past and is still true now.
○ This use is common with time expressions like How long…? for, since, all
day/evening, etc. I have known him for 10 years now.
● When we say or ask how much/many we have done or how often we have done
smth up to now. How many novels have you read?/ They have seen each other
twice this week.

Present perfect continuous

HAVE/HAS + BEEN + VERB -ING


She has been reading a novel.

HAVEN’T/HASN’T + BEEN + VERB -ING


He hasn’t been talking much.

HAVE/HAS + SUBJECT + BEEN + VERB -ING ?


Have you been sleeping well?

USES:
● With action verbs to say that an action started in the past and is still happening now.
(Unfinished actions). Ex: She has been listening to music all night
○ This use is common with time expressions like How long…?, for, since, all
day/evening, etc.
● For repeated actions, especially with a time expression like all day, recently, etc. Ex:
It has been raining all day
● For continuous actions which have just finished (but which have present results).
Ex: I’ve been working all day. I’m exhausted.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE or CONTINUOUS?


● To talk about an unfinished action, we normally use the present perfect continuous
with action verbs and the present perfect simple with non-action verbs. Ex: I’ve
been sleeping badly for days. / He’s liked classical musical since he was a teenager.
● Some verbs can be action or non-action, depending on their meaning. E.g: have
piano lessons (action), have a car (non-action). Ex: She has been having piano
lessons since she was a child. / He’s had that car for at least ten years.
● With the verbs live or work, you can often use the present perfect simple or
continuous. However, we normally use the present perfect continuous for more
temporary actions. Ex: We’ve lived here since 2010. / We’ve been living in a rented
flat for the last two months.
● The present perfect simple emphasizes the completion of an action (The kitchen
has been painted). The present perfect continuous emphasizes the duration of
an action (The painting of the kitchen may not be finished yet. I’ve been painting the
kitchen)

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