Present Perfect: a tense that connects the past and the present

Present Perfect is a tense used in English to talk about actions or events that are connected to the present moment, even though they may have occurred in the past. This tense emphasizes the result of an action, an experience, or a state that has continued from the past up to the present.

In this article, we will take a closer look at when and how to correctly use this tense and share useful tips for applying it in real-life situations.

Contents

1. Sentences in Present Perfect: rules of formation and usage
2. Time markers for Present Perfect
    2.1. The difference between time markers: never/ever, already/yet
3. Rules for using Present Perfect: examples
4. Common mistakes and difficulties in applying Present Perfect rules with examples
5. Practice exercises
6. FAQs

Sentences in Present Perfect: rules of formation and usage

A sentence in Present Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb “have” or “has” (depending on the person and number) and the main verb in the third form (past participle). The formula for constructing an affirmative sentence is:

Subject + have/has + Past Participle 

To understand when to use “have” and when to use “has” in Present Perfect sentences, pay attention to the subject — who or what is performing the action:

• “have” is used with the subjects “I”, “you”, “we”, and “they”;
• “has” is used with the subjects “he”, “she”, “it”;

Past Participle is the third form of the verb. It is formed differently depending on the type of verb. Let's break it down in more detail.

• I have seen this movie.
• She has just finished her work.
• We have eaten breakfast.
• He has gone to the store.
• They have cleaned the house.

Native speakers of English often use contractions of pronouns with the auxiliary verbs “have/has”. This is done to sound more natural and save time in conversation. For example:

• I’ve (I have) worked hard today.
• It’s (It has) rained all day.
• He’s (He has) visited Sri Lanka twice.
• We’ve (We have) been to this restaurant before.

Negative sentences are formed by adding “not” after the auxiliary verbs “have/has”. In English, it's also common to use contractions “haven't” and “hasn't”.

Subject + have/has + not + Past Participle 

• We have not visited our granny this week.
• She hasn’t seen “Cabaret” at Molodyy Theatre.
• I haven’t painted this picture.
• He hasn’t arrived yet.

Questions are formed by placing the auxiliary verb “have/has” before the subject.

Have/Has + Subject + Past Participle?

— Have you ever attended The Weeknd concert?
— Yes, I have attended. It was in August 2023, during his last European tour.

— Has he ever tried sushi?
— No, he hasn’t. He firmly believes that raw fish is bad for his stomach.

To form Wh-questions (special questions), place the question words “what”, “where”, “when”, “why”, “who”, “how” before the auxiliary verbs “have/has”.

• What have you done today?
• Where has she gone?
• Why have they not answered your message?
• Who has taken your car keys?

Time markers for Present Perfect

In examples of sentences in Present Perfect, as in all other tenses, there are specific “hints” — time markers. They help to understand that the action is connected to the present moment. These include:

• already; 
• just;
• yet;
• for; 
• since; 
• so far; 
• up to now/until now; 
• recently; 
• ever; 
• never.

• Up to now, I’ve never missed a deadline.
• Have you been friends since childhood?
• I’ve recently started a new fitness program.
• They've never tried bungee jumping and they probably never want to.

The difference between time markers: never/ever, already/yet

At first glance, some of the time markers for Present Perfect may seem similar, but in fact, there are important differences between them.

Rules for using Present Perfect: examples

Let's look at the main cases in which we apply the rules of Present Perfect with examples.

By the way, have you ever heard about the game “Never have I ever…”? It's a popular game often played in groups of friends or at parties. It's closely related to the rules of Present Perfect because in both cases, we describe experiences we've had or haven't had up to that point. Here are a few fun and some provocative questions that you can use both in the game and as examples for practicing this tense.

Common mistakes and difficulties in applying Present Perfect rules with examples

The rules of Present Perfect can often be challenging to learn due to their peculiarities. Below are the main mistakes and difficulties that English learners might experience, along with explanations on how to avoid them.

1. Students often use Past Simple in situations where Perfect tense should be used, especially when describing an action without specifying a particular time.

✗ I watched this movie already. 
✓ I’ve already watched this movie.

2. Time markers such as “yesterday”, “last week”, “ago” are associated with Past Simple, but they can be mistakenly used in Perfect tense sentences.

✗ I’ve been to the gym yesterday.
✓ I went to the gym yesterday.

For Present Perfect examples, time markers that are connected to the present are suitable. For instance, “already”, “just”, “ever”, “never”, “recently”, “so far”, “yet”.

3. Students sometimes use “have” for all subjects, ignoring the agreement rules. Remember that “have” is used with pronouns like “I”, “you”, “we”, and “they”, while “has” is used with “he”, “she”, and “it”.

✗ She have completed the task. 
✓ She has completed the task.

4. The words “yet” and “already” can be used together in one sentence, even though they have different contexts. “Already” is used in affirmations, while “yet” is used in negative sentences or questions.

✗ I’ve already finished the report yet.
✓ I’ve already finished the report.
✓ Have you finished the report yet?

5. “Just” is used in affirmations, but it is often mistakenly added to negative sentences. 

✗ I haven’t just finished my English homework.
✓ I’ve just finished my English homework.

Practice exercises

Find and correct mistakes.

FAQs 

1. When are Present Perfect rules used, and when are Past Simple rules used?

The rules of Present Perfect are used in situations where the action is connected to the present, such as a result, experience, or events up to the present moment. Past Simple is used for actions that were completed at a specific point in the past.

• Perfect tense: We have just eaten lunch. (focus on the result)
• Simple tense: We ate lunch at 1:30 pm. (focus on specific time)

2. How to correctly form a question in Present Perfect?

To correctly form a question, you need to move the auxiliary verbs “have/has” to the beginning of the sentence. After that, the subject comes next, followed by the verb in its third form or with the -ed ending (for regular verbs).

• Have you read this article?
• Has she ever seen a shooting star?

3. Can Present Perfect rules be used with specific time markers?

No, this tense is not used with specific time markers like “yesterday” or “last year”. In these cases, Past Simple is used.

✗ I have finished my homework yesterday.
✓ I finished my homework yesterday.

4. What time markers are used in Present Perfect?

Common time markers used in Present Perfect include “already”, “yet”, “just”, “never”, “ever”, “recently”, “lately”.

— Have you ever been to Japan?
— No, I haven’t. But I’ve just returned from South Korea. 

5. How are the rules of Present Perfect related to life experience?

We use this tense to talk about experiences we have had until the present moment. This tense shows that something has become a part of our life, but it doesn’t specify exactly when it happened.

• We’ve already collaborated with celebrities.
• He has participated in three marathons.